Iran announces that it closes Hormuz again due to Israel's attacks on Lebanon

Beirut / BarcelonaIran announced this Saturday the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which occurs, according to the country's most important military command, due to "the clear violation by the United States of the first clause of the Memorandum of Understanding" and "in response to the continuous and persistent ceasefire violations by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon". The agreement signed this week between Washington and Tehran establishes, textually, the "immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon"establishes, textually, the "immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon".

Despite the warning, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Switzerland this Saturday to "demand [from the US] compliance with commitments" and "clarify how they intend to fulfill their obligations". US Vice President J.D. Vance has also traveled to the Alpine country. "I can only be there for one or two days. I hope we can make progress on the nuclear issue and the ceasefire in Lebanon," he told the media before boarding the plane.

The situation in southern Lebanon has become a central piece of regional negotiations. Tehran insists that the memorandum of understanding with Washington is an indivisible whole. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has warned that any non-compliance would jeopardize the agreement and has recalled that the end of the Israeli offensive is the central condition. Vance himself has stated that negotiations are progressing positively: "Things are going well," he said in an interview with Fox News. But, for now, the future of the understanding between Washington and Tehran seems to depend less on the talks in Switzerland than on the ability to impose a real ceasefire in southern Lebanon.

try to save Switzerland the agreement reached this week between the US and IranNabatieh, Israel's target

Faced with continuous Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the United States had announced this Friday a specific ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah with the mediation of Qatar and Iran. However, once again the ceasefire between Tel Aviv and the Shiite militia does not go beyond a declaration. While Iranian and American diplomats try to save the agreement reached this week between the US and Iran in Switzerland, the fighting continues in Lebanon. The Israeli attempt to advance south of the strategic city of Nabatieh, and Hezbollah's determination to prevent it, have turned this front into the main obstacle for the talks between the United States and Iran to advance.

Israel is trying to take over the hills of Ali Taher, considered the gateway to Nabatieh, the main city in southern Lebanon and one of Hezbollah's political and symbolic strongholds. The Shiite movement claims to have repelled several incursions and states that its fighters continue to confront Israeli troops in the area. For both sides, the battle has a value that goes beyond territory: Israel does not seem willing to stop its offensive when it is close to one of its main objectives, and Hezbollah can hardly afford to lose a city that represents one of its centers of influence.

While ground clashes continue, Israeli aviation has multiplied its bombings in the south of the country. Dozens of attacks have hit the Nabatieh region and other areas in the south and the Bekaa Valley,and have left, according to Lebanese authorities, at least 38 dead this Saturday, including several civilians. One of the deadliest attacks took place in Qanarit, a town located north of the Zahrani River and previously considered relatively far from the front. The area hosted displaced families from more southern areas, which once again highlights the difficulty of finding refuge in a conflict whose geographical boundaries continue to expand.

Hours after the deadly attacks on Saturday, the Israeli government announced a new ceasefire by order of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although it specified that its troops would remain in the areas of southern Lebanon that have already come under its control. Hezbollah has stated that it will maintain its commitment to the ceasefire. But at the same time, it accuses Israel of having committed more than 300 violations of the truce since Friday, considering that these conditions are equivalent to maintaining the occupation and justify its right to continue defending Lebanese territory.