Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ceasefire involving Iran does not extend to Lebanon, as tensions in the region continue to flare after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel.
Netanyahu’s comments came soon after Donald Trump told US media that he had asked the Israeli leader to be more “low-key” while the fragile ceasefire with Iran remains in place. The remark suggested concern in Washington about further escalation at a moment when the truce appears uncertain.
The latest developments follow Israeli bombing in Lebanon after the US-Iran ceasefire, an operation that has drawn condemnation and added to fears that the conflict could widen. The violence comes as diplomats and officials try to define what the ceasefire does and does not cover.
Calls for Lebanon to be included
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire arrangement. In comments reported by Reuters, Cooper also said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must be toll-free.
The strait remains a major point of concern in wider regional tensions. During ceasefire talks, Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels in order to pass through safely. Trump, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that the US and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture. The White House later said the priority was to reopen the strait without limitations.
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz underscores how the ceasefire has not settled the broader strategic issues surrounding the conflict. Commercial shipping, regional security and the movement of energy supplies remain closely watched by governments and markets alike.
A fragile and uncertain truce
Netanyahu’s statement reflects the uneasy state of the ceasefire as hostilities continue in nearby theatres. Hezbollah’s rocket fire at Israel has kept pressure high along the border, while Israeli strikes in Lebanon have prompted criticism from foreign leaders.
The immediate political backdrop also includes Trump’s public effort to shape Israeli behaviour, with the former US president signaling that he wanted Israel to keep a lower profile while the Iran ceasefire is still shaky. That intervention highlights the degree of international involvement in trying to prevent the conflict from spreading further.
At the same time, the comments from the UK and the White House point to a broader diplomatic effort to ensure that any agreement addresses more than one front. Cooper’s insistence that Lebanon should be included suggests concern that a narrow ceasefire could leave one theatre of the conflict active even while another is paused.
Trump’s suggestion that tolls could be part of a joint arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz was met by a White House position focused instead on restoring access without restrictions. That difference captures the uncertainty around how regional routes and security arrangements might be managed if the ceasefire holds.
For now, the key issue remains whether the current pause in fighting can be sustained and broadened. With rocket fire, airstrikes and competing diplomatic demands still unfolding, the ceasefire appears limited in scope and vulnerable to further disruption.
The situation remains fluid, with officials in several capitals pressing for restraint while armed groups and governments continue to act on the ground. Netanyahu’s insistence that Lebanon is outside the ceasefire leaves open the possibility of continued conflict there, even as international leaders seek to contain the crisis.
As the latest exchanges show, the ceasefire has not yet delivered a full regional de-escalation. Instead, it has exposed the gap between diplomatic statements and the realities of continued military activity across the Middle East.
