UK foreign minister urges inclusion of Lebanon in Middle East ceasefire

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed deep concern over Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and called for the country to be included in the ceasefire agreement, speaking to Sky News.

“We do want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon. I'm deeply troubled about the escalating attacks that we saw from Israel in Lebanon yesterday. We've seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon. So we do strongly want to see the cease fire extended to Lebanon,” Cooper said.

She emphasised the importance of maintaining the current ceasefire with Iran and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open. 

“This is crucial for the global economy and for tackling the cost of living pressures here at home,” Cooper added.

On April 8, the United States and Iran agreed to a temporary two‑week ceasefire designed to halt hostilities between Washington and Tehran after weeks of intense escalation, with the aim of opening diplomatic talks for a longer‑term peace and reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

This truce was brokered with Pakistan’s involvement and generally covers the conflict between US and Iranian forces, including agreed pauses in strikes and negotiations scheduled in Islamabad.

Although Pakistani officials initially stated the ceasefire would also apply to Lebanon, the US government and Israeli leadership clarified that the deal does not extend to Lebanon or the ongoing clashes with Iran‑aligned Hezbollah forces, leaving Lebanon’s conflict outside the current truce.

By Jeyhun Aghazada