By Paul Joseph
United States President Donald Trump has threatened to launch fresh military strikes against Iran if Tehran fails to rein in Hezbollah, warning that any continued attacks by the Lebanese militant group could trigger a stronger American response.
Trump issued the warning on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform as senior United States and Iranian officials began peace talks in Switzerland aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote.
“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder.”
The renewed threat comes after days of clashes between the Israeli military and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, raising concerns over the durability of a recently signed ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 30 people in eastern and southern Lebanon on Saturday before the fighting subsided later in the day following orders for Israeli forces to halt military operations against Hezbollah.
The memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week between the United States and Iran provides for a cessation of hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, making the latest violence a potential challenge to the fragile agreement.
Speaking at the opening of the Switzerland negotiations, United States Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism that the ceasefire would hold.
“We’ve seen great progress in the last couple of days in ensuring that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon,” Vance said.
“We’re all working towards regional peace. I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon. There’s still some additional work to do, but we’re going to keep working at it.”
Vance also argued that the Trump administration had done more than any other country in recent months to help reduce hostilities in Lebanon.
The ongoing talks in Switzerland are expected to focus on preserving the ceasefire, reducing regional tensions and preventing a broader conflict involving Iran, Israel and Hezbollah.
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