The White House has reaffirmed its support for Israel’s interpretation of a newly brokered two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, stating that the agreement does not require an end to Israeli military strikes in Lebanon.
This stance directly contradicts comments from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a key role in mediating the ceasefire and indicated it should apply more broadly, including to operations in Lebanon.
Video footage released Wednesday showed Israeli Air Force aircraft preparing for takeoff ahead of strikes on Lebanese targets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Israel’s position in remarks delivered the same day.
“We have more goals to complete, and we will complete them,” Netanyahu said. “We will achieve them either with agreement or with renewing the war because we are ready to get back into battle as required at any moment.”
He added: “I’d like to reiterate this is not the ending of the war. This is just a station on the way to achieve all of its goals.”
Netanyahu further noted that Iran was entering negotiations “battered, weak, and weaker than ever.”
Lebanese officials reported that Israeli strikes carried out on Wednesday killed over 254 people, according to initial accounts, with video circulating of the aftermath in affected areas. The Lebanese Health Ministry stated on Tuesday that at least 1,500 people had been killed and 4,800 wounded in Lebanon since the current round of the war began.
The developments highlight ongoing tensions surrounding the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, which was mediated with Pakistani involvement. While the White House and Israel maintain that the pause applies specifically to direct actions between the US and Iran—and explicitly excludes Israel’s campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon—disagreements over the deal’s scope have already surfaced.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif had helped facilitate the agreement and publicly called for a broader cessation of hostilities. Israel, however, has signaled it intends to press ahead with its stated objectives in Lebanon, whether through negotiated outcomes or continued military action if necessary.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides monitoring compliance and preparing for potential talks in the coming days.