Trump changes his mind, Iran wants to shift tactics

After announcing on Monday that he had canceled a planned attack on Iran at the last minute, which was scheduled for the following day, US President Donald Trump threatened again on Tuesday to strike Iran if no agreement was reached. For its part, the Iranian military responded by threatening Washington to open "new fronts" if their attacks resume.

From the White House, where he was showing journalists the construction site of the East Wing of the presidential headquarters, Trump reiterated that he hoped he would not have to wage war. "But we might have to give them another big blow. I'm not sure right now," he said.

When asked how long he was willing to wait for Iran to come to the negotiating table, he remained vague: "two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something like that, maybe early next week".

Donald Trump gave journalists a tour on Tuesday of the construction site of the future ballroom of the White House, while brushing off questions about the building's financing as well as the cost of living. (AFP)

From Tehran, even as the suspension of strikes had already been announced, the Iranian military continued its threats, stating that it would "open new fronts" if strikes resumed.

An article in the New York Times indicates that Iranian officials could consider new tactics if fighting resumes, such as seeking to control the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, which controls the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

This maritime passage, among the most strategic in the world, is bordered to the east by Yemen, where Houthi militias, allied with Iran, had repeatedly blocked the strait in retaliation for American strikes.

The NYT adds that Iran has been able to prepare to launch a large number of missiles per day, noting that the initial strikes (before the ceasefire) had not been able to eradicate the missile launchers, which are located underground.

This would explain the Gulf countries' fears of a resumption of hostilities.

"We will fight Israeli agents just as we fight the Israelis themselves"

In Lebanon, as the highly controversial general amnesty bill was being debated in Parliament, deputy Hassan Fadlallah, a recent prominent spokesman for Hezbollah, distinguished himself with a statement of rare virulence against Lebanese leaders, accompanied by an unprecedented threat.
"We will fight Israeli agents exactly as we fight the Israelis themselves," he declared, without specifying what he meant by "agents".

He indicated that his party "would not accept any new Antoine Lahd imposed by the Americans and Zionists, under whatever guise," in reference to the founder of the pro-Israeli militia from the 1980s.

The Hezbollah deputy is clearly firing broadsides at the Lebanese-Israeli-American military cooperation set to begin on May 29 in Washington as part of negotiations, one of whose objectives would be the disarmament of Hezbollah.

He is also taking aim at Lebanon's official efforts in direct negotiations with Israel, the latest round of which took place last week in Washington, arguing that these are "synonymous with surrender" and have "not even managed to produce a ceasefire".

On the ground in southern Lebanon, the situation is deteriorating. Despite the extension of the ceasefire for 45 days since last Friday.

For the first time, evacuation orders have reached the city of Nabatiyé and a dozen other villages. And the death toll since March 2 has exceeded 3,000, with the number of wounded exceeding 9,300.

Israeli forces have kidnapped three Lebanese people in the Hasbaya region. According to the National News Agency, they set up a checkpoint, arrested these three individuals, and confiscated the phones of several others present at the scene.

Meanwhile, Syria was hit by a terrorist attack on Tuesday that killed one soldier and wounded 12 others in Damascus.

Syrian authorities regularly complain about attempts to destabilize the country, but the perpetrators of this attack remain unknown.