Netanyahu: US-Iran Ceasefire Does Not Include Lebanon

The United States and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire on April 8, 2026, ending more than a month of direct conflict. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the U.S. Decision to suspend strikes on Iran, he stated that the truce does not apply to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon.

The agreement was finalized shortly before a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened to obliterate the country. Following the announcement, President Trump described the deal as a total and complete victory for the United States.

Iran also characterized the ceasefire as a win. A statement from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council claimed that the enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation, adding that Iran achieved a great victory.

Dispute Over Lebanese Border

A significant contradiction has emerged regarding the geographical scope of the ceasefire. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the U.S., Iran, and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, stating the move was effective immediately.

However, Prime Minister Netanyahu contradicted this claim in a statement posted to X on April 8, 2026. While he noted that Israel backed the efforts of President Trump to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world, he explicitly stated that the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon.

The White House indicated that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire, but the Israeli Prime Minister’s office maintained that fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon remains outside the scope of the truce.

Conflict Timeline and Humanitarian Impact

The broader conflict began on February 28, 2026, when Israel killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following this event, Tehran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on March 2, 2026, drawing Lebanon into the war.

Hezbollah stated its attacks were retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei and for what it described as near-daily Israeli violations of a previous ceasefire agreed upon in Lebanon in November 2024. That 2024 truce had followed more than a year of cross-border fire that began after Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023.

The escalation since March 2 has resulted in significant casualties and displacement within Lebanon. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,500 people and displaced more than 1 million people since the start of the current hostilities.

Diplomatic Terms and Next Steps

As part of the agreement, Iran has agreed to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor for global oil supplies. Iran’s foreign minister stated that passage through the strait will be permitted for the next two weeks under Iranian military management.

The ceasefire is intended to provide a window for diplomatic negotiations. Iranian state media reported that talks between the U.S. And Iran are scheduled to begin on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan. These negotiations aim to finalize the details of an agreement and confirm Iran’s battlefield achievements.

Iranian state media further clarified that these talks do not constitute the end of the war. The Iranian Supreme National Security Council noted that its acceptance of the two-week ceasefire was conditional on the cessation of attacks against Iran.

The conflict has had significant global repercussions, causing oil prices to skyrocket and creating volatility in global financial markets over the past month.