Israel, Hezbollah Strikes In Lebanon Cast Shadow Over Likely Iran-US Deal

Israel and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah traded strikes on Sunday sparking concerns that a proposed deal to end the Middle East conflict may be torpedoed.

US President Donald Trump had announced on Saturday a deal would be signed with Iran on Sunday. Trump also said in a Truth Social post that the Strait of Hormuz will be open to all once the deal is signed, adding, the US will work with Iran to remove enriched uranium from the country at an undetermined date.

Iran also announced the funeral of its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been scheduled to be held between July 4 and July 9, sparking hopes that a deal has been reached.

Separately, Pakistan, which took on a mediatory role to end the conflict between US-Israeli forces and Iran, also hinted a peace deal could happen Sunday. The Middle Conflict began on February 28 following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Khamenei.

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said in a social media post that they had struck a “Hezbollah command center” in Beirut as a response to Hezbollah’s aerial attacks “against Israeli civilians & IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.” It warned of more strikes, CNBC reported.

In response, Trump, urged for restraint in a Truth Social post Sunday. The Israeli attacks “should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” he posted.

He defended Israel’s right to retaliate but said “the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process.”

“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and 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 directed Israel and Hezbollah to stop the strikes.

Earlier this month also Israel and Lebanon traded strikes threatening to usurp the carefully curated peace overtures by mediators including Pakistan, Qatar and Egypt.

The renewed strikes by Israel and Hezbollah have cast doubts on a likely peace agreement on Sunday, according to reports.

Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in an X post that the Israeli strikes threaten to upset the deal.

“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.

“If you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”

As is to allay apprehensions on a delay to strike a deal, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz expressed confidence that the deal will be signed on Sunday itself, in an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I’m confident. The team is confident. I don’t want to get ahead of the president or the vice president, but they have every intent of getting this done today,” he said.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” also said, “From all I know, we are on track. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”