Israel says Lebanon not covered by U.S.-Iran ceasefire as strikes intensify; Iran halts Hormuz traffic

A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect even as Israel stepped up strikes in Lebanon, which Israeli officials and President Donald Trump said are not covered by the truce. The position contradicted mediator Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and terms outlined by Iranian state media.

The agreement was reached hours before Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or see a “whole civilization” die. An Iranian semiofficial news agency affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard reported that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was halted after Israel’s new strikes on Lebanon, which the Israeli military described as the heaviest bombardment yet.

The Fars news agency said two oil tankers were allowed to pass this morning after obtaining permission from Iran, but the passage of further tankers was stopped. Iran had said vessels would be allowed through if they coordinated with its armed forces, though it remained unclear whether Tehran would seek to charge a fee or limit traffic.

Trump said the U.S. “will be helping with the traffic buildup” in the waterway. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said hundreds had been killed or wounded in the latest round of Israeli strikes. Overall, more than 1,500 people have been killed in Lebanon and 23 in Israel since the start of the fighting, according to figures cited in the coverage.

The U.S. is not directly participating in Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, officials said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raised what he called ceasefire violations in Iran and Lebanon by Israel during a phone call with the commander of Pakistan’s army, according to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry.

He expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s role in seeking to end the war. Israeli officials and Trump have said the ongoing operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon will continue despite the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, contradicting Pakistan’s mediation efforts and elements of the ceasefire plan reported by Iranian state media.

Trump said Iran’s 10-point peace proposal was “a workable basis on which to negotiate” a broader deal, and Pakistan said talks would begin Friday. Tensions rippled across the Gulf, with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reporting new Iranian attacks this morning after blasts were reported at oil sites inside Iran.

Financial markets rallied on the ceasefire announcement despite uncertainties: oil prices fell and stocks rose, even as analysts warned of potential long-term economic damage from five weeks of war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the de-escalation “the right decision that leads to ending the war,” saying ceasefires can create space for diplomacy.

The coming days will test whether the ceasefire holds and whether traffic through the Strait of Hormuz can resume under Iranian coordination without new restrictions. Iranian officials have not released a recent nationwide death toll, but the U.S.-based rights group HRANA estimated almost 3,400 people have been killed, including more than 1,600 civilians.

Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict, and two more died of noncombat causes.