New escalation in the Middle East. The United States strikes Iranian military targets as negotiations on the nuclear dossier continue. On the Lebanese front, Israel announces the conquest of the historic Beaufort fortress and expands operations against Hezbollah.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it has conducted a series of targeted military operations against strategic targets inside Iran. Washington he defined the intervention as a “defensive” action, explaining that the radar installations and command and control structures used by the Pasdaran to coordinate their activities with drones and unmanned aircraft ended up in the crosshairs. According to what American military leaders reported, the operation was a response to what the United States describes as “aggressive and unprovoked actions” by Tehran, culminating in the shooting down of a US drone which, according to Washington, was in international airspace over the Persian Gulf. During the raid, an American fighter also reportedly neutralized Iranian air defense systems, a ground control station and two autonomous munitions deemed an immediate threat.
Donald Trump against CNN
On a political level, during the night President Donald Trump intervened again on the negotiations with Iran, targeting CNN and accusing the broadcaster of spreading misleading information on the ongoing talks with the Islamic Republic. «CNN, as usual, claims that the agreement I am negotiating with Iran does not address the nuclear problem. In reality, the text clearly provides that Iran cannot acquire nuclear weapons”, Trump wrote on the Truth social network. The American president then took things further, defining CNN and other media outlets as “a walking disaster” characterized by increasingly low ratings. However, signs of caution are arriving from Tehran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on observers and the media not to attach too much importance to rumors about the negotiations until official results are announced. Quoted by the Russian agency Tass, the head of Iranian diplomacy explained that the dialogue and exchange of messages between the parties continue, but that any evaluation would be premature at the moment. “Until a concrete result is achieved, everything that is said remains in the field of speculation and should not be considered definitive,” he declared on Iranian state television.
Israel expands its operations in Lebanon
While United States And Iran diplomatic confrontation continues, the conflict on the Lebanese front registers a significant escalation. The Israel Defense Forces announced the capture of the Beaufort Castlea historic Crusader fortress located in southern Lebanon, about fifteen kilometers from the border with Israel. The images released by the Israeli media show the flag of the Jewish State and that of the Golani Brigade hoisted on the fortified complex. According to the IDF, the operation was conducted in the areas of Beaufort Ridge And Wadi Saluki with the aim of destroying military infrastructure Hezbollah, eliminate fighters and consolidate operational control in the southern region of Lebanon. Israel claims that hundreds of missile attacks against its territory have launched from these areas over the years and that many of the infrastructures used by the Shiite movement were built thanks to Iranian support. The prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu he defined the capture of the fortress as a real “turning point” in the military campaign against Hezbollah. The prime minister claimed the expansion of Israeli operations on multiple fronts, from Gaza to Syria to Lebanon, claiming that Israel has now “broken the barrier of fear” and regained the strategic initiative. Netanyahu also stated that since the start of hostilities they would have been eliminated approximately 8,000 Hezbollah fighters.
On the diplomatic side, meanwhile, work is underway to prevent the conflict from degenerating further
According to the Lebanese broadcaster LBCI, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, engaged in mediation efforts between Israel And Lebanonis expected to announce on Tuesday 2 June a new agreement aimed at strengthening the ceasefire and reducing the risk of a new escalation along the northern Israeli border. The contents of the agreement have not yet been made public. From Lebanon, however, the tone remains very harsh. The president Joseph Aoun denounced what he called a “ferocious and condemnable Israeli aggression”, accusing Jerusalem of intensifying military operations by conquering Beaufort and promising to work to put an end to the suffering of the Lebanese population, in particular those living in the south of the country. The statements of Aoun arrive on the eve of the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, convened at the request of the France to discuss the evolution of the Lebanese crisis. Meanwhile, military operations on the ground continue. The Arabic-language spokesperson of the IDF, Avichay Adraeeissued an evacuation order for numerous population centers in southern Lebanon, near Sidon. The affected locations include Al-Aqabiyah, Al-Zrarieh, Al-Marwaniyah, Sanibir, Al-Najariyah, Al-Adousiyah and Khirbet Bassel while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Minister of Defense Israel Katz they ordered the IDF to strike terrorist targets in Beirut’s Dahiya neighborhood. The order comes after repeated ceasefire violations in Lebanon by Hezbollah and attacks on Israeli cities and civilians. All signs that suggest that Israel is ready to further expand its offensive against Hezbollah in the south of Country of Cedars.
