Violence escalates as Iran breakthrough remains elusive

Nearly four months after the outbreak of war, US President Donald Trump remains without the diplomatic breakthrough he hoped would bring the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran to an end.

Instead, the past week has highlighted just how fragile the situation remains. As violence escalated across Lebanon, Israel, Iran and the Gulf, Trump found himself scrambling to prevent a return to full-scale war, while simultaneously trying to revive negotiations that appeared close to a breakthrough only days earlier.

The dilemma confronting Trump is a familiar one for American presidents. On the one hand, he understands it is politically and strategically difficult for Israel to absorb missile attacks without responding, or for the US to ignore attacks on its own forces. On the other, every retaliatory strike risks dragging Washington deeper into a conflict Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end.

The events of the past week underscore a reality Trump has tried to avoid since returning to office: despite his determination to reduce America's military footprint in the Middle East, the region continues to pull Washington back in.

Sunday: Lebanon ignites a new crisis

The latest escalation began on Sunday when Israel carried out strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold. According to Lebanese state media, two apartments in separate buildings were hit, killing two people and wounding 11.

The attack came after Tehran warned that any Israeli strike on Beirut would be considered a violation of the US-Iran ceasefire reached in April.