On 18 June, JD Vance stood in the White House press briefing room and tore into Israeli critics of the Iran deal that his boss, Donald Trump, had signed the previous day. The vice-president argued that Trump was the only world leader who was still sympathetic to Israel after nearly three years of wars and destruction across the Middle East. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government,” Vance said, “I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
Vance also pointed out that, during the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, two-thirds of the defensive weapons used to protect Israel from Iranian retaliation “have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars”. Vance publicly scolded Israel’s leaders in a way they have rarely been criticized by a high-level US politician. And while Vance did not directly target his criticism at the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the subtext was clear: The Trump administration is willing to call out the Israeli leader for sabotaging ceasefire agreements so that he could prolong regional wars and maintain power.
[The Guardian on June 25; comment confirming news report from Reuters]
特朗普在电话采访中称：“因局势受到冲击，签署时间推迟了数小时。”
就在美伊原定签署停火协议的数小时前，黎巴嫩境内冲突骤然升级。伊朗议会国家安全委员会主席易卜拉欣·阿齐济在社交平台X上发文称：“强有力的反击即将到来。”
特朗普表示，幕僚向他通报以色列袭击贝鲁特一事时，他深感意外，并对内塔尼亚胡大为不满。
“事态搞得一团糟，我简直无法相信。距离协议签署仅剩一小时，偏偏发生这种事。”
特朗普承认真主党率先向以色列发起攻击，但强调此次袭击未造成人员伤亡与财产损失。
“比比（Bibi，内塔尼亚胡的昵称）非要发动这场袭击干什么？我当时怒火中烧，也明确向他表达了不满。他完全没有判断力，这点我也直接告诉了他。”
伊朗媒体援引阿卜杜拉希少将的话报道，伊朗军队已“箭在弦上”，准备直击“敌人要害”。
他称，伊朗正静待敌方露出丝毫破绽，届时必将给予对方一次刻骨铭心的终极教训。
In a telephone interview, Trump stated, "The signing was delayed by a few hours due to developments on the ground."
The conflict in Lebanon suddenly escalated just hours before the United States and Iran were scheduled to sign a ceasefire agreement. Ibrahim Azizi, chairman of Iran's parliament's national security committee, posted on social platform X: “A strong counterattack is coming.”
Trump said he was deeply surprised when his staff informed him of the Israeli attack on Beirut and was greatly unhappy with Netanyahu.
“The situation is a mess, I can't believe it. Just one hour away from the signing of the agreement, this happened.”
Trump acknowledged that Hezbollah was the first to launch an attack on Israel, but stressed that the attack did not result in casualties or property damage.
“What did Bibi (Netanyahu's nickname) insist on launching this attack? I was burning with anger, and I clearly expressed my displeasure with him. He has absolutely no judgment, and I told him this directly.”
Iranian media reported, citing Major General Abdullahi, that the Iranian army has been on the string and is ready to directly attack the enemy's vital points.
Iran, he said, is waiting for the enemy to reveal the slightest flaw and will surely give the opponent an unforgettable ultimate lesson.
[SINA Financial quoting 环球市场播报 on June 15]
might improve after the US Midterm Elections this year. Anyway, it is still worth
keeping in mind the old German saying: Pack schlägt sich; Pack verträgt sich.
and which is reading in English:
The rat pack ......................
are beating up each other,
then making friends again.
