By JTA Staff (JTA)
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pakistan on Friday for in-person talks to reach a permanent end to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran — with Israel’s continued campaign against the Iranian proxy Hezbollah a certain topic of discussion.
Israel and the United States have maintained that the deal struck between Iran and the United States earlier this week to halt hostilities in Iran does not apply in Lebanon, where Israel is battling Hezbollah. But Iran says the deal requires an end to fighting there and that Israel’s continued campaign, which included intense bombing in the capital of Beirut on Wednesday, represents a violation of the truce.
The latest strike killed the personal secretary of Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday. “Our message is clear: Whoever acts against Israeli civilians—will be struck,” he said in a statement. “We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever required, until we restore full security to the residents of the north.”
Another sticking point with the potential to derail the ceasefire is Iran’s handling of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping corridor. President Donald Trump made reopening the strait, which Iran closed in response to the start of the war, a key demand to avoid punishing strikes this week. But while Iran said it was acceding to the demand, it is seeking to levy a steep toll on all ships passing through — which if applied would aid in rebuilding its weakened military infrastructure — and so far has not let many ships through.
Leaders from across Europe say they believe Lebanon should be included in the ceasefire. Many also say they oppose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel has begun to relax some restrictions in response to the ceasefire. It has reopened the Dome of the Rock, which had been closed since the war’s start, to Muslim worshippers. It also announced that schools, which have been largely closed for more than a month, would reopen on Thursday, following the end of the Passover holiday in Israel.
Meanwhile, as Tehran returned to normal during the cessation of bombing, supporters of the Iranian regime, which remains in place despite efforts to topple it, rallied en masse on Thursday.
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