HALIFAX – A recently announced ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is facing complications due to continued fighting in Lebanon, CBC News reported Friday.

According to the broadcast, Israel disputes claims that the ceasefire includes Lebanon. The Pakistani mediator stated the ceasefire does cover Lebanon, but Israel immediately refuted this, escalating attacks on the country. This disagreement has led to confusion regarding the scope of the truce.

During the program, it was claimed that the Iranians believed the ceasefire encompassed Lebanon, while Israel maintains it applies only to Iran, the U.S., and Gulf Arab states. The U.S. has stated the Strait of Hormuz is open, despite Iran suggesting restrictions on oil tanker passage.

Reports indicate Iran may be charging ships for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with some fees reaching $2 million. Oman reportedly rejected a plan to profit from tanker traffic alongside Iran. Former U.S. President Trump reportedly suggested the U.S. could also benefit financially from access to the Strait.

More than 200 people were killed and over 1,000 wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Thursday, prompting a national day of mourning. Shea Ayyub, a Lebanese-Canadian resident of Beirut, described the past six weeks as “absolute terror,” stating over 1.2 million people in southern Lebanon have fled their homes.

Fawaz Jurgis, chair of Contemporary Middle Eastern Studies at the London School of Economics, told CBC News that Israel’s actions have significantly increased the risks to the ceasefire, describing a “strategic qualitative escalation” and accusing Israel of collectively punishing the Lebanese civilian population. He also suggested that without intervention from former President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to de-escalate the situation.