TEHRAN — Iran has sharply criticised the United States following Israel’s latest strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, arguing that Washington’s inability or unwillingness to restrain its closest regional ally raises serious doubts about ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East conflict.
The criticism came after an Israeli airstrike targeted the Dahiyeh district, a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut, killing at least three people and injuring 15 others, according to Lebanese authorities. The attack marked the second Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs within a week and came at a time when optimism had been growing over a possible US-Iran agreement to halt the wider regional conflict.
Iran questions US commitment
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and a senior figure involved in the country’s strategic decision-making, accused Washington of sending mixed signals by simultaneously pursuing negotiations while backing Israeli military operations.
“The Israeli attack on Dahiyeh once again shows the US either lacks the will to fulfil its commitments or the ability to do so,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.
He also dismissed what he described as a coordinated negotiating strategy between Washington and Tel Aviv
“By giving the green light to the regime you cannot gain concessions. The game of bad cop and good cop is outdated,” he said.
“If you lack the will and ability to fulfil your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”
The remarks underscore Tehran’s growing frustration over Israeli military actions even as negotiations with the United States continue.
Strike comes amid deal expectations
The latest exchange comes as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that an agreement with Iran could be signed soon.
Trump said over the weekend that a deal to end the war could be signed shortly and claimed the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to international shipping immediately afterward.
However, Iran has repeatedly insisted that any comprehensive agreement must also address the conflict in Lebanon and include an end to Israeli military operations there.
The Beirut strike is therefore being viewed in Tehran as a direct challenge to efforts aimed at securing a broader regional settlement.
What happened in Beirut?
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), the Israeli strike hit an apartment building in the Ghobeiry neighbourhood of Dahiyeh, one of Hezbollah’s main strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
An AFP correspondent at the scene reported heavy damage, with smoke rising from the building and residents searching through debris for survivors.
The area targeted is a densely populated commercial district lined with shops and residential buildings.
Israel said the attack was carried out in response to Hezbollah activity.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that Israeli forces had struck “terrorist targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation” after Hezbollah-linked attacks against Israeli territory.
The Israeli military said it had “precisely struck” a Hezbollah infrastructure site in Dahiyeh.
Escalation between Israel and Hezbollah
The strike followed reports from the Israeli military that three drones believed to have been launched by Hezbollah struck northern Israel on Sunday, although no casualties were reported.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon but did not immediately acknowledge any drone operation targeting northern Israel.
The latest escalation also follows an earlier Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs last week. That attack prompted Iran to launch missiles toward Israel, triggering retaliatory Israeli strikes before both sides stepped back from further escalation.
Iran has repeatedly warned that attacks on Beirut could trigger a broader regional response.
Pressure on diplomacy
The timing of the strike is particularly sensitive because negotiators are attempting to finalise a broader framework aimed at ending hostilities across multiple fronts.
A US official previously indicated that any future agreement would need to address Lebanon, where Hezbollah became directly involved in the conflict after launching attacks against Israel in March.
Pakistan, which has been involved in mediation efforts, has also said a deal may be close, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently claiming that finalisation could happen within days.
Yet recurring violence between Israel and Hezbollah continues to highlight the fragility of those diplomatic efforts.
Southern Lebanon remains under fire
Beyond Beirut, Israel expanded its military operations across southern Lebanon on Sunday.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported strikes on more than a dozen locations across the south.
The Israeli military also issued evacuation warnings for nearly 30 villages and locations before carrying out attacks.
A Lebanese military source told AFP that army personnel had withdrawn from a position near Kfar Tibnit, close to Nabatieh, following Israeli incursions into the area.
The latest developments come despite ongoing direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington aimed at reducing hostilities. The two sides have already held several rounds of discussions, although neither Israel nor Hezbollah has consistently respected ceasefire arrangements announced earlier this year.
For Iran, the latest strike reinforces a central argument it has repeatedly made during negotiations: that any durable regional agreement must address not only the US-Iran dispute but also Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. Whether the latest escalation complicates the push for a broader deal remains one of the key questions facing diplomats in the coming days. — Agencies
