Israel supports American President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Wednesday.
The office said Israel backed the U.S. move, provided Tehran immediately opens the straits and stops attacks against the United States, Israel and countries in the region.
The remarks came after Washington announced a two-week suspension of strikes against Iran as part of efforts to de-escalate the conflict and open a window for negotiations.
Pakistan’s Mediation
Israel also said it supports U.S. efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile or “terror” threat to the U.S., Israel and Iran’s Arab neighbours, adding that Washington had told Israel it was committed to achieving their shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Iran said on Wednesday that negotiations with the U.S. would begin on Friday, April 10, in Islamabad.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the ceasefire, said in a post on X that he had invited Iranian and U.S. delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.
Two White House officials had confirmed that Israel has also agreed to the two-week ceasefire and to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran. The agreement includes a cessation of Israel’s campaign in Lebanon, Sharif said.
Strikes Continue?
More than an hour after Trump’s announcement, the Israeli military said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, and explosions from intercepted missiles could be heard in Tel Aviv. Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, also issued near-simultaneous alerts and activated air defences.
Israeli first responders were providing medical treatment to two 15-year-old males who were in mild condition after blast injuries in the southern town of Tel Sheva, according to a spokesperson from the MDA ambulance service.
Israeli media said its military was striking back at launch sites in Iran.
(with inputs from Reuters)
