U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy against Hezbollah, stating that Syria could manage the threat more effectively without causing widespread casualties. Speaking during the G7 Summit after meeting the Emir of Qatar, Trump said he was unhappy with Israel’s military strike in Beirut shortly before a proposed agreement, arguing that the operation risked undermining diplomatic efforts. He also suggested that Israel’s actions in Lebanon nearly derailed ongoing peace negotiations involving Iran. Meanwhile, tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border have escalated further. According to reports, Israeli airstrikes targeted the towns of Mefadoun and Shaqeen in southern Lebanon, killing four people and injuring several others. In response, Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israeli positions, but Israel’s air defense system intercepted the projectiles before impact. The Israeli military subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes on the rocket launch sites and reportedly destroyed a Hezbollah military vehicle, signaling another round of cross-border escalation in the region.
