Netanyahu says U.S.-Iran truce excludes Lebanon

April 8, 2026

Summary

Netanyahu said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire would not apply to Lebanon, where Israeli strikes continued Wednesday.

Why this matters

The announcement indicated that any pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities may not ease fighting on the Israel-Lebanon front. That distinction could shape the next round of U.S.-Iran talks and security calculations in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday that Israel supported the United States’ decision to suspend strikes on Iran, but said the two-week ceasefire would not apply to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.

In a statement on X, Netanyahu said Israel backed President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure “Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world.” He added that the two-week ceasefire “does not include Lebanon.”

Netanyahu’s statement followed an announcement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said the U.S., Iran, and their allies “have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere.” Sharif said it was “effective immediately.”

Lebanon’s National News Agency said Israeli forces continued attacks in southern Lebanon, including a strike on the town of Srifa in the Tyre region, and issued an evacuation warning for a building near the town.

The Lebanese army also warned residents not to return to the south.

“In light of regional developments and reports circulating about a ceasefire, [the army] urges citizens to wait before returning to southern villages and towns and to avoid approaching areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced… since they may be exposing themselves to the ongoing Israeli attacks,” the army said.

Lebanon was drawn into the U.S.-Israel war on Iran on March 2, after Tehran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.

Hezbollah said the attacks were in response to Israel’s killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, as well as Israel’s near-daily violations of a ceasefire agreed in Lebanon in November 2024.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government.

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