Israel Fires Fresh Strikes on Lebanon Amid Trump’s Criticism
Israeli jets struck the Nabatieh al‑Fawqa area and the outskirts of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon, the state‑run National News Agency (NNA) said. The Israeli military has not yet commented, but it has previously stated that the target was the Iran‑backed militia Hezbollah.
Trump, speaking at the G7 summit in France, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise more caution in Lebanon and warned that “too many people are being killed” in the Israel‑Hezbollah conflict. At the same summit, he reiterated his support for Israel but criticized the recent air strike as excessive, saying “without the United States, there would be no Israel.”
Both sides have been engaged in attacks since the U.S.‑Iran agreement was announced on the previous Sunday. An earlier Israeli strike on Beirut in response to a cross‑border rocket launch by Hezbollah has further strained negotiations to finalise the memorandum of understanding signed by Iran, the United States, and other parties.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautioned that Israel’s presence in Lebanese territory would be viewed as a violation of the interim deal, underscoring the fragility of the truce. The final signing of the agreement was expected in the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock this Friday.
Trump indicated a possible news conference where he would read the U.S.‑Iran agreement “word by word,” claiming it would prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and open the Strait of Hormuz for free passage. He contrasted the deal with the one negotiated under President Obama, arguing it was less costly and more effective.
