Israel rejects demands to extend US-brokered Iran truce to include Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the media during a press conference in Jerusalem on March 19, 2026, as Israel vowed to carry out more strikes against Hezbollah, disregarding mounting international pressure to expand the fragile truce between the US and Iran to include the conflict in Lebanon.

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At least 203 people lost their lives and 1,000 were injured in the latest strikes, according to the Lebanese health ministry, while Iran's parliamentary speaker warned that Tehran views Lebanon as an integral part of the ceasefire and threatened "strong responses" in the event of any violations.

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US President Donald Trump claimed victory in the Middle East war after securing a two-week truce to facilitate talks between US and Iranian negotiators, aiming to bring an end to a conflict that has already resulted in thousands of fatalities and sent the global economy into turmoil.

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However, the future of the negotiations, set to commence in Pakistan this week, was already under threat on Thursday after Tehran condemned Israel's raids on Lebanon and its nuclear energy agency ruled out any restrictions on the country's uranium enrichment, a key demand of Washington.

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Prime Minister Netanyahu stated on social media, "We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination," and emphasized that Israel's message is clear: anyone who targets Israeli civilians will be met with force, and Israel will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary.

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In response, Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted a statement saying, "Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire," and warned that ceasefire violations would carry significant costs and prompt "strong responses".

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Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan deleted a social media post stating that an Iranian delegation would arrive on Thursday, with an official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad citing "some issues" as the reason for the post's removal and declining to confirm whether the delegation was still expected to arrive.

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As fears grew that the fragile truce could break down in the Gulf, international calls mounted for the ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon, with the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas saying, "Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain," and advocating for the ceasefire to include Lebanon.

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France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the strikes as "unacceptable", while his British counterpart Yvette Cooper called for the ceasefire to be expanded to include Lebanon, as the Lebanese prime minister's office declared Thursday a national day of mourning for the victims of the Israeli attacks.

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Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it described as a violation of the truce, while US Vice President JD Vance backed Israel, stating that Lebanon was excluded from the truce, just days before he was set to lead talks with Tehran in Pakistan.

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Vice President Vance said, "If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," but Ghalibaf had already appeared to threaten the ceasefire, saying the "workable basis on which to negotiate" had been violated, making further talks "unreasonable".

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Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's nuclear energy agency, declared, "The claims and demands of our enemies to restrict Iran's enrichment programme are merely wishes that will be buried," as UN rights chief Volker Turk described the scale of killing in Lebanon as "horrific".

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Witnesses described the scene in Beirut as one of horror and panic, with Ali Younes saying, "People started running left and right, and smoke was billowing," after strikes across the capital triggered widespread fear and chaos.

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The high-stakes talks in Pakistan, expected to take place on Friday or Saturday, will likely be fraught with tension, particularly over the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a significant portion of the world's oil, natural gas, and fertiliser passes during peacetime.

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Iran announced alternative routes for ships travelling through the strait on Thursday, citing the risk of sea mines, but it remains unclear whether Tehran is allowing vessels to pass through the strait, following reports on Wednesday suggesting it was shut, a move the White House deemed "completely unacceptable".