Israel Prepares for New Iranian Missile Attacks After Trump Chastises Netanyahu Ahead of Peace Deal Signing

With officials due to deliver electronic signatures on a document to end the military standoff in the Persian Gulf, President Trump on Sunday told Israel to lay off Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying the Jewish nation’s strikes are unnecessary and complicate efforts in the final hours of dealmaking.Israel hit Hezbollah in the Dahiyeh suburb at Beirut after the terror group fired three drones into northern Israel on Sunday. Three were reportedly killed and six injured in Lebanon while no one was injured in Israel. “Israel will not tolerate firing into its territory,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement announcing the strikes. In response, Iran threatened to attack Israel, leading Mr. Netanyahu to call a cabinet meeting at an undisclosed location on Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces also issued restrictions on large-scale gatherings in anticipation of an Iranian attack. Gatherings in northern Israel had already been restricted to 100-400 people.In remarks to Axios and Fox News, the president berated Mr. Netanyahu, saying his decisions were delaying the deal. Without mentioning the prime minister by name, the president took to Truth Social to chastise Israel for the attack. “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,” the president wrote. “All sides should stand down. 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. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!” he added. The supposed deal between the United States and Iran does little to ameliorate Israel’s security concerns. Iran’s enriched uranium and armed proxies are not addressed in the final draft of a memorandum of understanding, with officials saying the issues will instead be dealt with during a 60-day period negotiators are requesting for a final dealThe immediate deal, according to an unnamed senior Iranian official who spoke to Reuters, includes Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels and a lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian shipping traffic. The United States would also waive sanctions on Iran to let it sell oil and receive revenue; would release $25 billion in assets; and would not impose new sanctions during the 60-day period. Iran would not produce nor acquire nuclear weapons, nor enrich uranium or expand nuclear facilities in the 60-day period while talks continue on how to dilute existing highly enriched uranium stockpiles in Iran. With no mention of Hezbollah’s role in the ceasefire, the terror group’s initiating an attack that results in Israel returning fire gives way for Iran to make greater demands, foreign policy analysts said. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, wrote on X after Israel’s strikes that the “good cop-bad cop” approach to negotiations will not be tolerated. “If you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”“The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic are ready to respond to any act of mischief with their eyes open and fingers on the trigger,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ deputy commander for political affairs Brigadier Yadollah Javani said, according to the Islamic regime-controlled Fars news agency.Qatari and Pakistani negotiators have been shuttling between Tehran and their capitals as the deal is readied for execution. The arrangement is expected to be signed electronically, according to the Associated Press, without an in-person ceremony.The emerging deal has not satisfied some Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who on Friday said that the deal as described by the Iranian media “would be awful.”“The idea of a $300 billion reconstruction fund, given who is in charge of Iran, seems to be tone deaf. It would be akin to a Marshall Plan for Germany with the Nazis still in charge,” said Mr. Graham, who called the reported agreement no better than the one negotiated by President Obama in 2015. The CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Mark Dubowitz, also appealed to the president to not go soft on Hezbollah, saying its sole objective is to “wage war against America, Israel — and the Lebanese people.” “Hezbollah has been attacking America and Israel for over four decades. It has violated every ceasefire,” Mr. Dubowitz posted on X. “The IRGC and Hezbollah are trying to destroy your Iran policy and ruin your legacy.”

Israel Prepares for New Iranian Missile Attacks After Trump Chastises Netanyahu Ahead of Peace Deal Signing

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