In a fast-moving shift on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel supports the United States decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but stressed that the deal does not include Lebanon. The statement places Lebanon at the center of a widening dispute over what the ceasefire does and does not cover. The timing matters because regional leaders are now trying to define the scope of the truce in Eastern Time terms while tensions remain high.
Ceasefire terms sharpen the focus on Lebanon
Netanyahu’s office said Israel backs the US move because it aligns with efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses what the statement described as a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world. He said the US told Israel it is committed to those goals in upcoming negotiations in Islamabad on Friday.
But Netanyahu drew a clear line on Lebanon, saying the two-week ceasefire “does not include Lebanon. ” That position directly narrows the broader interpretation offered earlier by Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who said the US, Iran and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, effective immediately.
The latest messaging leaves Lebanon in a sensitive position as the ceasefire language is translated into political reality. It also underscores that the pause in US-Iran hostilities is not being presented in the same way by all parties involved.
Reactions from officials and institutions
US Senator Lindsey Graham said he would want a “congressional review process” before any diplomatic solution is set in stone. He said he is “extremely cautious” at this stage and argued for what he called a full opportunity to explain the facts, along with scrutiny before the arrangement hardens.
At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the two-week ceasefire through remarks relayed by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. The UN chief called on all sides to comply with international law and abide by the ceasefire terms in order to open the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.
Lebanon and the wider regional picture
The regional stakes are high. The context around Lebanon is tied to the wider war that has spread across multiple fronts, and the latest statement from Israel makes clear that the Lebanon question remains separate in its view from the US-Iran pause.
Iran has said safe passage through Hormuz will be possible through coordination with its armed forces. Tehran also says the negotiations will be based on its 10-point proposal, which calls for control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that if attacks against Iran are halted, then Iran agrees to a US ceasefire.
For now, the key issue is whether the ceasefire can hold long enough for the Friday talks in Islamabad to produce a more stable framework. Lebanon remains outside the scope Netanyahu outlined, and that gap will shape the next round of diplomatic pressure as the region waits for the next official move on Lebanon and the broader ceasefire.
