JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that while Israel supports the United States’ decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, this ceasefire will not extend to Lebanon. In a statement released on Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office clarified that Israel backs President Donald Trump’s efforts to neutralize nuclear and missile threats from Tehran, but military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon will persist. The Prime Minister noted that the US has assured Israel of its commitment to these security goals during the upcoming diplomatic talks in Islamabad, Pakistan.
This clarification from Israel follows an earlier announcement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who claimed that the US, Iran, and their respective allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire “everywhere,” specifically mentioning Lebanon. Lebanon was drawn into the broader conflict on March 2, following retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes since early March have killed over 1,500 people and displaced more than a million citizens. The Israeli military continues its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, aiming to establish a buffer zone along the border.
With input from Al Jazeera.
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