A serious diplomatic crisis is brewing in Washington. US President Donald Trump has publicly clashed with the Israeli leadership, condemning the recent attack on Beirut and effectively withdrawing support for the actions of the Israeli army. This is an unprecedented step taken to save the impending peace agreement with Iran.
The statement was published on the social network Truth Social in the morning Eastern Time, immediately following the report of the strike. Trump called the attack on Beirut a mistake that should not have happened, especially on this "special day".
By "special day," the president meant his 80th birthday and the grand UFC Freedom 250 show taking place on the White House lawn. Sabotaging a historic deal at such a moment would have been a serious blow to his image. Trump emphasized that the parties are a step away from an agreement that will bring peace to the region, including Lebanon, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
The key point of the statement was the minimization of the pretext for the Israeli strike. Calling the attack on Israel "very small and meaningless," Trump directly devalued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arguments about the need for a "stern response." The US President emphasized that since no one died, Israel had no right to jeopardize global peace.
In his message, Trump issued an ultimatum to both sides of the conflict. He demanded a mutual freeze of military activity: Israel is forbidden from attacking "anywhere in Lebanon," and "Hezbollah" and pro-Iranian forces are forbidden from firing at Israel. The head of state appealed to his personal role as a peacemaker, stating that this could be the beginning of a "long and beautiful peace".
The consequences of this statement are already being felt. Trump's quote caused shock in Israeli political circles, as Netanyahu was counting on the full support of the White House. This is the harshest public reprimand of Israel by the US administration in recent years.
On the other hand, Trump is effectively sending a signal to Tehran: "I did not control this strike, I am against it, let's get back to the deal." Now the decision lies with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — will he accept these apologies and disavow the hard refusal of Speaker Galibfa. The markets reacted to the tweet instantly: Brent oil prices stalled around $89.8–$90.1, as investors saw Trump's willingness to pressure Israel hard to sign the treaty.
