US President Donald Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a crucial phone call to reduce airstrikes in Lebanon to help push for peace talks with Iran.
The development comes as talks between the US and Iran are set to begin in the Pakistani capital Islamabad to implement a historic two-week ceasefire agreement and find a permanent solution. President Trump has said that Israel’s heavy bombing of Lebanon could jeopardize the fragile ceasefire, as Iran has already warned that attacks on Lebanon would be considered a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
According to White House sources, President Trump has made it clear to Netanyahu that he is close to a major peace deal with Iran (the Islamabad Accord) and that for this purpose, it is necessary to reduce overall tensions in the region. On the other hand, the Israeli prime minister made a statement yesterday that operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon are not part of any interim agreement with Iran, but US Vice President JD Vance said that Israel is willing to exercise “caution” to facilitate the negotiation process.
This diplomatic pressure is also increasing because Iran has threatened to re-close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation if large-scale attacks in Lebanon continue, which is likely to cause a crisis in global oil markets.
US and Iranian delegations are arriving in Islamabad for talks, President Trump’s advice to Israel to exercise restraint is a clear indication that Washington is currently focused on restoring its influence in the Middle East through diplomacy rather than military force and achieving a “major victory”.
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