Trump Warns Iran: Stop Hezbollah or Face US Strikes

United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Sunday, declaring that Iran would face military action if it failed to curb the activities of Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon. This threat emerged as high-level peace negotiations between American and Iranian officials commenced in Switzerland.

These critical talks are unfolding amidst recent skirmishes in southern Lebanon involving the Israeli army and Hezbollah, an ally of Tehran. These clashes risk undermining a preliminary peace agreement that has been reached between the two nations.

Taking to his Truth Social platform, President Trump explicitly stated, "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble." He further escalated his warning, adding, "If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!"

Prior to this development, Israeli airstrikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least 30 individuals across eastern and southern Lebanon. A temporary cessation of hostilities followed later that evening, with the Israeli military receiving orders to halt its engagements with Hezbollah. A memorandum of understanding, signed just last Wednesday between the US and Iran, mandates a complete halt to all hostilities across various fronts, including within Lebanon.

During the opening day of discussions in Switzerland on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about the ongoing efforts. He remarked that he had observed "great progress in the last just couple of days in ensuring that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon." Vance reiterated the collective objective, stating, "We’re all working towards regional peace." He added, "I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon. There’s still some additional wood to chop but we’re going to keep on working at it." Vance also highlighted that President Trump and the United States have contributed more to de-escalating the conflict in Lebanon in recent months than any other nation.