Yvette Cooper expresses deep worry over the recent surge of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon and emphasizes the urgent need for Lebanon to be included in a regional ceasefire agreement. The Foreign Secretary criticized Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Lebanon, stating that it was inappropriate given the emerging cracks in the ceasefire. Following Donald Trump’s announcement of the agreement, confusion arose regarding the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, with conflicting claims about whether the war fell within the ceasefire terms.
Israel conducted a series of attacks on Lebanon, prompting Iran to threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel boasted about targeting Hezbollah in Beirut and asserted that its actions were not covered by the peace deal. Cooper, speaking on Thursday morning, expressed grave concerns about the escalating Israeli strikes and emphasized the importance of including Lebanon in the ceasefire to ensure an end to hostilities.
In a later speech, Cooper advocated for toll-free and unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that Iran should not be allowed to impose fees on the transit route. Keir Starmer and other world leaders demanded that Israel cease its assault on Lebanon and called for a permanent US-Iran ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned Israel’s indiscriminate strikes in Lebanon.
US Vice President JD Vance clarified that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire agreement due to a misunderstanding, while Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that an immediate ceasefire, including Lebanon, had been agreed upon by the US, Iran, and their allies. The ceasefire deal between Trump and Iran was struck at the last minute, with Trump warning of dire consequences if Iran did not comply with reopening the vital shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz.