A two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran is nearing collapse as the two sides clash over whether the deal covers Lebanon. In remarks reported for April 8, President Donald Trump said the arrangement applies only to direct US-Iran conflict and does not include Lebanon or Hezbollah. Israel took the same line and said its military operations against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon would continue.
Washington and Israel frame Lebanon as a separate front
According to the source material, citing China Central Television, Trump described Israel’s continued strikes on Lebanon as a “separate conflict.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office repeated that position and said the Israeli military would keep targeting Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon. The report adds that after the ceasefire was reached, Israel did not halt operations and instead carried out larger airstrikes.
Iran makes a Lebanon ceasefire central to April 10 talks
Iran answered through mediators including Pakistan with a much harder message. Based on the source material’s reference to The Wall Street Journal, progress in the peace talks scheduled to begin in Islamabad on April 10 will depend heavily on whether a ceasefire in Lebanon is actually implemented. Tehran said ending hostilities in Lebanon is one of the core conditions in its 10-point peace plan.
Iran also warned that if Israel keeps attacking targets in Lebanon and Iran, it reserves the right to launch a destructive response against countries in the region, including Israel. That leaves a sharp gap between how each side defines the ceasefire. The agreement exists on paper, but the scope remains disputed.
Hormuz passage becomes a pressure point
The source material says Iran has also signaled that the Strait of Hormuz could become its strongest lever. Tehran had previously agreed to allow technically limited “coordinated safe passage” during the two-week ceasefire period. It also warned that if the situation in Lebanon keeps deteriorating, that transit arrangement could be withdrawn or tightened.
That threat has cast a shadow over the April 10 meeting in Islamabad. The immediate issue is no longer just whether a ceasefire was announced, but whether the parties can agree on what it actually covers.