Supporters of Hezbollah celebrate the ceasefire with Israel as it takes effect, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday. AFP-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the United States has barred Israel from further bombing in Lebanon, striking an unusually harsh tone with the longtime U.S. ally while stressing that any U.S. deal with Iran is not linked to the Lebanon conflict.
"Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!" Trump said in a social media post.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to Trump’s remarks, but Netanyahu said in a statement earlier that Israeli forces remained stationed in southern Lebanon to defend against "the near threat."
"There are things we plan to do regarding the remaining rocket threat and the drone threat, which I will not detail here," Netanyahu said.
A U.S.-backed Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire took effect at 2100 GMT on Thursday, halting fighting that flared on March 2 when Hezbollah fired on northern Israel in support of Iran's fight with the U.S. and Israel, drawing an Israeli offensive that Lebanese authorities say has killed 2,000 people.
U.S. navel blockdae on Iran remains in place
In a series of social media posts after Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, Trump emphasized that any deal the United States reaches with Iran "is in no way subject to Lebanon" and said the U.S. will handle the militant group Hezbollah in an appropriate manner.
"Again! This deal is not tied, in any way, to Lebanon, but we will, MAKE LEBANON GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote in a later post.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi specified the Strait of Hormuz was open for the remainder of the 10-day truce between Israel and Lebanon.
Source: Korea Times News
