24 Hours After the Ceasefire Announcement by the US and Iran: Israel Intensely Bombards Lebanon, Strait of Hormuz Completely Closed

The two-week ceasefire announced by the United States and Iran has been in effect for 24 hours as of the 9th. On the 8th, U.S. President Trump stated that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire does not include Lebanon and Hezbollah. On the same day, Israel launched large-scale airstrikes across multiple locations in Lebanon, resulting in thousands of casualties. Iranian Islamic Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf stated on the 8th that U.S.-Iran negotiations have not yet begun, and three of the ten ceasefire terms proposed by Iran have already been violated. Iranian media reported that the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed.

Trump: Ceasefire does not include Lebanon

In a phone interview with the U.S. Public Broadcasting Service on the 8th, President Trump said that Lebanon was not included in the two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

When asked about Israel's ongoing strikes in Lebanon, Trump stated, "That is a separate conflict." He said that since Hezbollah was not included in the ceasefire, "this issue will be resolved later."

During a phone interview with the New York Post on the same day, Trump stated that face-to-face negotiations between the U.S. and Iran "will indeed take place very soon, in the near future." The U.S. negotiating team will include presidential envoy Hook, his son-in-law Kushner, "and perhaps Vice President Pence, I can't say for sure. After all, this involves issues of security and safety."

White House Press Secretary Levitt announced at a press conference on the 8th that the U.S. and Iran will hold their first round of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the morning of the 11th local time. She also stated that the U.S. accepted a revised new proposal from Iran, rather than the initially proposed ten-point plan.

Levitt said that the U.S. negotiating team members include Pence, Hook, and Kushner. These "extremely sensitive and complex" negotiations will take place behind closed doors over the next two weeks, but the premise for the negotiations is that the Strait of Hormuz remains safe and open, with no restrictions or delays.

Pence stated on the 8th in Budapest, Hungary, that Iran believed the ceasefire agreement included Lebanon, but that was not the case; the U.S. "never made such a commitment."

Pence concluded his visit to Hungary on the same day and told the media at the airport that Israel had expressed a willingness to "exercise restraint" in Lebanon to ensure "the current negotiations succeed."

Iran: Negotiations have not started; three ceasefire terms have been violated

Iranian Islamic Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf stated on the 8th via social media that negotiations between Iran and the U.S. have not yet begun, and three of the ten ceasefire terms proposed by Iran have already been violated.

The statement said that Iran's "deep-rooted" distrust of the U.S. stems from repeated violations of various commitments by the U.S. Unfortunately, this situation has repeated itself. Trump had referred to the ten ceasefire terms proposed by Iran as a "feasible basis for negotiation," but before negotiations even began, the basis for negotiation was openly violated.

According to Ghalibaf, the violated terms include: first, achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz had previously announced that Iran, the U.S., and their allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire in all areas, including Lebanon. Second, prohibiting violations of Iranian airspace, as the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intercepted and shot down a drone over the city of Laar in Fars Province on the same day. Third, accepting Iran's uranium enrichment activities.

According to Iranian news television on the 8th, the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed, and some oil tankers have been forced to turn back.

Additionally, according to reports from the Iranian Tasnim News Agency on the same day, a large number of vessels remain stranded in the waters near the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the Lebanese National News Agency on the 8th, the Lebanese Civil Defense Department stated that Israel's large-scale airstrikes across multiple locations in Lebanon on the same day have resulted in at least 254 deaths and 1,165 injuries.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated on the 8th that just hours after the U.S. and Iran announced a ceasefire, Israel launched another "brutal massacre" in Lebanon.

The Tasnim News Agency reported that the statement warned the U.S. and Israel that if they do not immediately stop their aggression against Lebanon, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will fulfill its duties and respond severely.

Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on the 8th, stating that if the U.S. shows sincerity, achieving lasting stability and security is "entirely possible."

The Iranian Nour News Agency quoted Amir-Abdollahian as saying that Iran is willing to approach the ceasefire with a responsible attitude and use it as a basis for a complete end to the war.

Netanyahu: Israel's "finger is always on the trigger"

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a video address on the evening of the 8th, emphasizing that the two-week ceasefire reached between the U.S. and Iran is not the end of the war, but merely a stage in the process of achieving all of Israel's established goals.

Netanyahu stated that Israel "still has more goals to accomplish," and "whether through agreements or by resuming combat, we will achieve these goals," including transferring enriched uranium out of Iran. Israel is "always ready to return to combat," with "the finger always on the trigger."

Netanyahu also stated that he demanded that the temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran not involve Hezbollah in Lebanon, "we continue to strike them hard."

In response to criticism within Israel that Netanyahu was informed of the ceasefire by Trump without prior knowledge, Netanyahu emphasized in his speech that the U.S. reached a temporary ceasefire with Iran only after "full coordination" with Israel, and it was not communicated to Israel "at the last moment." (Comprehensive report by Xinhua News Agency)