Israel has announced that its military operations in Lebanon will persist, even in light of Donald Trump’s recent declaration of a ceasefire. Israeli forces have continued their strikes and advised civilians in southern Lebanon to evacuate areas targeted for attack.<\/p>\n
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Trump’s proposed two-week cessation of hostilities “does not encompass Lebanon.” This assertion comes amidst ongoing reports of artillery and drone strikes, which contradict claims made by Iran and Pakistan, the latter of which has been facilitating discussions regarding the conflict.<\/p>\n
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indicated that Iran, the United States, and their allies had reached an agreement for an immediate ceasefire applicable “everywhere including Lebanon,” coinciding with the overnight announcement. <\/p>\n
Israel expressed its support for Trump’s decision to halt strikes against Iran for two weeks, contingent upon Tehran’s agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and cease attacks on regional nations. However, Israel has consistently maintained that the situation in Lebanon constitutes a distinct conflict.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday morning, an Israeli military spokesperson confirmed that operations against Hezbollah were still ongoing, instructing residents in southern Lebanon to relocate north of the Zahrani River.<\/p>\n
Leaked details regarding Iran’s ten-point peace plan, which Trump has acknowledged as a framework for negotiations, suggest a call for an end to hostilities against all elements of the “axis of resistance,” which includes Hezbollah, an ally of Iran.<\/p>\n
Trump’s ceasefire announcement did not mention Lebanon, leaving uncertainty about whether Israel’s military actions\u2014which have resulted in over 1,500 fatalities, many being civilians\u2014would cease.<\/p>\n
During a security cabinet meeting on Sunday night, Netanyahu asserted that there would be no situation in which a ceasefire with Iran would extend to Lebanon. Political and military leaders reached a consensus that the conflict should persist.<\/p>\n
However, indications surfaced on Tuesday that a broader diplomatic dialogue, mediated by Pakistan between the US and Iran, had concluded without direct input from Israel. Trump communicated his decision to Netanyahu shortly before making the ceasefire public.<\/p>\n
Yair Lapid, the leader of the Israeli opposition, criticized Netanyahu for his political and strategic failures, stating, “There has never been such a political disaster in all of our history. Israel wasn\u2019t even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security,” in a morning post.<\/p>\n
Just an hour prior to the announcement of the Iran ceasefire, Israel conducted an airstrike on a vehicle in front of seaside cafes in Saida, Lebanon, resulting in eight deaths and 22 injuries, according to the Lebanese health ministry.<\/p>\n
Israeli strikes persisted into the morning, with artillery fire directed at southern Lebanon and two drone attacks targeting the towns of Qana and al-Qleileh. Hezbollah reported no retaliation during the night.<\/p>\n
The Israeli military issued warnings in Arabic to residents in Tyre shortly after 9 am, advising them to distance themselves from a specific building, a common practice before airstrikes in populated areas.<\/p>\n
Lebanese sources informed Reuters that Hezbollah was anticipated to release a statement regarding its official stance on the ceasefire and Netanyahu\u2019s claim that Lebanon was excluded from the agreement.<\/p>\n
As dawn broke, highways leading south in Lebanon experienced heavy traffic as residents attempted to return home. However, Hezbollah urged people to avoid returning to certain villages due to the presence of Israeli troops.<\/p>\n
Messaging applications were filled with anxious and hopeful exchanges among Lebanese citizens, as they sought clarity on whether Lebanon would be part of the Iran ceasefire.<\/p>\n
The nearly five-week conflict in Lebanon has pushed the nation to its limits, with over 1.1 million individuals displaced, many of whom are now living on the streets.<\/p>\n
Several air attacks on Israel occurred during the early part of the night but ceased shortly before 3:30 am, approximately 40 minutes after the announcement from the Pakistani prime minister. No further incoming attacks have been reported since that time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Israel has announced that its military operations in Lebanon will persist, even in light of Donald Trump’s recent declaration of a ceasefire. Israeli forces have continued their strikes and advised civilians in southern Lebanon to evacuate areas targeted for attack. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Trump’s proposed two-week cessation of hostilities […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5159,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[657,261,542,577,121,368,578,1258,88,580,574,571],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uk-benjamin-netanyahu","category-uk-donald-trump","category-uk-hezbollah","category-uk-iran","category-uk-israel","category-uk-lebanon","category-uk-middle-east-and-north-africa","category-uk-pakistan","category-uk","category-uk-us-news","category-uk-us-israel-war-on-iran","category-uk-world-news"],"yoast_head":"\n