President Trump said that the US and Iran were still on track to sign a peace deal Sunday that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz — his 80th birthday — despite Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that apparently infuriated Tehran.
Trump told Fox News’ Trey Yingst that he asked Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, “What the f— are you doing?” in response to the strikes.
Following the blunt call with the prime minister, Trump revealed that he planned to speak with Iranian officials and press them not to strike Israel in retaliation. He also predicted that the memorandum of understanding with Iran will get signed within the next two to three hours — or sometime late afternoon Sunday.
Israel had carried out strikes near Beirut Sunday in response to Hezbollah firing shots towards Israeli territory.
The president confirmed that he plans to lift the blockade on Iranian vessels if Tehran agrees to the memorandum of understanding and mused that there may later be an in-person signing of the preliminary peace deal in the future after the planned electronic signing on Sunday.
Publicly, Trump had dinged Israel over the strikes on the outskirts of Beirut.
“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” Trump posted on Truth Social. ” Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless.”
“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” he went on. “There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel.”
“Let’s not blow it!”
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed to have taken out a Hezbollah command center near Beirut in its retaliatory strikes Sunday. Hezbollah had launched rockets and drones toward northern Israel, according to top officials.
Hezbollah rejected a cease-fire proposal with Israel last month.
Last week, Israel and Lebanon exchanged fire, which threatened to derail talks over a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. The US hit multiple targets in Iran last week as well after Trump complained that Iran was “playing us for suckers” and intentionally delaying talks.
The two sides then announced the proposed framework.
Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned Sunday that the strikes in Lebanon could upend the memorandum of understanding.
“The Zionists’ incursion into Dahiyeh has once again shown that America either lacks the will to fulfill its commitments or the ability to do so,” he posted on social media, per a translation. “If you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”
Despite the strikes, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz was optimistic that the agreement will still get signed.
“I’m confident. The team is confident,” he told ABC News’ “This Week.” “I don’t want to get ahead of the president or the vice president, but they have every intent of getting this done today.”
The memorandum of understanding would extend the cease-fire with Iran for 60 more days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and create the conditions for broader talks over Iran’s nuclear program.
