Trump says Lebanon excluded from US-Iran ceasefire as Israeli strikes continue
President Trump stated Lebanon is not covered by the two-week US-Iran truce, contradicting Pakistan's mediation claim as Israeli operations persist.
4:41 PM
President Donald Trump said Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, characterizing Israel's military operations there as a "separate skirmish" distinct from the broader truce.
After Israel launched a massive assault on Lebanon on Wednesday, killing and injuring more than 1,400 people in densely populated areas, Trump told the public broadcaster PBS that the Israeli war on Hezbollah falls outside the agreement. "Because of Hezbollah, they were not included in the deal," Trump said. "That'll get taken care of, too. It's all right."
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt echoed the president's position later on Wednesday, stating that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire that has been relayed to all parties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office expressed support for the United States' decision to suspend strikes on Iran for two weeks but clarified that the truce does not extend to Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon. In a statement on X on Wednesday, Netanyahu said Israel backed Trump's efforts to ensure "Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbors and the world." However, he added that the two-week ceasefire "does not include Lebanon."
Netanyahu's statement came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the US, Iran and their allies "have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere." Sharif said the move was "effective immediately," contradicting the position now taken by Trump and Israeli officials.
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that the Israeli military continued to carry out attacks on southern parts of the country. Israeli forces bombed the southern town of Srifa in the Tyre region and issued evacuation warnings to residents.
Israel has backed the ceasefire between the US and Iran but made clear it does not extend to Lebanon. As Israeli strikes continue, residents remain wary after repeated violations of past ceasefires and ongoing displacement.