Arab world welcomes ceasefire, but Israel continues offensive in Lebanon

Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times on Apr 8, 2026

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AMMAN, Jordan — As the 11th-hour ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran came into effect on Wednesday, Middle East governments welcomed the cessation of hostilities even as Israel continued to pound wide swaths of Lebanon.

Regional countries are breathing a sigh of relief after Washington and Tehran announced Tuesday night that they had reached a two-week ceasefire, averting a threat from President Donald Trump to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz..

Pakistan, which brokered the agreement and is set to host talks in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Friday, said Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who reaffirmed his government’s participation.

Egypt, which along with Turkey also pushed for the ceasefire, said that the 14-day suspension of military activity “represents a significant opportunity that should be seized to open the door for negotiations, diplomacy and constructive dialogue.”

Turkey echoed the sentiment, saying in a statement from its foreign ministry that “the path to lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue, diplomacy and mutual trust.

“We emphasize that the temporary ceasefire must be fully implemented on the ground and hope that all parties will adhere to the agreement reached,” the statement said.

Yet despite Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, saying that the ceasefire included “Lebanon and elsewhere,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the ceasefire “does not include Lebanon.”

Netanyahu’s assertion was followed by repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon throughout the day on Wednesday.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the latest operation targeted “hundreds of Hezbollah operatives… at headquarters across Lebanon, in the largest concentrated blow.” He warned Hezbollah General Secretary Naim Qassem that “his turn will come.”

Israel said the strikes — which hit several neighborhoods in the Lebanese capital Beirut, its southern suburbs, and at least 31 villages in the country’s south and six villages in its east — targeted more than 100 targets within 10 minutes, according to a statement from the Israeli military.

The attacks took place shortly before 3 p.m. during rush hour traffic, sparking widespread panic on Beirut’s congested streets. In a statement, Lebanon’s health ministry exhorted residents in Beirut “to clear the way for ambulances so they can carry out their work.”

“The traffic congestion caused by the unprecedented wave of airstrikes launched by the Israeli enemy is hindering rescue efforts,” the ministry added.

Casualty figures from the latest barrage were still unclear, but authorities said hundreds were killed and wounded.

The Lebanese Red Cross said it mobilized 100 ambulances to take casualties to hospitals, while the head of the country’s medical union called on all doctors to go to hospitals and assist in treatment.

Before Wednesday’s barrage, Lebanese health authorities said more than 1,500 people were killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, when Hezbollah launched drones and missiles on Israel in support of Iran and in response to more than 10,000 Israeli attacks on Lebanon since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned Israel’s attacks on densely populated areas, saying they killed “defenseless civilians.”

He added that Israel “remains utterly heedless of all regional and international efforts to halt the war — not to mention its utter disregard for the principles of international law and international humanitarian law, which it has never respected.”

“All friends of Lebanon are called upon to assist us in bringing an end to these aggressions by every means available,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said his government “continued efforts to ensure that the regional peace includes Lebanon in a stable and lasting manner,” according to a statement from his office.