Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged restraint among world leaders after multiple violations of the fragile cease-fire between the United States, Israel, and Iran were reported on April 8.
“I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
Sharif did not specify where the violations were reported, but Kuwait’s defense ministry said on Wednesday morning that 28 drones had hit three power and water desalination plants in what it described as a “large-scale series of Iranian attacks.”
The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses intercepted 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones launched from Iran on Wednesday, hours after the previous evening’s cease-fire was announced.
Seven potential Iranian ballistic missiles and drones were also intercepted over Qatar during the cease-fire, according to state media.
However, these were not the only potential cease-fire violations reported.
When Sharif originally announced that Iran, the United States, and its allies had agreed to the two-week cease-fire, he said the agreement was effective immediately “everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere.”
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said that the two-week cease-fire does not include Lebanon.
President Donald Trump also told PBS early on April 8 that Lebanon was “not included in the deal,” citing Hezbollah as a factor.
Trump said in response to reports that Israel launched a massive series of strikes on Lebanon early on Wednesday, “That’s a separate skirmish.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stated on April 8 that the cease-fire agreement “fully includes Lebanon” and described the inclusion of Beirut in the two-week truce as “a good and even essential thing.”
“What we are witnessing today, both from what we have seen with the [Israeli] strikes and the occupation of southern Lebanon, cannot be a long-term solution, we know that,” Macron said during a defense council meeting early on Wednesday.