US-Iran Peace Deal Hangs in Balance After Israeli Airstrikes on Beirut

The United States and Iran are on the brink of signing a historic peace agreement to end their three-month conflict, but the diplomatic breakthrough was thrown into jeopardy Sunday morning when Israeli forces launched fresh airstrikes on the Lebanese capital of Beirut.[2][6]

Smoke billowed over Dahieh, Beirut's southern suburbs, after the Israeli military targeted what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that three people were killed and 16 others wounded when the strikes heavily damaged the lower floors of a five-story residential building.[3][5][7]

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the bombardment, stating it was a direct response to Hezbollah launching three projectiles into northern Israel earlier in the day.[7]

President Donald Trump, who has staked significant political capital on securing the US-Iran agreement, quickly moved to salvage the diplomatic process. In a post on Truth Social, he called the Israeli attack "very small and meaningless" and insisted it "should not have happened."[4][5]

"We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down," Trump wrote, urging both Israel and Hezbollah to halt all attacks. "This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let's not blow it!"[5][6]

Privately, the frustration in Washington is palpable. Speaking to Axios, Trump reportedly criticized Netanyahu's judgment in authorizing the strike at such a sensitive moment, though he maintained that the electronic signing of the deal remains on track for Sunday.[1]

In Tehran, the strikes triggered immediate outrage and threats of retaliation. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the attack proved Washington either lacks the will or the ability to control its allies, complicating the path forward.[6]

The Iranian negotiating team is also facing intense domestic pressure. Hardline factions held protest rallies in Tehran and Mashhad on Sunday, accusing Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of compromising with the US while Iranian allies in Lebanon remain under fire.[4]

Qatari negotiators flew to Tehran on Sunday morning in a frantic bid to keep the agreement alive, joining a months-long mediation effort spearheaded by Pakistan that has repeatedly pulled the talks back from the brink of collapse.[4][7]

If signed, the preliminary agreement would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global energy markets—and formalize the tenuous ceasefire that has largely held since early April.[4][5]

Crucially, the deal does not immediately resolve the core disputes over Iran's nuclear program or its billions of dollars in frozen assets. Instead, it establishes a 60-day framework for technical discussions on those thorny issues.[7]

Trump has asserted that once the region is calm, the US will move to "downblend and destroy" Iran's enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates Iran currently holds roughly 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity—a short technical step from weapons-grade.[5]

The emerging framework is viewed with deep skepticism by the Israeli security establishment, which feels sidelined by the US-led negotiations and remains focused on degrading Hezbollah's military capabilities on its northern border.[5][7]

As Sunday evening approaches in the Middle East, the fate of the agreement hangs on whether Iran chooses to retaliate for the Beirut strikes or accepts the diplomatic off-ramp. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei suggested the signing could slip to the coming days, leaving the region in a tense holding pattern.[5]