European leaders pressed the United States to fold Lebanon into the nascent U.S.–Iran cease‑fire after Israel’s air campaign in southern Lebanon killed more than 200 people. Britain’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, France’s foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot and EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas all issued statements condemning the strikes as a breach of the fragile truce. Their demand arrives as American and Iranian officials prepare for face‑to‑face talks in Pakistan.

Israel and Washington maintain the agreement excludes Lebanon, arguing the cease‑fire only covers direct U.S.–Iran hostilities. Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard warned of a military response if Israeli bombardments continue, while Lebanese health officials tally over 1,700 fatalities since the conflict erupted in late February. The European chorus warns that extending the truce to Lebanon is essential to prevent regional destabilisation.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one of Israel’s staunchest EU allies, urged an immediate halt, warning that heavy‑handed tactics could collapse the broader peace process. Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares pledged to reopen its embassy in Tehran, underscoring Madrid’s frustration with Washington’s stance. The growing diplomatic pressure threatens to reshape any final settlement emerging from the Pakistan talks.