Key facts
- Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned Israel's attack on Beirut's southern suburbs as a "terrorist act."
- The strike killed at least three people and wounded 15, according to Lebanese state media.
- Iran warned that the US bears responsibility for the consequences of the attack.
- Iran stated it reserves the right to exercise self-defense.
- The attack occurred amid reports of an impending US-Iran peace deal, which Iran's negotiator suggested could be derailed.
Iran has strongly condemned Israel's recent air attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut, labeling the actions a "terrorist act" and warning that the United States bears responsibility for the consequences. The strikes, which killed at least three people and wounded 15, occurred as reports suggested a US-Iran peace deal was imminent.
Iran's Foreign Ministry stated the attack was a "clear violation of Lebanon’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity" and a "gross violation of the ceasefire agreement." The ministry emphasized Iran's determination to exercise its right to self-defense and placed responsibility for the "dangerous consequences" on both the US and Israel.
Top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf questioned the US's commitment to its promises, suggesting that peace talks were now pointless. President Trump also commented, stating that the Israeli strikes "should not have happened" and could hinder the peace deal. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, calling it a violation of the ceasefire and occurring at a "crucial moment" for potential peace.
Former Israeli ambassador to the US, Alon Pinkas, suggested Trump's public rebuke of Israel reflected a significant rupture in US-Israel relations, possibly due to Netanyahu's alleged misrepresentations before the war. Columnist Gideon Levy noted that Israel might be testing the limits of US restraint to undermine the potential deal or appeal to its domestic audience.
Separately, at least one person was killed in an Israeli drone attack in southern Lebanon's Doueir municipality, and the Israeli army reported two soldiers wounded in southern Lebanon.