Cease-Fires, but No Peace

When is a cease-fire no longer a cease-fire? Yesterday, American forces struck Iran for the second time in three days. In response to U.S. strikes on Monday, Iran swiftly threatened counterattacks — and yet, so far, both sides say that negotiations are ongoing and the cease-fire is holding. There’s a cease-fire in Lebanon, too, in theory, but Israel has just significantly intensified its campaign against Hezbollah there. There’s a cease-fire in Gaza — but hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since it began in October. It’s remarkable how much firing…