U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said Thursday that the president is increasingly frustrated by a pattern in which a significant diplomatic breakthrough seems imminent, only to be followed by a major explosion in a civilian area of Beirut that kills people with no connection to Hezbollah. Vance described such incidents as 'unacceptable,' according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS).
Shortly after 19:00 Jerusalem on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance sharpened his criticism of civilian casualties from Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, telling reporters that the president is 'increasingly frustrated' by a pattern in which talks approach a 'significant diplomatic breakthrough' only to be 'thwarted' by a major explosion in a civilian area that kills people unaffiliated with Hezbollah. Vance described the civilian deaths as 'unacceptable.' The remarks, reported by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), update an earlier thread that has tracked Vance's statements throughout the evening on the Israel-Lebanon front.
At 18:48 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported Vance's criticism of 'unacceptable' civilian deaths in Israeli Beirut strikes, citing a lack of precision. A second version published at the same minute (18:48) added that Vance also called on the Lebanese government to take responsibility for managing southern Lebanon. By 18:57 Jerusalem, Vance was further quoted saying Washington expects Hezbollah to refrain from rocket fire and expects Israel not to 'run wild' in Lebanon — a message the administration has reiterated as it tries to manage escalation without a formal ceasefire collapse. The thread thus shows the administration's stance hardening within a single hour, moving from a general critique of precision to a specific charge that Israeli operations are actively undermining a near-complete diplomatic agreement.
As The Zioneer reported on June 12, Vance earlier this month told CBS that Prime Minister Netanyahu 'got something wrong,' signaling U.S.-Israel divergence over the nuclear deal with Iran. The administration has publicly backed Israel's right to self-defense but, as The Zioneer reported Thursday at 18:00 Jerusalem, Vance also told the New York Times that he senses a 'strange panic' inside Israel regarding the U.S.-Iran talks. The context of the broader Lebanon front, reported on June 5, includes severe internal criticism in Lebanon against the government's handling of talks with Israel and Hezbollah.
It remains unclear which specific airstrike or incident Vance was referencing in his latest remarks. The vice president did not provide a precise location or time of the explosion he described, nor did he offer evidence of a diplomatic breakthrough that he said was thwarted.
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