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Not consulted, informed late: Israel ‘unhappy’ over limited role in US-Iran truce
While Israel was earlier said to have given the nod to a ceasefire, a report now suggests that it is not happy with the temporary truce.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Iran have allegedly continued despite the announcement of a two-week truce in the conflict by United States and Iran, based on some terms. On the day of the truce, Israel carried out what it called the “largest coordinated strike” in Lebanon.
In response, Iran has termed these attacks as “ceasefire violations” and flagged it to Pakistani mediators, who brokered the agreement.
While Israel was earlier said to have given the nod to a ceasefire, a report by Wall Street Journal now suggests that it is not happy with the temporary truce. It must also be noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier claimed that the truce excluded his country's fight with Lebanese group Hezbollah. However, Netanyahu addressing media later said the ceasefire agreement had been made “in full cooperation with Israel”. He said Israel had not been notified “in the last minute.”
Israel sidelined, not consulted before truce: Report
According to the WSJ report, Israel was not formally a part of the negotiations between US and Iran, brokered by Pakistan and other mediating countries like Egypt and Turkey, suggesting it had been sidelined during talks.
Therefore, Israel was allegedly not happy when it received word that a deal had been finalised between US and Iran at a late stage, wherein it had not been consulted, WSJ cited mediators and a personal familiar with the matter as saying.
The only consultation from Israel was when Trump called Netanyahu shortly before announcing the two-week ceasefire, according to a White House official.
Confusion over ceasefire as strikes continue
Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, which killed at least 89 people, according to the latter's health ministry, have added to the confusion regarding the ceasefire.
Israel, which has maintained that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire, said it had struck 100 Hezbollah sites across Lebanon. The strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning on Wednesday afternoon, Associated Press reported.
Iranian foreign minister also flagged the strikes to mediators in Islamabad, following which Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said ceasefire violations “undermined the spirit of peace process" and urged all sides to “exercise restraint and respect” the truce. Meanwhile, reports from Iranian media and Al Jazeera citing Iranian officials said Tehran was prepared to withdraw the truce if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue.
Meanwhile, Iran also continued to strike Gulf countries, including Qatar, UAE and Kuwait. Iran's state TV reported that these were in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon Iran's Lavan oil refinery. An Israeli-made drone was also allegedly struck over southern Iran.
