Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be “no ceasefire in Lebanon” as Israel continues military action it says is aimed at Hezbollah targets.
The remarks came shortly after Donald Trump told US media that he had asked Netanyahu to be more “low-key”. According to the Israeli military, the IDF is attacking Hezbollah launch sites.
The latest developments add to already strained regional tensions following the US-Iran ceasefire discussions and renewed concern over the conflict’s wider impact. Israel’s bombing of Lebanon after the ceasefire prompted condemnation, underscoring fears that any pause in hostilities could remain fragile if fighting continues across borders.
Lebanon and the ceasefire talks
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper has said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement. Her comments reflect growing diplomatic pressure for any settlement to address the conflict beyond the immediate US-Iran dimension.
Cooper also said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must be toll-free. Her remarks were reported by Reuters. The strait remains a crucial global shipping route, and any proposal to impose charges has drawn attention from governments and markets alike.
Amid the ceasefire talks, Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested the US and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture, while the White House said the priority was reopening the strait without limitations.
Pressure on the wider region
The fighting and diplomatic exchanges highlight how quickly the conflict can expand beyond one front. As Israel strikes what it describes as Hezbollah launch sites, the prospect of a broader regional confrontation remains a central concern for allies and negotiators.
At the same time, positions on the waterways remain a key issue. Any restrictions or tolls on transit through the Strait of Hormuz would have major implications for international shipping, making the route a focal point in the wider political and military standoff.
Cooper’s insistence that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire deal suggests there is little appetite among some governments for an arrangement that would leave one theatre of the conflict unresolved. The White House, meanwhile, has stressed that its priority is reopening the strait without limitations.
The comments from Netanyahu, Trump, Cooper and the White House collectively point to a difficult diplomatic landscape, with military operations continuing even as ceasefire discussions attempt to gain traction.
As the situation develops, attention is likely to remain on both the fighting in Lebanon and the question of whether any ceasefire can address the full scope of the crisis.
The latest statements offer little sign of an immediate breakthrough. Instead, they show that key players remain divided over the terms of de-escalation, the role of Lebanon, and the future of shipping through one of the world’s most sensitive waterways.
