Trump Pauses Iran Strikes: But Israel Says Lebanon War Continues.
The government of Israel has thrown its support behind Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily halt military strikes on Iran, but officials have made it clear that the pause in hostilities does not extend to operations in Lebanon.
In a statement released Wednesday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel backs the U.S. move to suspend attacks for two weeks, provided Tehran immediately opens the Strait of Hormuz and stops targeting the United States, Israel and other countries in the region.
The announcement follows Washington’s decision to pause its strikes on Iran as part of efforts to cool rising tensions and create an opportunity for diplomatic negotiations. U.S. officials hope the temporary break in fighting could open the door for talks aimed at preventing a wider regional conflict.
Israeli leaders also reiterated their support for Washington’s broader objective of ensuring that Iran no longer poses what they describe as a nuclear, missile or “terror” threat to the United States, Israel, and Arab nations in the Middle East.
According to the statement, U.S. officials have assured Israel they remain committed to achieving those shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Meanwhile, Iran confirmed that discussions with the United States are expected to begin on April 10 in Islamabad, raising cautious hopes for a possible diplomatic breakthrough.
Earlier, two officials from the White House confirmed that Israel had agreed to the two-week ceasefire and would pause its bombing campaign against Iran. However, conflicting claims emerged after Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who helped mediate the arrangement, suggested the agreement also included halting Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Israel’s latest statement appears to contradict that claim, making it clear that the ongoing conflict in Lebanon remains outside the scope of the Iran ceasefire.
The Israeli offensive in Lebanon has already taken a heavy toll. Reports indicate that at least 1,500 people have been killed, while more than 1.2 million residents have been displaced as fighting intensifies.
Lebanon became entangled in the widening Middle East conflict after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in solidarity with Iran, just two days after Iran itself came under attack from Israel and the United States. The strikes triggered a new wave of Israeli air and ground operations inside Lebanon, escalating the already volatile regional crisis.
