Israel Claims Lebanon Excluded from US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement
- Israel has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, but the Israeli government has explicitly stated that the agreement does not extend to the conflict with Hezbollah in...
- The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced support for the decision by U.S.
- The Israeli government further stated that it supports American efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses terror, missile, or nuclear threats to the world, the United States, Israel,...
Israel has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, but the Israeli government has explicitly stated that the agreement does not extend to the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The decision follows a ceasefire negotiated between the United States and Iran, which Israel has backed on specific conditions.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced support for the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to halt attacks on Iran for a period of two weeks. According to a statement posted on X, this support is contingent upon Iran immediately opening the straits and ceasing all attacks against Israel, the United States, and other regional countries.
The Israeli government further stated that it supports American efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses terror, missile, or nuclear threats to the world, the United States, Israel, and neighboring Arab states. The U.S. Has informed Israel that it intends to work toward these goals in future negotiations.
Dispute Over Lebanese Inclusion
The Israeli position contradicts earlier claims made by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who led the ceasefire negotiations. Prime Minister Sharif had announced that the ceasefire included all regions, specifically mentioning Lebanon.
Office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Lebanon is not included in the two-week ceasefire
By excluding Lebanon, Israel has signaled that military operations against Hezbollah, the pro-Iran militant group, will continue. This discrepancy between the Israeli government and the Pakistani mediation suggests that the Lebanese front remains a primary point of contention.
Diplomatic Friction and Future Negotiations
The disagreement over the scope of the truce is expected to be a central issue during negotiations scheduled for Saturday, April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Iran has previously pushed for a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts, as detailed in its initial 10-point peace proposal to Israel and the United States.
Iran’s proposal specifically demanded that Israel halt its strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, which had led to widespread speculation that the group would be included in any broader deal. However, Benjamin Netanyahu has refuted these claims, maintaining that the current pause in strikes is limited to Iran.
The tension remains high on the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli artillery units have continued operations amid the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. This conflict has expanded as Hezbollah joined the broader U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The current situation leaves the region in a state of partial truce, where strikes against the Iranian state are paused for two weeks, but the conflict with the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon persists.