Netanyahu: US-Iran Ceasefire Does Not Include Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified on April 8, 2026 that the US-Iran ceasefire agreement explicitly does not extend to Lebanon. The statement signals Israel's continued freedom of action against Hezbollah and Lebanese targets, decoupling the bilateral US-Iran ceasefire from the broader regional conflict. Netanyahu's clarification raises questions about the durability of the ceasefire framework and whether Hezbollah — as an Iranian proxy — will interpret the pause as binding on its own forces. The move is widely read as Israel preserving its right to continue military operations in Lebanon regardless of any Washington-Tehran diplomatic arrangement.