Iran threatens to withdraw from ceasefire if attacks on Lebanon continue
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran has threatened to withdraw from its two-week ceasefire with the United States if Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon, an informed source told the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
Tehran on Wednesday also halted the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the strikes on Lebanon as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” and warning it could target shipping if the attacks persist.
Confusion over the scope of the truce has deepened after Donald Trump said in remarks to PBS that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire. The statement was echoed by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who told Axios that Lebanon is not part of the agreement.
Despite the truce, Israel carried out one of its most intense waves of strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, shortly after Washington and Tehran announced a pause in hostilities. Iranian officials say the understanding included halting attacks on its regional allies, including in Lebanon and Iraq.
The ceasefire between Washington and Tehran came after nearly 40 days of escalating conflict that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran. The confrontation triggered retaliatory attacks across the region, including strikes by Iran-backed groups on US interests and the Kurdistan Region.
While the two-week truce has been welcomed as a step toward de-escalation, the lack of clarity over its geographic scope — particularly regarding Lebanon — has raised concerns about its durability, as fighting continues beyond the core US-Iran theater.
Tehran on Wednesday also halted the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the strikes on Lebanon as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” and warning it could target shipping if the attacks persist.
Confusion over the scope of the truce has deepened after Donald Trump said in remarks to PBS that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire. The statement was echoed by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who told Axios that Lebanon is not part of the agreement.
Despite the truce, Israel carried out one of its most intense waves of strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, shortly after Washington and Tehran announced a pause in hostilities. Iranian officials say the understanding included halting attacks on its regional allies, including in Lebanon and Iraq.
The ceasefire between Washington and Tehran came after nearly 40 days of escalating conflict that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran. The confrontation triggered retaliatory attacks across the region, including strikes by Iran-backed groups on US interests and the Kurdistan Region.
While the two-week truce has been welcomed as a step toward de-escalation, the lack of clarity over its geographic scope — particularly regarding Lebanon — has raised concerns about its durability, as fighting continues beyond the core US-Iran theater.