Israel vows to fight on as Trump grants Iran ceasefire

Lead

A fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was hanging in the balance on Wednesday as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon, vowing to continue its campaign against Hezbollah. Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to the truce and negotiations aimed at ending a conflict that has killed thousands across the Middle East. But the deal's fractures emerged quickly, with Israel carrying out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon — including in densely packed central Beirut — since the Iran-backed militant group joined the war in early March.

Coverage comparison

Multiple news outlets reported that Israel's strikes on Lebanon, which followed the announcement of the US-Iran ceasefire, drew international condemnation and raised fears that the truce could collapse. According to France 24, Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to the two-week ceasefire, but the deal's fractures emerged quickly as Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on its neighbour. The Buenos Aires Times reported that Israel is vowing to continue its campaign against Hezbollah, dismissing mounting international concern that its strikes threaten the fragile truce.

Iranian officials have been vocal in their criticism. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Israel's continued strikes on Lebanon violate an already shaky ceasefire agreement and would render negotiations "meaningless," as reported by Deutsche Welle. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said a ceasefire in Lebanon is "as important" as in Iran, according to Al Jazeera, TASS, and others. He also warned that a "bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable" amid violations, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

The United States and Israel, however, maintain that Lebanon is not covered by the agreement. US Vice President JD Vance claimed the US had never agreed to the inclusion of Lebanon in the truce, as reported by The Guardian and Deutsche Welle. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination," and that "this is not the end of the campaign," according to the Buenos Aires Times and Deutsche Welle.

Pakistan, which mediated the ceasefire, has said the truce applies to Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera. The disagreement over the scope of the ceasefire has become a central point of contention ahead of planned talks between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan.

Key claims

• The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, as reported by multiple sources including Al Jazeera, France 24, and The Guardian.
• Lebanon was pulled into the war after Hezbollah targeted Israel in retaliation for its strikes on Iran, a claim carried by Al Jazeera, France 24, and others.
• More than 300 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, according to the Lebanese health ministry, as reported by RFI. Other outlets cited different figures: France 24 reported at least 182 killed, the Buenos Aires Times reported 203, Al Jazeera reported 254, and Deutsche Welle reported at least 200.
• Iran's nuclear chief has ruled out accepting any restrictions to the country's uranium enrichment, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
• US Vice President JD Vance claimed the US had never agreed to the inclusion of Lebanon in the truce, as reported by The Guardian and Deutsche Welle.
• Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon, as reported by France 24 and others.
• Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said a ceasefire in Lebanon is "as important" as in Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera, TASS, and Deutsche Welle.
• The US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, but the US and Israel claim that Lebanon is not included in the deal, as reported by multiple sources.

Perspectives

Iranian government: Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, view the Israeli strikes as a violation of the ceasefire and have threatened that continued attacks would render negotiations meaningless. They insist that Lebanon is an inseparable part of the truce.

US administration: The US, through Vice President JD Vance, maintains that Lebanon was never part of the ceasefire agreement. The administration reiterates its commitment to the talks and downplays the notion that Israeli strikes undermine the deal.

Israeli government: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah "wherever necessary" and that the campaign is not over, asserting that Lebanon is outside the ceasefire's scope. Israel says its battle against Hezbollah is separate from the US-Iran truce.

International community: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the strikes as "unacceptable," and the UN secretary-general warned that the strikes could jeopardise the ceasefire. The Lebanese government, through Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, has called for a ceasefire in Lebanon and accused Israel of committing crimes and seeking to displace the Lebanese people.