Israel's continued bombardment of Hezbollah in Lebanon threatens to torpedo the fragile US-Iran negotiations unfolding in Pakistan.
Even as the world watches Islamabad, Israel is waging its most devastating campaign against Hezbollah in years — and it is not pretending otherwise. On April 8, just hours after the US-Iran ceasefire was announced, Israel launched "Operation Eternal Darkness," deploying 50 fighter jets to drop 160 bombs on 100 targets across Lebanon in a single 10-minute blitz. The strikes killed at least 303 people in what Beirut has labeled "Black Wednesday," accusing Israel of carrying out a massacre under the cover of diplomacy.
Israel's position is blunt: the Iran ceasefire does not apply to Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue degrading the Iran-backed group's military infrastructure, targeting headquarters, intelligence centers, missile sites, and units linked to the elite Radwan Force. The IDF has now deployed five divisions into southern Lebanon, including the 98th Division sent on April 7, with the stated objective of pushing Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River and destroying military positions near the border.
The escalation puts the Islamabad talks in an impossible bind. Iran views Hezbollah as a core strategic asset and any lasting agreement will need to address Lebanon. Yet Israel is systematically dismantling that asset in real time, creating facts on the ground that narrow the space for negotiation. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has postponed a planned trip to Washington to manage the crisis from Beirut, while Israeli and Lebanese diplomats have tentatively agreed to direct talks — though nobody expects Israel to stop shooting while they talk.