Iran Ceasefire Won't Save Israel from Hezbollah as Netanyahu Clarifies Lebanon Is Not Included in Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backs President Donald Trump's two-week ceasefire with Iran but insists the deal does not cover Lebanon, where Israeli forces continue striking Hezbollah targets.

Netanyahu's office posted on X that Israel 'supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region.'

The statement added explicitly that 'the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon.'

The clarification contradicts Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who announced on X that both parties had agreed to 'an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.'

Netanyahu's carve-out means Israel's military campaign against the Iran-backed militant group will proceed even as diplomatic talks begin.

Seven Bridges Destroyed to Block Hezbollah

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced they have struck seven bridge crossings over the Litani River to block Hezbollah supply lines into southern Lebanon. The IDF said Hezbollah had used these crossings 'to transfer weapons, rockets, and launchers to advance terror attacks against IDF troops.'

The strikes form part of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel's campaign to establish a buffer zone south of the Litani River.

Defence Minister Israel Katz and Netanyahu ordered the destruction of these crossings to prevent militants and arms from moving toward the Israeli border.

The military's 98th Division has completed deployment along what the IDF calls an 'anti-tank missile defence line' and continues ground operations in southern villages.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the bridge attacks as 'a dangerous escalation' and warned they amount to 'an attempt to sever geographical connectivity between the area south of the Litani and the rest of Lebanese territories.'

Oil Prices Plunge on Ceasefire Announcement

Global markets reacted sharply to news of the Trump-brokered pause. US crude oil tumbled from a high of $117 (£87.08) per barrel to below $96 (£71.45), a drop of roughly 15%. Brent crude fell 14.4% to $93.48 (£69.58). Analysts at Axios described the decline as the biggest one-day plunge in oil prices since the 1991 Gulf War.

The ceasefire is contingent on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint handling roughly 20% of global seaborne oil trade.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran would allow 'safe passage' through the strait for two weeks 'via coordination with Iran's armed forces.'

Islamabad Talks Set for Friday

Sharif invited delegations from both the US and Iran to Islamabad on Friday, 10 April 2026, to negotiate what he called 'a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.' Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the American delegation.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the talks would proceed based on Tehran's 10-point proposal, which demands Iranian oversight of the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of US combat forces from regional bases.

The statement was issued on behalf of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on 28 February.

Death Toll Crosses 3,600

The human cost of the conflict continues to rise. The US-based rights group HRANA puts total deaths at more than 3,600, including over 1,700 civilians, of which at least 254 were children.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reports more than 1,500 killed in Lebanon since late February. Twenty-three people have died in Israel, and 13 US service members have been killed.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, announced it would suspend operations across the region for two weeks following the ceasefire.

For those hoping the pause signals an end to regional hostilities, Netanyahu's exclusion of Lebanon delivers a sobering message. The Iran war may be on hold, but Israel's fight against Hezbollah continues unabated.