Israel has endorsed the United States’ decision to suspend military strikes against Iran for two weeks but has made clear that the ceasefire does not extend to its ongoing operations in Lebanon, creating a significant dispute over the scope of the truce announced early on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel supports US President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses what it described as a nuclear, missile, and terror threat to America, Israel, and Iran’s Arab neighbours. The statement confirmed that Washington had informed Israel it remains committed to those shared goals in upcoming negotiations scheduled for Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan. However, Netanyahu drew a firm line on Lebanon, stating that “the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon.”
The position directly contradicts remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who announced that the United States, Iran and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire “everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere.” Pakistan helped mediate the deal. Egypt and France also said the truce would pause fighting in Lebanon. Israel rejected that interpretation.
Lebanon entered the conflict on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel, which it described as retaliation for Israel’s killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war, February 28. Israel subsequently launched ground operations in southern Lebanon, stating its objective was to establish a buffer zone. According to Lebanese authorities, more than 1,500 people have been killed and over one million displaced since the hostilities began.
The Israeli military has continued operations in Lebanon following the ceasefire announcement. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued evacuation orders for several Beirut neighbourhoods ahead of planned strikes, and airstrikes were reported in the country on Wednesday morning, hours after the truce was declared.
Meanwhile, the broader ceasefire remained fragile. Shortly after the announcement, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported that its air defences were intercepting an incoming Iranian missile barrage. Kuwait also said it was dealing with Iranian drone attacks targeting oil facilities, power stations and water infrastructure. The reported attacks raised immediate questions about whether the ceasefire was taking effect or had already broken down.
Trump had set a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that handles approximately one-fifth of global oil shipments. Iran confirmed it accepted the ceasefire and said safe passage through the strait would be possible during the two-week period, with direct negotiations set to begin Friday.
The dispute over Lebanon’s inclusion underscores how far the parties remain from a comprehensive settlement, even as diplomatic momentum builds around the Islamabad talks.
