Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz due to failure of Trump’s ‘ceasefire’ and Starmer’s intrusion

As British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in the Middle East for talks, Israel violated the ceasefire and launched the biggest attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon since the current conflict began.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said there is “work left to do” to secure a US-Iran ceasefire – as he refused to say whether his relationship with Donald Trump is strained. It comes amid warnings from within Iran that Israel could withdraw from the deal if it continues its major attacks on neighbouring Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.

There has already been confusion over the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, with Israel claiming the fighting is outside the ceasefire while peace broker Pakistan claims it is within the ceasefire. Israeli forces attacked more than 100 locations in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon “within 10 minutes”—the””largest” attack since the beginning of the war.

The new attacks came as US Vice President JD Vance threatened to derail the “fragile” agreement. Meanwhile, Iranian-state media reported that Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Just hours after Trump’s ceasefire announcement, further evidence of chaos emerged. Iran is considering “preventive operations” against Israel, which it claims has violated the ceasefire by attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Pakistan, which brokered a two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, claims the agreement also includes Lebanon, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disputes its validity.

US F-35 at RAF Lakenheath, UK (Image: Getty Images)

Keir Starmer and world leaders urge Israel to stop attacks on Lebanon after Iran’s ceasefire.

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Britain’s PM arrives in Saudi Arabia for talks with Gulf allies after the US president backed off from his threat to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants. The US instead agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which even Trump’s own vice president, JD Vance, acknowledged was “fragile.”

Trump threatened that “an entire civilisation would be destroyed” if Iran did not agree to reopen the Gulf oil chokepoint in the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the ceasefire is not included in the peace agreement. On a visit to an airport in Saudi Arabia, Mr Starmer said there was a “real sense of relief” at the ceasefire.

But he said much work still needed to finalise a peace deal and secure the Strait of Hormuz. He said, “There is still work to do. It’s still early days. I think there’s a real sense of relief you can feel here on the base in Saudi Arabia; for 39 days they have been working in our collective self-defence. ” What people in the United Kingdom want to know… is that this needs to be permanent, and our job is to work with other countries in the region, not only on a cessation of hostilities, but also on opening the straits. Hormuz.”

He reaffirmed his commitment to keeping Britain out of war, a stance that has severely strained his relationship with Mr. Trump. The US president has repeatedly criticised Mr Starmer for his refusal to engage in the conflict.

Shia Muslims celebrate ceasefire in Kashmir (Image: Firdous Nazir/Noorfoto/Shutterstock)

Asked whether their relationship was “dangerous”, Mr Starmer said: “I have acted as you would expect of a British Prime Minister, which is to focus solely on our national interest, and that’s why I have imposed my principles and my values.

“And my principles and values ​​ensured that our decisions were that we would not engage in action without a legitimate basis and without a viable, thoughtful plan. I am here to thank those who are protecting our allies and British interests in the region, but the principle of not being dragged into this war and the principle of always saying that the UK will only act on a legitimate basis and only for a viable, long-term plan.

US B-1 bomber RAF Fairford, UK (Image: Tolga Akmen/EPA/Shutterstock)

“They are the right principles. As I say, I am the British prime minister. Earlier, Mr Starmer and other world leaders called on Israel to end its attacks on Lebanon. The leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain and the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council welcomed the ceasefire.

In a statement, he said, “We strongly encourage prompt progress toward a concrete negotiated solution. This will be critical to protecting Iran’s civilian population and ensuring security in the region. It could avert a serious global energy crisis.” Earlier in the morning, news of the ceasefire was announced with explosions in the Gulf states as Iran took the final shots.

Iranian woman praying at the holy temple in Tehran (Image: Morteza Nicoubzal/Nurfoto/Shutterstock)

But Lebanon came under constant bombing, the worst period of the war. Beirut plunged into chaos after at least 89 people were killed in the attack, during which Israel claimed to have targeted at least 100 Hezbollah headquarters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the United States suspending attacks on Iran.

But his office said the two-week ceasefire would not extend to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon. In a statement, Netanyahu said Israel supports US President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure that “Iran will no longer pose a nuclear, missile and terror threat to the United States, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbours, and the world.”

British PM Starmer with troops in Saudi Arabia (Image: PA)

This statement came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the US, Iran and their allies “have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including in Lebanon and elsewhere”. Sharif said the move was “effective immediately.” Israeli forces bombed the southern city of Shriffa in the Tire region and also issued an evacuation warning to a building near the city.

The Lebanese army warned people on Wednesday against returning to the south of the country. He said: “In light of regional developments and circulating reports about the ceasefire, the army urges civilians to wait before returning to southern villages and towns and avoid getting close to areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced… as they could expose themselves to Israeli attacks.”

Israel intensifies attacks in Nabatieh, Lebanon (Image: Getty Images)

On March 2, Lebanon joined the US and Israel in the war on Iran after Tehran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel. Hezbollah said the attacks were in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by Israel on February 28, the first day of the war. It said the strikes were also in retaliation for Israel’s almost daily violations of a ceasefire agreed in Lebanon through November 2024.

That ceasefire was agreed after more than a year of cross-border firing between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters, following Israel’s launch of a genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. And there were claims that Iran would withdraw from the ceasefire if Israel continued to disregard the agreement through attacks on Lebanon.

Paramedics at the scene after Israeli attack on Beirut (Image: Getty Images)

A source told the English-speaking TRT World news service in Turkey: “Iran will withdraw from the agreement if Israel continues to violate the ceasefire through attacks on Lebanon.” The source said Tehran was reviewing the situation, which it described as “ongoing Israeli violations” linked to the attacks on Lebanon.

According to the source, the US accepted the proposed two-week ceasefire plan, which calls for a halt to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon’s “Islamic resistance.” However, Israel has “clearly violated the ceasefire” by attacking Lebanon since Wednesday. The Israeli military said it struck more than 100 locations in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and several areas of southern Lebanon “within 10 minutes”—the””largest” coordinated attack since the beginning of the current offensive in Lebanon.

Smoke rising after Israeli attack in Nabatieh, Lebanon (Image: Getty Images)

Despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024, Israel has carried out airstrikes and ground attacks in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2. Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,530 people and injuries to 4,812 others, according to Lebanese officials.