The United States, Israel, and Iran reached a tentative 14-day ceasefire Wednesday, halting nearly six weeks of direct military conflict, but the agreement immediately fractured over competing interpretations of its scope and terms. President Donald Trump announced the pause on social media, saying the U.S. had met all military objectives and was moving toward a longer-term peace agreement, walking back earlier threats to destroy Iranian infrastructure and, in his words, Iranian "civilization."

The ceasefire's fragility became apparent within hours of its announcement. Iran insisted it would retain control of the Strait of Hormuz and continue uranium enrichment, positions the Trump administration disputed, and Tehran accused Washington of major violations. Pakistan, which served as a key mediator alongside China, said the ceasefire extended to Lebanon, but Israel and Trump rejected that interpretation, with Trump calling the continued Israeli campaign in Lebanon "a separate skirmish."

Israel launched what its military described as its largest coordinated strike of the current war within hours of the ceasefire announcement, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah targets in Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley within a 10-minute window. Lebanese officials said at least 182 people were killed and hundreds more wounded, making it the deadliest single day of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Associated Press journalists reported charred bodies at one of Beirut's busiest intersections in the central Corniche al Mazraa neighborhood, a densely populated commercial and residential area.

The strikes gutted what brief sense of relief had settled over Lebanon after news of the ceasefire broke. Apartment buildings were hit without warning on a clear afternoon, and large numbers of war-displaced people who had sheltered in Beirut were caught in the bombardment. The Lebanese government has not been a party to the U.S.-Iran negotiations, and Hezbollah's status under any eventual agreement remains unresolved.

The 14-day window is intended to allow negotiations toward a permanent settlement between Washington and Tehran, but the first day exposed deep disagreements over what the ceasefire covers, who enforces it, and whether Iran's nuclear and maritime policies are subject to the deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance were both visible in diplomatic settings Wednesday, signaling continued high-level U.S. engagement, while the situation in Lebanon remained a live conflict with no separate agreement in place.