ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is pushing to negotiate ceasefires in Lebanon and Yemen, ahead of the first US-Iran peace talks in capital city Islamabad.
Ahead of talks, authorities locked down capital, sealing a 3-km zone around the luxury Serena Hotel, where both delegations are expected to stay. The hotel has asked all guests to check out until Sunday, having been “requisitioned” for the critical event.
Israel continues its devastating airstrikes in Lebanon, which already killed over 250 people, threatening to unravel the fragile U.S.-Iran truce brokered by Donald Trump. Tehran made it clear that no deal will proceed as long as Israel keeps striking, while the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed global energy prices to historic highs, with oil approaching $150 a barrel and jet fuel even higher.
Islamabad, acting as mediator, insists that the ceasefire negotiations must cover Lebanon as well as Yemen, where Israel has also targeted Iran-aligned forces. A source close to the discussions revealed, “The ceasefires for Lebanon and Yemen will be key topics during the upcoming talks, and we are determined to reach a settlement.”
Israel maintains that its operations in Lebanon fall outside the ceasefire agreement, having targeted Hezbollah’s positions, including the killing of the nephew of Secretary-General Naim Qassem and strikes on strategic river crossings in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has resumed attacks in response, firing across the border and at Israeli forces, while Lebanon declared a national day of mourning and rescue teams worked through the night to recover victims from the rubble.
Ambulances arrived nonstop, often taking victims straight to the forensic department. A rescue worker, speaking anonymously, described, “We’re picking up body parts for the most part. It’s very rare that we find entire bodies intact.”
With Pakistan hosting these high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad, the world’s attention is now on whether it can broker a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon and Yemen before the conflict spirals further, amid rising tensions and a global energy crisis.
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