Vance: Israel ready to limit attacks on Hezbollah to preserve Iran truce

Vice President Vance acknowledges Lebanon was never part of Iran ceasefire but says Israel may curb strikes to aid peace talks with Tehran.

By World Israel News Staff

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran does not cover Lebanon, pushing back on claims by Iran and Hezbollah, even as he suggested Israel has shown some willingness to limit its operations there to support diplomacy.

Speaking to reporters in Budapest, Vance said Iranian negotiators appeared to believe the truce announced Tuesday extended to Lebanon, but the United States “never made that promise.”

Vance emphasized that the ceasefire was focused on Iran and on America’s regional allies, including Israel and Gulf Arab states, not on the separate Israeli campaign against Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah.

At the same time, Vance said that Israel has informally offered to exercise some restraint in Lebanon, not because such a step was part of the agreement, but in an effort to give negotiations with Iran a better chance of succeeding.

The vice president warned that Tehran must now take further steps in the talks and said that President Donald Trump retains the option of renewed military action if Iran fails to uphold the arrangement.

He also said Iran had indicated it was prepared to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, a key issue for global energy markets.

Vance downplayed Iranian accusations that Israeli strikes on Hezbollah constituted a violation of the ceasefire deal, arguing that the claims resulted from a “legitimate misunderstanding.”

“The Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn’t.”

Iran could ultimately back out of the ceasefire over its objections to Israeli operations in Lebanon, Vance continued, but added that doing so “would be dumb.”

“But that’s their choice.”

“If they break the bargain, they’re going to see serious consequences.”