Lebanon Bleeds as US-Iran Ceasefire Collapses — Trump’s Shadow War Escalates

Lebanon declared a national day of mourning after a brutal wave of Israeli attacks killed at least 254 people and wounded over 1,165 in just one day. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is scrambling to rally Lebanon’s political and diplomatic resources to halt what he called the “Israeli killing machine,” as the region teeters on the edge of wider conflict.

Despite a ceasefire announced between the US and Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Vice President JD Vance have made it clear Lebanon is excluded from the deal. Vance, who now leads US talks with Iran in Pakistan, insists the ceasefire covers only Iran and the US, leaving Lebanon exposed to ongoing Israeli bombardment. This contradicts statements from Pakistani mediators and Iran’s foreign minister, who maintain that Lebanon was supposed to be part of the truce.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf blasted the ceasefire as “unreasonable” due to ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and other violations, underscoring Tehran’s distrust of the US negotiation team, which includes Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff. The White House itself is mired in confusion, with officials contradicting one another on what was actually agreed, fueling uncertainty about the ceasefire’s scope and durability.

Meanwhile, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon as horrific war crimes. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the US and Iran to include Lebanon in the ceasefire, warning that excluding the country risks prolonging the bloodshed and destabilizing the entire Middle East.

The Gulf region is also under fire. Iran-backed drone and missile strikes have hit critical infrastructure in Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, causing fires, injuries, and operational shutdowns. The UAE is demanding clarity on the ceasefire terms, fearing the conflict’s spillover will drag on indefinitely.

Back in Washington, antiwar protests erupted in New York’s Times Square, demanding an immediate halt to the US-Israel war on Iran and the bombing of Lebanon. Yet the Trump administration remains defiant, with the president criticizing NATO allies for their lack of military support and framing the conflict as a failed “test” of the alliance.

This latest escalation lays bare the Trump administration’s reckless strategy of military escalation, diplomatic sabotage, and economic warfare in the Middle East. By excluding Lebanon from the ceasefire and sowing confusion over terms, the US risks dragging the region deeper into chaos — all while Trump uses foreign conflict to distract from mounting domestic scandals and consolidate authoritarian power.

Only Clowns Are Orange will keep tracking the fallout from this dangerous war, exposing the lies and abuses that threaten democracy and peace at home and abroad. Stay tuned for updates as the situation unfolds.