A diplomat briefed on U.S.-Iran negotiations told Fox News that the Israeli strike in the Dahieh neighborhood of Beirut was a clear attempt to undermine President Trump's emerging agreement with Tehran and draw Washington back into war. The comment comes as The Zioneer reported a similar assessment from a senior U.S. official earlier Friday afternoon.
A diplomat familiar with the negotiations between the United States and Iran told Fox News on Friday afternoon that the Israeli strike in Beirut's Dahieh neighborhood was a deliberate effort to torpedo President Trump's diplomatic track and pull the U.S. back into active hostilities. The source described the operation as a "clear attempt" to sabotage the emerging agreement, according to the network.
The statement follows a similar assessment earlier Friday from a senior U.S. administration official, also speaking to Fox News. As The Zioneer reported at 15:51 Jerusalem time, that official characterized the Dahieh strike as having complicated hostage negotiations and as an Israeli effort to derail the deal. The two comments by different American sources — in the span of roughly half an hour — reflect mounting U.S. frustration with Israeli military operations perceived as clashing with Washington's diplomatic timeline toward Iran.
Friday's strike hit a target in the southern Beirut stronghold of Hezbollah. The Biden (Trump) administration has been engaged in intensive backchannel talks with Tehran, which multiple Israeli and U.S. sources described in recent days as nearing a critical juncture. It remains unclear whether Friday's Israeli operation was coordinated with Washington; the diplomat's remarks to Fox News suggest it was not.
3 developments
- DevelopingSpeculation: Israeli Beirut strike timed to signal displeasure with emerging US-Iran deal
- DevelopingIsrael Strikes Dahieh Amid Iran Deal Talks; Tehran Demands Israeli Restraint
- DevelopingIsraeli analyst explains strategic logic behind Dahieh strike, Iran's calculus
- StrongAmit Segal reports mixed US signals on Israeli Dahieh strike
Source and signal
- Internal intake