Israel increases attacks on Middle East targets despite US-Iran truce

Trump Announces Ceasefire with Iran

President Donald Trump revealed that a two-week ceasefire with Iran was established on Tuesday night after discussions with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Trump mentioned receiving a 10-point proposal from Iran, which he described as a “workable basis for negotiations.”

In a follow-up statement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi affirmed that Iran would cease “defensive operations,” but only if attacks against the country were halted.

“We welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States,” Sharif stated, adding that the two nations, along with their allies, had concurred on an immediate ceasefire to be enacted in all involved regions, including Lebanon.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly pushed back on this assertion.

Netanyahu’s office reported that Israel would back Trump’s decision to suspend actions against Iran for two weeks, but stipulated that Iran would need to immediately open the Strait and stop any aggression toward the U.S., Israel, and regional nations. Notably, the ceasefire agreed upon does not extend to Lebanon.

After the ceasefire was announced, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed they had ended shelling operations against Iran but continued targeted actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon, where they have had a substantial military presence for months.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the total number of casualties had risen to 1,530, with over 4,800 injuries recorded since early March.

On Wednesday, the IDF indicated that it had conducted its largest coordinated attack across Lebanon since the initiation of Operation Roaring Lion, striking various targets throughout the country.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed hope regarding the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S., yet voiced concern as Israel persisted with its aggressive actions in Lebanon, resulting in casualties among civilians and targeting populated urban areas.

Amid the ongoing tensions, several European leaders joined the prime ministers of Britain, Canada, and Japan in welcoming the ceasefire while urging all sides, including Lebanon, to adhere to it.