Iran shuts Hormuz again as Israel's Lebanon blitz shakes ceasefire
Shafaq News- Tehran
Iran blocked tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after Israel launched its most devastating assault on Lebanon since the truce was announced, with Tehran warning it may abandon the truce entirely.
Two oil tankers had passed safely through Hormuz with Iranian permission in the morning -the first sign the ceasefire was holding. By afternoon, the passage was blocked again. Israel had carried out 100 strikes in 10 minutes across all Lebanese cities including Beirut, killing hundreds. The Israeli military said the assault was based on precise intelligence and weeks of planning, targeting Hezbollah's elite units, missile systems, and drone platforms.
#عاجل 🔴أكبر ضربة في أنحاء لبنان منذ بدء عملية زئير الأسد: خلال 10 دقائق وفي عدة مناطق بالتزامن أنجز جيش الدفاع ضربة استهدفت نحو 100 مقر وبنية تحتية عسكرية تابعة لحزب الله pic.twitter.com/JcSb7klCsg
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 8, 2026
An informed source told Tasnim News Agency that Tehran was "studying the possibility of withdrawing from the ceasefire" and that Iran's armed forces were already identifying targets inside Israel. "If the United States cannot restrain its aggression in the region, Iran will help it do so -by force," the source said. Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesman for Iran's parliamentary National Security Committee, demanded an immediate halt to Hormuz shipping, "Either a ceasefire on all fronts or no ceasefire on any front."
A separate Iranian military source told state media that Tehran was assessing options for a "deterrent" strike against Israeli military sites, with official circles raising questions about Washington's role; “Either unable to pressure Netanyahu's government, or having granted Israel a quiet CENTCOM mandate to operate freely despite the agreements.”
Trump complicated the picture further by stating that Lebanon was not covered under the ceasefire agreement, and said direct talks with Iran would begin soon. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a pivotal role brokering the truce, urged all parties on X to "exercise restraint and respect the two-week ceasefire as agreed, so that diplomacy can lead to a peaceful resolution." Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal stated that undermining the peace process would serve no one's interests, warning that closing Hormuz "will disrupt supply chains" and that the strikes on Lebanon were "generating a negative atmosphere."
Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 8, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi discussed the ceasefire violations in a call with Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, praising Islamabad's mediation while raising Israeli breaches in both Iran and Lebanon.
Despite the turbulence, Sharif confirmed that US and Iranian delegations would convene in Islamabad on Friday to negotiate "a final agreement resolving all differences." A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could allow limited, controlled Hormuz passage as early as Thursday or Friday, in coordination with the Iranian military. French President Emmanuel Macron said roughly 15 countries were planning to facilitate the resumption of navigation through the strait.
Read more: Long war with Iran: A dangerous repetition of history, but with even less preparation
