They were not included in the deal. That'll get taken care of too.
A ceasefire can end a war and extend it simultaneously — the agreement brokered between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday revealed as much within hours of its announcement, as Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut, killing dozens and wounding hundreds more. The truce, it emerged, had been drawn with deliberate borders: Hezbollah and Lebanon were excluded by design, creating a legal corridor through which the conflict could continue uninterrupted. Peace, in this instance, was not a universal condition but a negotiated geometry — and those living outside its lines bore the full weight of that distinction.
- Israeli airstrikes hit densely populated residential and commercial neighborhoods in central Beirut without warning, just hours after a ceasefire was announced — killing dozens and wounding hundreds.
- President Trump confirmed the exclusion was intentional: Hezbollah was never part of the Iran deal, and Israeli military operations in Lebanon were always meant to continue.
- The architectural gap in the agreement — Iran protected, Lebanon exposed — created a diplomatic fiction of peace while the bombs were still falling.
- Pakistan, which brokered the truce, moved swiftly to claim a historic diplomatic victory, with its Defence Minister declaring a 'new era' of credibility and global trust.
- Even as Beirut burned, the Trump administration was already floating a 'joint venture' with Iran to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz — a pivot from confrontation toward economic partnership that raised as many questions as it answered.
The ceasefire lasted hours. On Wednesday, Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut without warning, hitting densely packed civilian and commercial neighborhoods in a direct contradiction of the peace announcement made that same morning. Lebanon's health ministry reported dozens killed and hundreds wounded — figures expected to rise.
President Trump clarified the contradiction in an interview with PBS News: Hezbollah had never been part of the agreement. 'They were not included in the deal,' he said, suggesting a sequencing — Iran first, the Lebanese militant group later — without offering any timeline or mechanism for what that second phase might look like.
The distinction carried enormous consequences on the ground. By carving Lebanon and Hezbollah out of the US-Iran truce, the agreement created a diplomatic space for Israel to continue its campaign without technically violating the ceasefire. Civilians in Beirut paid the price for that architectural detail.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration was already looking further ahead. Trump described a potential 'joint venture' with Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly a third of the world's seaborne oil passes — calling it 'a beautiful thing.' The proposal signaled a willingness to move from military confrontation toward economic cooperation, even as the region remained at war.
Pakistan, which brokered the ceasefire, claimed the moment as a turning point for its diplomatic standing. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif spoke of a 'new era' of stability and peace, framing the agreement as proof of his country's credibility as a global mediator.
But in Beirut, the immediate reality was rubble and casualty wards. The ceasefire had not ended the war — it had simply redrawn its boundaries, leaving Lebanon outside the protection it offered and the pattern of conflict intact, operating under a new set of rules.
The ceasefire lasted hours. On Wednesday afternoon, Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut without advance warning, hitting densely packed commercial and residential neighborhoods in what amounted to a direct contradiction of the peace announcement made just that morning. Lebanon's health ministry released preliminary figures: dozens dead, hundreds wounded. The strikes came as the US and Iran were still absorbing the terms of a two-week truce brokered by Pakistan—a deal that, it turned out, had a crucial asterisk.
President Trump made the exclusion explicit in an interview with PBS News. When asked why Israeli military operations in Lebanon were continuing despite the ceasefire, he offered a straightforward answer: Hezbollah was not part of the agreement. "They were not included in the deal," Trump said. When pressed further on the logic, he elaborated: "Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That'll get taken care of too. It's alright." The phrasing suggested a sequencing—first Iran, then the Lebanese militant group—but offered no timeline or mechanism for how the second phase would unfold.
The distinction mattered enormously on the ground. The ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was meant to halt the broader conflict that had consumed the region for weeks. Yet by explicitly carving out Lebanon and Hezbollah, the agreement created a legal and diplomatic space for Israel to continue its campaign against the group without technically violating the truce. Civilians in Beirut paid the price for that architectural detail.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration was already looking beyond the immediate fighting. In a separate interview with ABC News, Trump discussed a potential "joint venture" with Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a third of the world's seaborne oil passes. The proposal suggested a remarkable pivot: from military confrontation to economic partnership, at least in theory. Trump described it as "a way of securing it—also securing it from lots of other people," calling the arrangement "a beautiful thing." The question of whether Iran would be permitted to charge tolls for passage remained unresolved, but the very fact that such a conversation was happening signaled a willingness to explore cooperation on critical infrastructure.
Pakistan, which had brokered the ceasefire, moved quickly to claim credit. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters that his country was now being recognized as a "credible and trusted" mediator both regionally and globally. "It is the success of our entire leadership," Asif said, framing the agreement as a turning point for Pakistan's diplomatic standing. He spoke of entering a "new era" and predicted stability and peace would follow. The language suggested ambitions that extended well beyond the two-week window of the current truce.
But in Beirut, the immediate reality was rubble and casualty wards. The strikes had targeted areas where civilians lived and worked, and the health ministry's initial count—dozens killed, hundreds injured—would likely rise as rescue operations continued and the full scope of damage became clear. The ceasefire had been announced as a breakthrough, a moment when the region might step back from the brink. Instead, it had simply redefined the boundaries of the conflict, leaving Lebanon and Hezbollah outside the protection it offered. What came next remained unclear, but the pattern was set: the war would continue in a different form, in a different place, under a different set of rules.
Notable Quotes
They were not included in the deal. That'll get taken care of too. It's alright.— President Trump, explaining why Israeli operations in Lebanon continued
It is the success of our entire leadership. We are thankful to God for this.— Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, on Pakistan's role in brokering the ceasefire
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
So the ceasefire was announced and then Israel struck Beirut the same day. Was that a surprise to anyone?
Not really, once you read the fine print. Trump made it clear Hezbollah wasn't included. But there's a difference between knowing something intellectually and watching it happen in real time—the strikes hit residential areas, not military targets. That's the part that stings.
Why would you negotiate a ceasefire that explicitly excludes one of the main combatants?
Because Iran and the US needed a way to step back without losing face. Israel needed to keep pressure on Hezbollah. So they carved out an exception. It's a ceasefire for some, not for all.
And Trump's talking about a joint venture with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz while this is happening?
Yes. It's jarring, but it makes sense if you think about it as compartmentalization. The military conflict pauses. Economic cooperation begins. Two separate tracks.
Is that realistic?
In theory, maybe. In practice, it depends whether the people getting bombed in Beirut stay calm while their government negotiates with the people bombing them. That's a lot to ask.
What does Pakistan get out of this?
Legitimacy. Asif was very clear about that—they're now a "credible and trusted" mediator. That's currency in international relations. Whether it translates to actual stability is another question.