Israel has ordered people to leave areas in Lebanon as it warned of further strikes, while saying its military operations are continuing in south Beirut. The development comes as questions grow over the future of a proposed US-Iran two-week ceasefire, which Israel says does not include Lebanon.
The latest escalation has added to fears that the broader Middle East crisis could widen further. Israel’s position has complicated efforts to slow the fighting, with Lebanon now becoming a central point of disagreement in ceasefire discussions.
Lebanon must be part of any ceasefire, UK says
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement. In remarks also reported by Reuters, she added that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must be toll-free.
The strait has become another major flashpoint in the crisis. Amid ceasefire talks, Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels seeking safe passage through the waterway. On Wednesday, Donald Trump suggested the US and Iran could collect tolls through a joint venture. The White House, however, said the priority was to reopen the strait without limitations.
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz has raised concerns about the flow of shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime routes. As talks continue, the competing proposals reflect deep disagreement over how any pause in hostilities would work in practice.
Ceasefire under pressure
The proposed ceasefire remains in serious doubt as Israel continues its assaults in Lebanon and Iran moves to block oil tankers. The situation has left diplomats trying to manage several overlapping crises at once, with military activity on the ground and tensions at sea both shaping the prospects for an agreement.
Israel’s insistence that Lebanon is not part of the US-Iran ceasefire arrangement has created further uncertainty about whether any deal can reduce violence across the region. For now, the fighting and the diplomatic effort are unfolding in parallel, with little sign of a breakthrough.
British officials have stressed the need for any agreement to address Lebanon directly, while maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz remains a separate but connected point of contention. With each side pressing different conditions, the ceasefire effort faces mounting pressure.
More developments are expected as the situation continues to evolve.
