The fragile ceasefire tied to the Iran war came under renewed strain on Friday as Donald Trump cast doubt on whether it could hold while the Strait of Hormuz remained closed. At the same time, Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade strikes, underscoring how unstable the wider regional situation remains.
Speaking to US media, Trump said he had asked Benjamin Netanyahu to be more “low-key” in Lebanon. The comment came as Israeli forces launched fresh strikes and Netanyahu insisted that there was no ceasefire in Lebanon. The exchange highlighted the gap between diplomatic efforts to cool tensions and the continued military activity on the ground.
In Pakistan, the streets of Islamabad were placed under strict lockdown as the capital prepared to host what are being described as historic negotiations between Iran and the US. Those talks have raised hopes of a possible end to the war that has devastated the Middle East, even as the overall situation remains highly uncertain.
Pakistani officials say the negotiations are still scheduled to go ahead over the weekend. The government has presented the meeting as a crucial opportunity to advance a peace process at a moment when the ceasefire appears increasingly vulnerable.
But the backdrop to the talks is grim. Israel’s continued bombardment of Lebanon has added pressure to already tense regional dynamics, while disputes over the terms of the negotiations have raised questions about whether the diplomatic push can produce a breakthrough.
Trump’s remarks on the Strait of Hormuz added another layer of uncertainty. Any continued closure of the strategic waterway would be a major obstacle to easing the crisis, and his comments suggested that the ceasefire’s future may depend on developments well beyond the immediate talks.
For now, the situation remains fluid. Israel and Hezbollah are still exchanging fire, Lebanon remains under attack, and the US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad are set to proceed against a backdrop of mistrust and open conflict. The coming days will show whether the talks can still serve as a turning point or whether the ceasefire fractures further under the weight of continued violence.
