Iran CLOSES Strait of Hormuz as Trump’s ‘ceasefire’ crumbles and Starmer wades in
As British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer jets into Middle East for talks israel defies ceasefire and launches biggest attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon since the current conflict began
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Taif base, Saudi Arabia(Image: Getty Images)
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there was “work to do” to secure the US-Iran ceasefire – as he refused to say if his relationship with Donald Trump is in tatters. It came amid warnings from within Iran that it could withdraw from the agreement if Israel keeps up its major attacks on neighbouring Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
Confusion has already broken out over the Israel-Hezbollah conflict with Israel claiming that war is outside of the ceasefire, whilst peace broker Pakistan claimed it was included. The Israeli army attacked more than 100 sites “within 10 minutes” across Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, in the “largest” onslaught since the start of the war.
The new strikes threatened to scuttle what US Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal. Meanwhile, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Iranian-state media reported.
Further evidence Trump’s ceasefire has been hit by chaos emerged hours after he announced it. Iran is considering “deterrent operations” against Israel, claiming that it violated the ceasefire by attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
Pakistan, which mediated the two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, claims that the agreement includes Lebanon, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disputed this.
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The UK PM arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with Gulf allies after the US President backed down from threats to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants. Instead America has agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which even Trump’s own Vice President JD Vance admitted was “fragile.”
Trump had threatened “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to reopen the Gulf oil chokepoint the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed the ceasefire is not covered by the peace deal. On a visit to an air base in Saudi Arabia, Mr Starmer said there was a “sense of real relief” at the ceasefire.
But he said a lot of work still needed to be done to make the peace deal last – and to secure the Strait of Hormuz. He said: “There’s work to do. It’s early days. There is a real sense, I think, of relief you can feel it at the base here in Saudi Arabia, for 39 days, they’ve been acting in our collective self-defence. “What people in the United Kingdom want to know…is that this needs to be permanent, and it’s our job to work with other countries in the region, not only on the cessation of hostilities, but also on opening the Strait of Hormuz.”
He restated his commitment that Britain would not be drawn into the war, a stance that has put his relationship with Mr Trump under serious strain. The US President has repeatedly lashed out at Mr Starmer for refusing to wade into the conflict.
Asked if their relationship was “in tatters,” Mr Starmer said: “I’ve acted as you would expect of a British Prime Minister, which is by being absolutely focused on what is our national interest, and that’s why I’ve applied my principles and my values throughout.
“And my principles and values made sure that our decisions were that we wouldn’t get involved in the action without a lawful basis, without a viable, thought-through plan. I’m here to say thank you to some of those have been defending our allies and British interests in the region, but the principles of not getting dragged into this war, principles of always saying the UK will act only on a lawful basis and only for the viable, long term plan.
“They’re the right principles. As I say, I’m the British Prime Minister. Earlier, Mr Starmer and other world leaders demanded Israel end its assault on Lebanon. The leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council, welcomed the ceasefire.
In a statement they said: “We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement. This will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. It can avert a severe global energy crisis.” Earlier in the morning news of the ceasefire was heralded with explosions in the Gulf States as Iran took final shots.
But Lebanon came under sustained bombing, the worst of the war. Beirut was plunged into chaos as at least 89 people died in the onslaught as Israel claimed to have hammered at least 100 Hezbollah headquarters as targets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the United States’ suspension of strikes on Iran.
But his office said the two-week truce will not extend to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon. In a statement Netanyahu said Israel backed US President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure “Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world.”
His statement came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the US, Iran and their allies “have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere”. Sharif said the move was “effective immediately.” Israeli forces bombed the southern town of Srifa in Tyre region, and also issued an evacuation warning for a building near the town.
The Lebanese army on Wednesday warned people against returning to the country’s south. They said: “In light of regional developments and reports circulating about a ceasefire, the army urges citizens to wait before returning to southern villages and towns and to avoid approaching areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced… since they may be exposing themselves to the ongoing Israeli attacks.”
Lebanon was drawn into the US and Israel’s war on Iran on March 2 after Tehran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel. Hezbollah said the attacks were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war, on February 28. It added that attacks were also in vengeance for Israel’s near-daily violations of a ceasefire it agreed to in Lebanon in November 2024.
That truce was agreed after more than a year of cross-border fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters following Israel’s launch of its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. And there were claims Iran will withdraw from the ceasefire if Israel continues to defy the agreement through attacks on Lebanon.
One source told English-spoken TRT World news service in Turkey: “Iran will withdraw from the agreement if violations of the ceasefire by Israel continue through attacks on Lebanon.” The source added that Tehran is reviewing the situation amid what it described as “continued Israeli breaches” linked to strikes on Lebanon.
According to the source, a halt to fighting on all fronts, including against Lebanon’s “Islamic resistance,” had been accepted by the US under a proposed two-week ceasefire plan. However, Israel has carried out “clear violations of the ceasefire” since earlier Wednesday by attacking Lebanon. The Israeli army said it struck more than 100 sites “within 10 minutes” across multiple areas in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, in the “largest” coordinated strike since the start of the current offensive in Lebanon.
Israel has carried out air strikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024. Lebanese authorities said that at least 1,530 people have been killed and 4,812 others injured in the Israeli attacks.
