Israel strikes Lebanon ahead of expected US-Iran peace deal
Photo: Israel struck Hezbollah in Beirut on the eve of the U.S.-Iran deal (Getty Images)
Israel carried out airstrikes on a Hezbollah neighborhood in Beirut ahead of the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked Hezbollah infrastructure targets in the Dahiya district of Beirut. Netanyahu says this is a response to the group’s shelling of Israeli territory.
"Israel will not tolerate shelling of its territory," the statement says.
The strikes were personally authorized by the Israeli Prime Minister, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The attacks occurred on the eve of the expected signing of an agreement between the US and Iran. Iran is Hezbollah’s main sponsor, so any strikes against the group directly affect the course of peace negotiations.
Possible peace agreement
Today, the US and Iran, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, were scheduled to hold a virtual meeting to sign a memorandum of understanding remotely. The document provides for a 60-day extension of the ceasefire and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that an agreement between the US and Iran would be signed digitally within the next 24 hours. Pakistan is serving as the main mediator in the negotiations.
Iran has denied the date announced by Trump. As reported by RBC-Ukraine, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that the signing would not take place on Sunday, but did not rule out the conclusion of an agreement in the coming days.
