Jolfa \u2013 Two weeks pause. That is what was agreed last night. Two weeks in which no American bombs are to fall on Iran, in which the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian military administration is to be passable again, in which delegations in Islamabad will negotiate about what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Beirut burned.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Israel struck on Wednesday afternoon during rush hour simultaneously in five districts of the Lebanese capital. 50 fighter jets, 160 munitions, 100 targets, all in ten minutes. Black smoke over Corniche al-Mazraa, one of the busiest intersections of the city, access to the city center, to the airport, to the coast. Burned out cars, concrete, twisted metal, bodies in parked vehicles. Rescue teams were still searching for survivors two hours later. Israel said it had struck Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah, Israel said, was trying to move its operations deeper into civilian areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pakistan had stated during the ceasefire mediation that the agreement also included Lebanon. Israel says that is not true. Hezbollah says it is waiting to see whether mediators can secure a ceasefire for Lebanon. In the meantime, it will not adhere to it because Israel is not doing so either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is the state of this ceasefire. Each side has its own version of it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stood before the press at the Pentagon on Wednesday and declared the war a victory \u2013 at his side General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented figures: over 13,000 targets hit, 80 percent of Iran\u2019s air defense systems destroyed, 90 percent of the weapons factories attacked, more than 90 percent of the regular Iranian navy sunk \u2013 150 ships on the seabed. Caine added the operation had consumed more than six million meals, 950,000 gallons of coffee, two million energy drinks and a lot of nicotine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n