Trump to Convene Cabinet as Skirmishes Persist in Southern Lebanon, Hormuz Strait

JERUSALEM, Israel – President Trump has repeatedly insisted that a peace deal with Iran could come soon. In the meantime, violence, both in Lebanon and in the Strait of Hormuz, suggests that the path to peace is a rocky road.

The Tehran regime demands that any peace deal must include an end to the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Yet, the Iranian proxy continues to launch drones and rockets at Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Israeli communities in northern Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces have responded by launching hundreds of counterstrikes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the troops will now push deeper into Lebanon.

"The IDF is operating with large forces on the ground and is seizing controlled areas. We are fortifying the security zone to protect the northern communities," Netanyahu declared.

One Beirut resident, Tony Aboud, claimed that Netanyahu's threat is frightening the Lebanese.

He complained, “By just saying a few words on TV, he causes everyone to panic and flee their homes. I don’t know what’s going to happen and how long we can live like this.”

However, many people living in northern Israel applaud the strong counterattacks.

David Camari, a resident of Kiryat Shmona, remarked, "We must keep hitting them, otherwise this ritual just repeats itself endlessly."

President Trump will hold a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with the war against Iran and its proxies topping the agenda.

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Despite the ceasefire and the ongoing peace talks, American forces in the Strait of Hormuz this week blew up two Iranian navy fast boats that were laying mines in the strategic waterway.

Iran's Foreign Ministry lashed out after those attacks through a State TV news anchor who stated, "These aggressive actions, occurring simultaneously with the diplomatic process, once again exposed the bad faith of the U.S. ruling establishment."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered that Iran's violent stranglehold on the crucial waterway must end.

 "The Straits have to be open. They're going to be open one way or the other," he remarked. "So they need to be open, what's happening there is unlawful, it's illegal, it's unsustainable for the world, it's unacceptable." 

As for worries that the president might sign a bad peace deal with Iran, Rubio insisted that it won't happen.

"It's either going to be a good deal or there isn't going to be one," he said.

Inside Iran, a five-month, near-total shutdown of the Internet is easing. The ban has been devastating to Iran's once thriving online businesses.

 Rastin, a computer science student, observed, "Businesses highly depend on the internet, and every time, these restrictions make life more difficult for them."

The shutdown costs Iran's already ailing economy between $30 and $40 million per day.