Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a ceasefire in Lebanon, the Defense Ministry announced Saturday evening. The decision comes hours after Iran formally declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, citing Israeli and U.S. violations of the ceasefire terms in Lebanon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a ceasefire in Lebanon on Saturday evening, the Defense Ministry announced. The directive was issued hours after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps formally announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the world's most critical maritime chokepoint—citing continued Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon and what Tehran describes as U.S. failure to enforce the ceasefire terms.
The Iranian closure, first declared Saturday afternoon and reiterated hours later, has drawn global attention as oil markets brace for disruption. The IRGC navy announced a complete blockade, linking its reopening to a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and a broader U.S. regional pullback.
As The Zioneer reported this week, the Hormuz closure threat has escalated since Friday, when semi-official Iranian media and state-linked outlets demanded action over the Israeli presence in Lebanon. Earlier Saturday, the IRGC formally declared the strait closed. The Israeli decision to order a ceasefire appears to be a direct response to this maritime escalation, though official statements have not detailed the operational timeline or conditions for the halt in fighting. The IDF's Northern Command and the Home Front Command have not yet issued corresponding civil-defense guidance regarding the northern border.
2 developments
- StrongIDF says Hezbollah fired over 50 rockets at troops in south Lebanon overnight; strikes dozens of targets in response
- Developing18 killed, IDF strikes 150 targets in South Lebanon as ceasefire violations mount
- ConfirmedIDF confirms dozens of overnight airstrikes across southern Lebanon, dismisses comment on Ali al-Taher clashes
- StrongHezbollah continues shelling Israeli troops in south Lebanon despite announced agreement; IDF strikes nearby threats
Source and signal
- Internal intake