Emergency personnel on the site of an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, April 8, 2026 (Bilal Hussein/AP)
Q&A: Why Israel Attacks Lebanon Despite US-Iran Ceasefire
EA on International Media: A Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire
US-Israel War on Iran, Day 40: Trump Backs Down With 2-Week Ceasefire
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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says 13 state security personnel were killed in an Israeli strike on a governmental building in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed it targeted Israel’s Ashdod naval base with missiles. “In response to the enemy’s violation of the ceasefire and its repeated attacks on Beirut, and after the Resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted…the naval base in the port of Ashdod with missiles,” the group said. In a rare jab at the White House, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he is “fed up” with rising energy bills “because of the actions of Putin and Trump”. Starmer returns to the UK today after visiting Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar for talks on the US-Iran ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said of his call with Trump, “[The Gulf States] have very strong views on the strait of Hormuz. We spent most of the time on the call talking about the practical plan that’s going to be needed to get navigation through the strait and the role that the UK is playing.” The commander of the Israel Defense Forces, Gen. Eyal Zamir, says assaults continue in southern Lebanon: The IDF is in a state of war, we are not in a ceasefire, we continue to fight here in this sector, this is our main fighting sector. In Iran, we are in a ceasefire, and we can return to fighting there at any moment, and in a very powerful manner. As Islamabad mediates talks between US and Iran, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has called Israel “a curse for humanity”. Peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon. Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated. I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European jews [sic] burn in hell. The Minister later deleted the post. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will reportedly convene ceasefire talks between Israel and Lebanon next week. US-based CBS News says the discussions will be led by the American Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, and will include Lebanon’s and Israel’s ambassadors to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Yechiel Leiter. Iran has prevented a Botswana-flagged liquified natural gas tanker from leaving the Strait of Hormuz. The Nidi was taking a route set by the Revolutionary Guard but suddenly ordered to turn around early Friday. On Thursday, four tankers and three bulk carriers crossed through the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the total number of ships passing through since the US-Iran temporary ceasefire to at least 12. Other ships not transmitting their locations may have passed through. More than 100 vessels cross daily in normal conditions. A US State Department official says, But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a video address, “There is no ceasefire in Lebanon.” He declared that Israel is “continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security”. Netanyahu said talks will focus on disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told a visiting delegation, “The only solution to the situation Lebanon is experiencing is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, followed by direct negotiations between them.” A “senior Lebanese official” sayss Lebanon has spent the last 24 hours pursuing a temporary ceasefire for talks with Israel, along a “separate track but the same model” as the US-Iran ceasefire. The official said no date or location has been set but Lebanon needs the US as a mediator and guarantor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote: In light of Lebanon’s repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. Negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates today’s call by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarize Beirut. The statements came amid signs that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon were jeopardizing plans for US-Iran talks in Pakistan this weekend. Pakistani Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Israel’s “ongoing aggression against Lebanon” as “Pakistan was engaged in sincere efforts for regional peace”. A “senior Trump official” said Donald Trump asked Netanyahu to scale back Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Vice President J.D. Vance claimed on Wednesday that Israel had agreed to “check itself”, but on Thursday afternoon the Israel Defense Forces issued new evacuation orders for the southern suburbs of Beirut. The European Union has rejected Iran’s attempt to charge a toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni said, “International law provides for the freedom of navigation, which means…basically no payment or toll whatsoever. Freedom of navigation is a public good and needs to be ensured.” Four Lebanese soldiers were among the 254 people killed by Israeli attacks on Wednesday, confirms Lebanon’s army. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the killing of Ali Yusuf Harshi, the nephew and secretary of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem. He said the Israeli military will continue to strike Hezbollah “wherever required”. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has also criticized Israel’s attacks on Lebanon. Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, but Israel’s right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction. Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence. Israeli actions are… — Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) April 9, 2026 Commenting on Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “His contempt for life and international law is intolerable.” It’s time to speak clearly. Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire. The international community must condemn this new violation of international law. The European Union must suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. And there must be no impunity for these criminal acts. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said this morning: We want to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire. We want it extended to cover Lebanon, because otherwise that will destabilize the whole region. That escalation that we saw from Israel yesterday was deeply damaging, and we want to see an end to hostilities. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said, “These attacks are all the more unacceptable as they undermine the temporary ceasefire reached yesterday between the United States and Iran….Lebanon must not be made the scapegoat by a disgruntled government.” He added, “Iran must stop terrorizing Israel through Hezbollah, which must be disarmed immediately.” In his latest threat, Donald Trump has retracted his initial acceptance of Iran’s terms for negotiation, warning that Tehran must fully comply with “the real agreement”. “If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts’, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” he postured. “Our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.”
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“We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting [in Washington] next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon.”
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ORIGINAL ENTRY: The US-Iran temporary ceasefire wobbled on Wednesday, only hours after it was announced, as Israel killed 254 people in Lebanon and Washington and Tehran disputed the terms of their agreement.
Trying to expand the occupation of southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the 14-day ceasefire did not apply to Israel’s assault. Donald Trump supported the denial, even though Pakistan, the lead mediator, had confirmed that Lebanon is included.
Rejecting the announcement of the ceasefire, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made clear that attacks would escalate, and the Israel Defense Forces followed with forced evacuation orders for the southern suburbs of Beirut as well as the south of the country.
Airstrikes and ground strikes followed, leading to the highest toll of killings since Israel launched its attacks on March 2. Another 837 people were injured.
Among the victims were an Al Jazeera correspondent, Mohammad Wishah, and two Lebanese journalists.
Israel also struck the last remaining bridge linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country.
The bridge spanned the Litani River, about 30 km (20 miles) north of the border with Israel. The Israeli military has issued forced evacuation orders for all resident south of the Litani, and an Israeli military spokesperson boasted that the area is “disconnected from Lebanon”.
Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel early Thursday. One of its MPs, Ibrahim Moussawi, said, “If the Israeli enemy does not adhere to a ceasefire, then no party will commit to it, and there will be a response from the region, including Iran.”
UN: “Horrific” Attacks Which “Defy Belief”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a “firm warning” to the US and Israel: “If the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response.”
Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam posted:
Whilst we welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States, and stepped up our efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Israel continues to escalate its attacks, which have targeted densely populated residential neighborhoods and claimed the lives of unarmed civilians across Lebanon, particularly in the capital, Beirut.
[It is] showing no regard for regional and international efforts to end the war, let alone the principles of international law and international humanitarian law, which it has never respected in the first place.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the “horrific” attacks: “Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians.”
“The United Nations strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties,” says Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels [and] cease hostilities.”
The Ceasefire Wobbles
Warning that the Israeli assault would undo the ceasefire, Iran said it would maintain its restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Only 11 vessels — including four Iranian, four Greek, and one Chinese — passed through the Strait on Wednesday, around the same number as Tuesday.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf cited Israel’s bombing and a US demand that Iran should have no right to enrich uranium: “In such [a] situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable.”
The White House stepped back from Donald Trump’s acceptance of Iran’s 10-point proposal as the basis for negotiations. It declared that the proposal differs from that transmitted by Pakistan to the US for the ceasefire.
Iran’s terms include its control of freedom of navigation for the Strait of Hormuz. It continues its civilian nuclear program, while pledging that it will not pursue a nuclear weapon. There is no mention of a limit on ballistic missiles, or on Iran’s ties with regional groups such as Hezbollah.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted:
The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded. The idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wishlist as a deal is completely absurd.
Trump tried to cover his initial acceptance of the Iranian terms by claiming that ceasefire is actually based on a 15-point US ultimatum transmitted to Tehran weeks ago. He maintained Iran cannot enrich uranium as it works with the US to unearth its stockpile of “nuclear dust”.
The Farsi version of Iran’s terms included an explicit acceptance of Iran’s right to enrich uranium. The English version did not.
Vice President J.D. Vance, a sceptic of the Trump war on Iran, cited a “legitimate misunderstanding” over the terms: “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
Defying the reality on Wednesday, he declared that Israel had offered to “check themselves a little bit in Lebanon” to aid US neogtiations.
