Lebanese president pushes to include Lebanon in US-Iran ceasefire

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has been actively working to secure Lebanon’s inclusion in the temporary ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, a high-level official source told Anadolu on Wednesday. “We have not yet been informed of any clear position regarding Lebanon’s inclusion in the ceasefire agreement,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “Contacts are ongoing at various levels, and President Aoun is leading efforts to ensure Lebanon is included.” The source acknowledged that conflicting information is circulating, particularly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the truce “does not include Lebanon.”

Strikes continue despite truce announcement

The US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday aimed at ending the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. While Pakistani mediators have stated that the truce includes Lebanon, Netanyahu has publicly rejected that interpretation. Hezbollah has so far adhered to the ceasefire despite continued Israeli strikes. Lebanese media reported that at least eight people were killed and 22 others wounded in an Israeli strike targeting the southern city of Sidon on Wednesday—after the truce was announced.

Heavy toll and Türkiye’s position

Israel has carried out airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a Hezbollah cross-border attack on March 2, despite a previous ceasefire that had been in place since November 2024. Lebanese authorities report that at least 1,530 people have been killed and 4,812 injured in Israeli attacks since early March. For Türkiye, which has consistently called for a comprehensive regional ceasefire, the exclusion of Lebanon from the US-Iran agreement is deeply concerning. Ankara has urged all parties to expand the truce to cover all fronts, warning that allowing fighting to continue in Lebanon while pausing in Iran will only prolong regional instability and civilian suffering.