Lebanese parliamentarian Ali Fayyad, a prominent member of Hezbollah's political wing, stated Friday that the three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, announced Thursday by President Trump in Washington, held "meaningless" value given Israel's continued "hostile acts." His declaration came as Israeli and Hezbollah forces exchanged fire, pushing international benchmark Brent Crude to nearly $107 a barrel.
Ali Fayyad, a key figure within the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, articulated his group's rejection of the ceasefire extension through Lebanon's official National News Agency. He cited Israel's continued "assassinations, bombardment, and opening fire" alongside what he termed the "destructive annihilation of Lebanese border villages and towns" as reasons for his group's stance. Hezbollah, a powerful political entity in Lebanon and a well-armed proxy force for Tehran, was not involved in negotiating the initial agreement between Israel and Lebanon's government.
The group reserved its right to respond to any future Israeli "aggressions." This firm rejection immediately complicated efforts to de-escalate regional tensions. His words cast a shadow over diplomatic overtures. Fayyad's remarks directly referenced Israel's military occupation of a buffer zone extending approximately six miles into Lebanese territory.
Israeli leaders have maintained that troops will remain in this zone indefinitely, prohibiting residents from returning until the threat from Hezbollah is eliminated. "Any Israeli aggression against any Lebanese target, regardless of its nature, gives the resistance the right to respond appropriately," Fayyad asserted. He further specified that any ceasefire not linked to Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory affirms the Lebanese people's right to resist occupation and restore full sovereignty. This clarifies Hezbollah's core demand.
Accusations of ceasefire violations have continued from both sides. On Thursday night, Hezbollah stated it launched rockets into northern Israel, claiming these actions responded to an Israeli breach of the truce. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Friday morning that it had "struck Hezbollah military structures used to plan and carry out terror attacks" in response to rockets fired at the northern Israeli town of Shtula.
The IDF reiterated its commitment to act decisively against threats to Israeli civilians and soldiers, following directives from its political leadership. Such exchanges are common. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Friday that Israeli strikes also hit the city of Tyre in the country's south.
While Israel had halted large-scale airstrikes in southern Lebanon and around Beirut, which defined weeks of conflict after the Iran war began on February 28, smaller-scale attacks persist. Wednesday marked one of the bloodiest days since the ceasefire began, with Lebanese officials stating journalist Amal Khalil was among several people killed in an incident her newspaper and rights groups described as a targeted Israeli attack. The Israeli military stated it was reviewing the incident, which also wounded two other journalists, but denied intentionally targeting journalists.
This incident highlights the fragility of the truce. Beyond the immediate border, the standoff between the United States and Iran intensified Friday. President Trump issued an order to the U.S. military to "shoot and kill" Iranian small boats in the Strait of Hormuz.
This directive came as Iran pushed back against Trump's earlier claims of a leadership rift within the Islamic Republic. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf both issued nearly identical social media statements, declaring, "In Iran there are no 'hard-liners' or 'moderates'. We are all Iranians and revolutionaries." Their unified message directly countered Trump's assertions.
Since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, questions have persisted regarding who holds ultimate authority among Iran's civilian figures and powerful generals. Iran announced Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as his successor, though U.S. officials suggest he was wounded in the same strike that killed his father. While statements attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei have been released, he has not made a public appearance since purportedly assuming leadership in Tehran.
This lack of public visibility creates uncertainty. Follow the supply chain: uncertainty in leadership can translate into unpredictable policy, which directly impacts global energy markets and shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical choke point for oil transit. President Trump had posted on Truth Social earlier Thursday that "Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is!
They just don't know!" He claimed infighting between "Hardliners" and "Moderates," asserting the former were "losing BADLY on the battlefield." This public commentary on internal Iranian politics adds another layer to the complex diplomatic landscape. Trade policy is foreign policy by other means, and these statements, while political, carry economic weight, influencing market sentiment and risk assessment for international commerce operating in the region. Global financial markets reflected this escalating geopolitical risk.
World shares were mostly lower Friday, while oil prices pushed higher as U.S.-Iran peace talks remained stalled. futures wavered after Wall Street pulled back from its all-time highs, with the future for the S&P 500 flat and the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.38% early Friday. In early European trading, Germany's DAX lost 0.2% to 24,106.17, Paris's CAC 40 dropped 1% to 8,147.70, and Britain's FTSE 100 sagged 0.6% to 10,397.64. Shares were mixed in Asian trading Friday.
The numbers on the shipping manifest tell the real story of risk premiums. Oil prices have remained elevated since the Iran war began on February 28. International benchmark Brent Crude traded just under $107 a barrel Friday morning. mainstay West Texas Intermediate rose about 1.4% on the day, trading just over $97 a barrel.
These price increases directly translate to higher shipping costs, impacting the cost of goods for consumers globally. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world's oil passes, remains a focal point for these concerns. Any disruption there would have immediate, far-reaching economic consequences.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union's head of foreign policy, speaking in Cyprus at a meeting of EU leaders, warned Friday that any future U.S.-Iran peace talks without nuclear experts involved would "end up with a more dangerous Iran." Kallas expressed concern that a new agreement crafted without such expertise could prove weaker than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 deal brokered by the Obama administration. President Trump had unilaterally withdrawn the U.S. from the JCPOA during his first term. That deal focused solely on Iran's nuclear program.
Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to allow the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency, the IAEA, to monitor its nuclear program and ensure adherence to enrichment limits, in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump had dismissed the JCPOA as too weak, insisting Iran would eventually be forced to accept a deal more severely constraining or eliminating its nuclear program. Kallas stressed that a new deal must also address Iran's "missile programs, their support to proxies, also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe." Without a comprehensive approach, she stated, "we will end up with a more dangerous Iran." This expands the diplomatic challenge. continues to target Iran's network of proxies.
The State Department's Rewards for Justice program announced a $10 million bounty for information leading to the leader of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji. The notice stated that al-Saraji led the group, whose members have "killed Iraqi civilians and attacked U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq," as well as U.S. military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria. Iraq hosts several Shiite militias backed by Iran, which are part of the Popular Mobilization Forces.
This group formed after the fall of Mosul in 2014 to formalize volunteer units that defeated the Islamic State group. These proxy actions complicate regional stability. Militants from another Iran-backed group in Iraq, Kata'ib Hezbollah, abducted American journalist Shelly Kittleson last month, though she was later released.
These incidents illustrate the direct human cost of these complex geopolitical maneuvers. This interconnected web of military actions, diplomatic statements, and economic shifts underscores the volatility across the Middle East. For consumers, the immediate impact is felt at the fuel pump and in the rising costs of goods transported globally.
For businesses, increased insurance premiums for shipping through critical maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz will continue to squeeze margins. The stability of global supply chains depends on de-escalation. The numbers on the shipping manifest will reflect the true cost of ongoing tensions.
Key Takeaways: - Hezbollah formally rejected the three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, citing continued Israeli "hostile acts." - Cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces persist, with both sides accusing the other of truce violations. - President Trump ordered U.S. - Global oil prices climbed, with Brent Crude near $107/barrel, as markets reacted to the regional instability and potential shipping disruptions. Looking ahead, the immediate focus will be on whether the fragile ceasefire can be salvaged, or if the current rejections will lead to broader conflict. Diplomatic efforts will continue to seek a path for de-escalation, but the public statements from Hezbollah and the U.S. indicate significant obstacles.
Watch for any further military movements in southern Lebanon and along the Strait of Hormuz, as these will be key indicators of the region's trajectory. The ongoing internal power dynamics within Iran, particularly the public visibility of Mojtaba Khamenei, will also bear watching for signals on future Iranian policy direction and its impact on trade. The world waits for clarity.
Key Takeaways
— - Hezbollah formally rejected the three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, citing continued Israeli "hostile acts."
— - Cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces persist, with both sides accusing the other of truce violations.
— - President Trump ordered U.S. forces to "shoot and kill" Iranian small boats in the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating U.S.-Iran tensions.
— - Global oil prices climbed, with Brent Crude near $107/barrel, as markets reacted to the regional instability and potential shipping disruptions.
Source: CBS News
