President Donald Trump said Israel should not have carried out the strike in Beirut and called on all sides to withdraw, according to a statement reported by Israeli media. Trump's remarks mark his most direct criticism of the operation and reinforce his push for a regional diplomatic settlement.
President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of the Israeli strike in Beirut, saying Israel should not have carried out the operation and calling on all sides to withdraw. The statement, cited by Israeli media, comes hours after Trump earlier labeled the strike a 'mistake', as The Zioneer reported at 18:18 Jerusalem. By 18:33, he had added a demand for a full withdrawal, framing the operation as a needless escalation that could derail diplomatic momentum with Iran, a centerpiece of his regional strategy.
This latest rebuke continues a sequence of escalating statements from Trump throughout the evening. At 17:48 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported Trump's initial criticism that the strike 'should not have happened,' claiming the Hezbollah attack Israel responded to was 'small and insignificant.' By the same time, he demanded no further Israeli strikes anywhere in Lebanon. At 17:56, Trump's remarks broadened as he said the strike was not coordinated with Washington and signaled that a diplomatic deal with Tehran is imminent. The criticism intensified by 18:18 when he called the operation a 'mistake' and said Israel should not be allowed to attack anywhere. The current report, at 18:33, now adds his call for all sides to withdraw — the most comprehensive formulation of his position so far. All statements have been attributed only via Israeli media, with no direct quote from the White House or an on-record statement from Trump himself.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, Trump's push for a regional diplomatic settlement with Iran has been a consistent theme: in earlier background items from June 8 and 9, he described an Israeli strike in Iran as 'unnecessary' but said he understood why it was carried out, and urged Netanyahu to avoid retaliation. The current thread reflects his continued effort to contain further Israeli military action while advancing that deal.
It remains unclear whether Trump has spoken directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu since the Beirut strike, and whether his statements represent an official White House position or a personal view expressed via informal channels. No official American confirmation of the reported quotes has been published.
7 developments
- StrongTrump says he hopes the Lebanon situation can be resolved, acknowledges Hezbollah
- StrongIDF strikes Hezbollah communications target in Beirut's Dahiyeh; Trump erupts at Netanyahu
- StrongTrump asked Iran not to respond to Beirut strike, furious about attack in central Lebanon
- Confirmed"The Zioneer" — exclusive: Trump says Israel's Beirut strike was 'not coordinated' with the US, intends to call Netanyahu to urge restraint
Source and signal
- Internal intake