Lebanon has become one of the most relevant points after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Hours after announcing the agreement, Israel launched a wave of bombings on Lebanon, which Tehran considered a violation of the agreement. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Government has already counted 182 dead and 890 wounded in the latest attack alone, although Civil Defense raises the figure to 254 and 1,165, respectively.
Thus, Israel continues its offensive in southern Lebanon, where it had already confirmed its intentions to control an entire region equivalent to 8% of the territory, implying that the front would extend beyond the war in Iran, despite the fact that Tehran insists that there is a violation of the ceasefire.
Why does the ceasefire not affect Lebanon?
So why do attacks on Lebanon continue if there is a ceasefire? As US Vice President JD Vance explained to the media, there was never any such promise that the attacks in Lebanon would stop. “I think the Iranians thought the ceasefire included Lebanon, but it didn’t. We never made that promise, we never indicated that that would be the case,” Vance said before boarding Air Force One.
“What we said was that the ceasefire would focus on Iran and US allies, both Israel and the Arab states of the Gulf,” Vance insisted, so the options for a cessation of hostilities towards Lebanon fall. However, the vice president believes that Israel will “control the situation a little.”
Vance says this because he points out that Israel also has a special interest in the US negotiation with Iran being “a success”, which is why he maintains that the Israeli Government has “offered” to reduce tension, as the US vice president “understands”.
Donald Trump’s administration continues with the threats and affirms that, if there is no agreement in these two weeks, the president has “many options to return to war.” “The more they are willing to give us, I think the more benefits they will get from this negotiation,” Vance concluded.
Vice President Vance’s explanations contradict what Pakistan’s mediation indicated, since in this country it was suggested that the cessation of hostilities would also extend to Lebanese territory, while Benjamin Netanyahu maintained at all times that the attacks in Lebanon would not end.
The escalation of tension occurs just two days before peace negotiations between the US and Iran begin, since the president of the Iranian Parliament, Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, believes that the continuation of violence in Lebanon makes it “unreasonable” to continue negotiating.
Therefore, the conflict continues its course while it is determined whether Israel stops its attacks on Lebanon, the thread on which the ceasefire in Iran currently hangs.
