Shafaq News- Washington (Updated at 20:03)

US President Donald Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to scale back strikes on Lebanon, NBC News reported, citing an American official who said the request was to bolster the ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said Pakistan had informed Tehran that US Vice President JD Vance would lead the American delegation at the upcoming Islamabad talks, prompting Iran to consider fielding parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as its own lead negotiator.

The Iranian official also stressed the need to establish a protocol guaranteeing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, to be worked out in coordination with Oman and potentially with broader international participation, given the escalating regional tensions.

Earlier today, Ghalibaf said that any ceasefire with Iran would extend beyond its borders to include Lebanon and Tehran’s allied groups, cautioning that breaches could trigger swift retaliation.

The latest assaults follow a day in which Israel carried out around 100 attacks across Lebanon within 10 minutes, killing 303 people and injuring 1150 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.