The Day Nabih Berri Declared the Accord Dead

Early reports highlighted a phone call between Presidents Trump and Aoun, where the U.S. pledged support for Lebanese sovereignty and invited Aoun to Washington. However, this diplomatic overture was immediately challenged by a sharp regional escalation: U.S. airstrikes in Iran triggered IRGC retaliatory strikes on targets in Kuwait and Bahrain. Domestically, editors focused on the deepening rift over the 14-point framework accord. While the Maronite Patriarch offered a prayer of thanks for the deal, Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah officials denounced it as a "betrayal" and a source of internal sedition. By evening, the consensus shifted toward the deal's likely failure as Berri explicitly stated the accord would not be implemented. Reports also surfaced of a secret security annex and the suspension of U.S.-Iran talks. Simultaneously, the Israeli military intensified operations in South Lebanon, conducting massive tunnel demolitions in Majdal Zoun that simulated seismic activity.