President Aoun Demands Inclusion in Regional Peace as US-Iran Ceasefire Holds

President Joseph Aoun calls for Lebanon's inclusion in the new US-Iran ceasefire as Israel continues strikes against Hezbollah.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 7:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

A Plea for Sovereign Inclusion in Regional Truce

President Joseph Aoun issued a formal appeal from the Baabda Presidential Palace on Wednesday, welcoming the announcement of a fourteen-day ceasefire between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The President emphasized that Beirut is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to ensure that this "breathing space" is extended to Lebanese soil in a stable and lasting manner. Aoun’s administration has positioned the inclusion of Lebanon as a vital necessity for national survival, as the country continues to bear the brunt of peripheral spillover from the broader regional conflict.

Netanyahu Maintains Exclusion of Lebanese Front

The prospects for an immediate cessation of violence in southern Lebanon were sharply curtailed by statements from Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that the truce, facilitated largely through Pakistani mediation, does not encompass Israel’s ongoing campaign against the Hezbollah paramilitary group. According to Israeli defense officials, the "Operation Epic Fury" objectives within Lebanon remain independent of the broader regional pause, leading to continued airstrikes in the south and the Bekaa Valley even as hostilities elsewhere showed signs of cooling.

Hezbollah Signals Victory Amid Humanitarian Crisis

In its first official response following the US-Iran announcement, the Hezbollah leadership characterized the current geopolitical shift as a "historic victory" for its fighters and supporters. However, the group issued a stern warning to displaced Lebanese civilians, advising them not to return to villages and towns in the southern suburbs of Beirut or the border regions until an "official final announcement" of a ceasefire specifically for Lebanon is made. The ongoing displacement has reportedly uprooted over one million people, placing an unsustainable strain on the nation's collapsing infrastructure.