Iran Warns Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Undermine US-Iran Ceasefire as Oil Prices Surge

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon violate the two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire, announced earlier this week, aims to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. Pezeshkian emphasized Iran's commitment to supporting Lebanon amid the attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated on Tuesday that the ceasefire does not apply to operations in Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces conducted strikes on 100 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon on Wednesday, resulting in at least 254 deaths and 1,165 injuries, according to the Lebanese General Directorate of Civil Defense.

This marked the highest single-day casualties since Israel began operations in Lebanon last month.

Pezeshkian wrote on social platform X that the attacks indicate deceit and lack of commitment, warning that they render negotiations meaningless.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that Lebanon and the Resistance Axis are inseparable parts of the ceasefire. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the agreement, confirmed that allies of both countries, including those in Lebanon, agreed to the pause in hostilities.

In contrast, US Vice President Vance stated on Wednesday that the administration never indicated the truce extended to Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Vance described the discrepancy as a legitimate misunderstanding, noting that Iranians believed it included Lebanon but no such promise was made. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned that Tehran submitted a revised 10-point peace plan after the US discarded an initial proposal.

“The repeated aggression by the Zionist entity against Lebanon is a flagrant violation of the initial ceasefire agreement and a dangerous indicator of deceit and lack of commitment to potential accords.”