Israel Strikes Beirut as US‑Iran Deal Nears Signing
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Israel bombed the southern suburbs of Beirut, hitting a five‑story apartment building and killing at least three people, according to Lebanese authorities.
- Netanyahu said the strike was a response to Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel.
- Trump said he expected a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be signed as early as Sunday and later told Axios he was “very unhappy” with the attack, calling Netanyahu “has no fucking judgment.”
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the strikes show the United States “either does not have the will or the ability to fulfill its obligations.”
- MOU (as reported by Reuters) would have Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States lift its blockade of Iranian ports, waive oil sanctions, release $25 billion of frozen Iranian assets, and Iran would refrain from further uranium enrichment and nuclear expansion.
- Abbas Araghchi said the MOU’s 60‑day ceasefire extension would include Lebanon.
- Trita Parsi warned Israel will do more sabotage unless Trump imposes a cost on Israel, arguing the Beirut strike is intended to derail the pending US‑Iran deal.
Why it matters: Israel’s Beirut strike undercuts a deal that would lift sanctions, free $25 billion of frozen Iranian assets and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, delivering lower oil prices and economic relief; the attack jeopardizes those gains and strains the fragile US‑Iran negotiations.
