By Paul Joseph
Tensions in the Middle East are escalating as Israel has rejected growing international calls to include Lebanon in the ongoing ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said military operations against Hezbollah would continue, stressing that strikes would persist “wherever necessary” to protect Israeli civilians.
The latest wave of Israeli attacks in Lebanon has reportedly killed more than 300 people and injured over 1,000, drawing widespread international concern and calls for restraint.
Iran responded sharply, with parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warning that Lebanon is an “inseparable part” of the ceasefire and cautioning that continued strikes could trigger serious consequences.
The developments come despite a fragile two-week truce brokered by Donald Trump to allow negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Planned talks, expected to hold in Pakistan, now face uncertainty amid rising tensions.
Global leaders, including European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, alongside officials from France and the United Kingdom, have urged that the ceasefire be expanded to cover Lebanon, describing the continued strikes as dangerous.
However, U.S. Vice President JD Vance backed Israel’s position, stating that Lebanon was never included in the original agreement and warning that Iran risks undermining the negotiations by pushing for its inclusion.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has reportedly carried out retaliatory rocket attacks, raising fears of a broader regional escalation.
With mounting casualties and diplomatic strains, the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran faces increasing pressure as violence intensifies on the Lebanon front.
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