Iran threatens strong response to Israel's attacks in Lebanon

Iranian leaders threatened a decisive response on Thursday following the devastating Israeli attacks in Lebanon, which the Health Ministry in Beirut said killed 303 people and injured 1,150 others.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Wednesday's strikes a "blatant violation of the initial ceasefire agreement."

"This is a dangerous sign of deception and lack of commitment to potential agreements," he added.

Pezeshkian said "the continuation of these actions will render negotiations meaningless."

"Our fingers remain on the trigger," he warned. "Iran will never abandon its Lebanese sisters and brothers."

Israel has insisted that its conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia is not covered by the ceasefire in Iran, which was announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday and brokered by Pakistan.

The latest Israeli attacks in Lebanon have prompted fears that the teetering ceasefire - which included the reopening of the key Strait of Hormuz - could quickly collapse.

The speaker of the Iranian parliament also threatened Israel on Thursday.

"Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses," Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X.

Ghalibaf referred to remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said Lebanon was included in the ceasefire.

"Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire," Ghalibaf wrote. "Sharif publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue; there is no room for denial and backtracking."

Peace talks between Iranian and US representatives are set to begin in Islamabad on Friday.