U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized the lack of precision in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, saying it is 'unacceptable' that a bomb falls in the city and kills people unaffiliated with Hezbollah. The remarks, published Thursday evening, signal growing U.S. concern over the scope of Israeli operations in Lebanon.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance sharply criticized Israeli airstrikes in Beirut on Thursday, saying the civilian toll is unacceptable. 'It is unacceptable that a bomb suddenly falls on Beirut and people unaffiliated with Hezbollah are killed,' Vance said, according to an Israeli media report.
The comment is the strongest public American rebuke of Israeli targeting in Lebanon since the current campaign began. It follows a series of statements by Vance in recent weeks that have emphasized Washington's desire to prioritize a nuclear deal with Iran and to limit Israeli operations that could destabilize Lebanon.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, Vance has previously urged Israel not to 'run wild' in southern Lebanon and has argued that the U.S. goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon takes precedence over Israeli military preferences. The new remarks extend that criticism to the capital itself, where Israeli strikes have repeatedly hit targets in Hezbollah-controlled neighborhoods.
It remains unclear whether the Biden administration — Vance serves under President Trump — will back the criticism with policy changes, such as restricting arms transfers or conditioning military aid. Vance did not specify which strike or incident prompted his statement.
3 developments
- StrongVance outlines US-Iran deal terms, criticizes Beirut strike, at press conference
- DevelopingVP Vance: some people 'just want bombing to continue,' regardless of results for Americans
- StrongVP Vance: Iran pledged not to fire at Israel, will sign deal — after Israeli Beirut strike
- StrongUS VP Vance says Netanyahu 'got something wrong,' signals daylight in Washington
Source and signal
- Internal intake