Israel strikes Sidon as Netanyahu excludes Lebanon from Iran truce
Last updated: 09:16 UTC, April 08 2026 | Started: 2026-04-08 09:16 | 1 update(s) | Avg confidence: 82/100
The story so far: The current Lebanon war ignited on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint strike on Tehran; Hezbollah entered the war two days later by firing rockets into Israel, prompting a full Israeli air and ground offensive. Israel began ground operations in southern Lebanon on March 16, following a ceasefire that had nominally held since November 2024 after Israel's first 2024 incursion killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Iran conditioned any ceasefire on an end to the Lebanon campaign, a demand Israel rejected.
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2026-04-08 09:16 — Israel strikes Sidon as Netanyahu excludes Lebanon from Iran truce
Shortly before the US-Iran ceasefire took effect on April 8, an Israeli airstrike on Sidon killed eight people and wounded 22 others, Lebanon's Health Ministry said; the strike came without warning and the Israeli military did not immediately identify its target, according to Haaretz.
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What We Know
- Shortly before the US-Iran ceasefire took effect on April 8, an Israeli airstrike on Sidon killed eight people and wounded 22 others, Lebanon's Health Ministry said; the strike came without warning and the Israeli military did not immediately identify its target, according to Haaretz.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declared on April 8 that the two-week US-Iran ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon, with Netanyahu stating the battle there is ongoing and renewing evacuation orders for an area more than 40 kilometres inside Lebanese territory, Reuters reported.
- Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the Iran-US deal, stated the ceasefire applied 'everywhere including Lebanon,' directly contradicting Netanyahu; French President Emmanuel Macron also called for Lebanon's full inclusion in the truce, while a Lebanese official told AFP authorities had 'not been informed' of Lebanon being included.
- Hezbollah announced it had halted all attacks on Israel as of approximately 1am on April 8, but Israel continued its ground and air offensive in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army warning civilians not to return south, according to AFP reporting cited by Deccan Chronicle.
- Since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon on March 16, attacks have killed more than 1,497 people and injured over 4,639, while displacing more than 1.2 million people — one in five of Lebanon's population — according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health and ACLED data reported by Al Jazeera.
Still Unclear
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, cited by Reuters/AFP via Deccan Chronicle and Times Live: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the ceasefire mediator, said the two-week Iran-US agreement applied 'everywhere including Lebanon.'
Netanyahu's office, cited by Reuters via Times Live and AFP via Deccan Chronicle: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the Lebanon ceasefire is excluded, saying 'the battle in Lebanon is ongoing' and renewing evacuation orders inside Lebanese territory.
- Two White House officials, cited by Reuters via Times Live: Two White House officials confirmed Israel had agreed to the two-week ceasefire and to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran.
Netanyahu's office statement, Reuters via Times Live: Netanyahu's office said Israel backs the pause on Iran strikes on the condition Tehran immediately opens the Strait of Hormuz and stops attacks, but explicitly carved out Lebanon from the truce's scope.
- (Unverified — single source relay; IRIB is Iranian state media; not independently corroborated by a second Tier-1 wire) Iran's supreme leader instructed all military units to stop firing, with state broadcaster IRIB reading out a statement saying 'all military branches should follow the Supreme Leader order and cease their fire.' [CNN, citing Iran's state-run IRIB channel, cited by Haaretz liveblog]
- (Unverified — single source; Al Jazeera stated it could not independently verify the claim; no Israeli military confirmation) Hezbollah claimed to have fired a cruise missile at an Israeli warship 126km off the Lebanese coast. [Hezbollah statement, via Al Jazeera]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Killed in Sidon airstrike on April 8 | 8 people | Lebanon Health Ministry, cited by Haaretz and AFP/Deccan Chronicle |
| Wounded in Sidon airstrike on April 8 | 22 people | Lebanon Health Ministry, cited by Haaretz |
| Total killed in Lebanon since March 2 Israeli offensive | More than 1,497 | Lebanon Ministry of Public Health, cited by Al Jazeera (April 7) |
| Total injured in Lebanon since March 2 | More than 4,639 | Lebanon Ministry of Public Health, cited by Al Jazeera (April 7) |
| People displaced in Lebanon | More than 1.2 million (including 350,000 children) | Al Jazeera / Lebanon authorities (April 7, 2026) |
| Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since March 2 | More than 1,840 | ACLED, cited by Al Jazeera (April 7) |
| Israeli strikes specifically recorded on Sidon district | 113 attacks | ACLED, cited by Al Jazeera (April 7) |
| Israeli evacuation order coverage inside Lebanon | More than 1,470 sq km (approx. 14% of Lebanese territory) | Norwegian Refugee Council, cited by Al Jazeera |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Israel strike Sidon if a ceasefire was announced?
Netanyahu's office declared on April 8 that the US-Iran two-week ceasefire does not cover Lebanon or Hezbollah. Israel says it is continuing its campaign against Hezbollah regardless of the Iran truce. The Sidon strike occurred just before the Iran ceasefire took effect, according to Reuters and AFP.
Does the Iran-US ceasefire include Lebanon?
This is actively disputed. Pakistani mediator PM Shehbaz Sharif and French President Macron both said the truce should cover Lebanon. Netanyahu explicitly excluded it, and a Lebanese official told AFP that Beirut had not been informed of inclusion. The ceasefire's Lebanese scope remains unresolved.
What is Hezbollah doing now that the ceasefire is in effect?
Hezbollah announced it stopped all attacks on Israel and Israeli soldiers in Lebanon as of approximately 1am on April 8, according to AFP. However, Israel renewed its evacuation orders for areas 40km inside Lebanon and continued ground operations, with the Lebanese army warning civilians not to return south.
Sources
