The signing of the memorandum between the United States and Iran is still scheduled to take place today, despite the latest Israeli attack on Beirut, US President Donald Trump told Axios and CNN. In the discussion, Trump harshly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a brief phone call with a CNN reporter, Trump expressed his disapproval of Netanyahu's decision to strike Beirut, saying, “(Netanyahu, no) has no discernment at all. I told him that directly.”
In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, CNN journalist Barak Ravid said Trump had stepped up his criticism of the Israeli prime minister.
“Why did Bibi do that attack? Hezbollah fired and hit a place in the middle of the desert. No one was hurt. And then they had to launch that damn attack, right in Beirut. It made me very angry,” Ravid said Trump told him.
Earlier in the morning, Trump called on Israel not to attack Lebanon as a deal with Iran is “so close”.
“They called me and said, 'Sir, Israel is attacking Beirut' — an hour before we signed the deal,” Trump said, according to Ravid. “I couldn't believe something like this was happening. It's very serious.”
Israel struck a Hezbollah command center in southern Beirut on Sunday, killing three and wounding 15. In response, Iran's chief negotiator accused the US of reneging on its commitments, questioning the signing of the peace deal.
