Ceasefire in Lebanon Holds for Now as U.S.-Iran Talks Are Delayed

Israel and Hezbollah renewed a ceasefire on Saturday after a night of heavy fire in southern Lebanon that threatened a wider diplomatic track led by the United States with Iran. A senior Israeli official told Walla that the sides had agreed to resume the truce. Before that, at least 47 people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, and four Israeli soldiers were killed in a Hezbollah attack. The official said, "If Hezbollah respects the ceasefire, Israel will do the same."

The flare-up came just days after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding intended to halt the war and open negotiations toward a permanent agreement. The first technical talks, scheduled to begin in Switzerland, were postponed because of the renewed fighting in Lebanon. Reuters and AP said the delay reflected fears that the Israel-Hezbollah escalation could undermine the American-Iranian understandings and broader efforts to stabilize the region.

President Donald Trump told NBC in a phone interview that he had spoken earlier with Israel and urged it to back a ceasefire with Hezbollah. He declined to say whether he had spoken directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but called the ceasefire a "positive development" and "kind of the icing on the cake" after the U.S.-Iran memorandum. He also told Axios that Israel "will do what I say," while stressing U.S. efforts to keep the Lebanon fighting from derailing the Iran track.

Israeli officials said the ceasefire depends on Hezbollah’s conduct. Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said Israel is "fully committed to an immediate ceasefire" if Hezbollah honors the deal and stops its actions. IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israeli forces would continue operating in southern Lebanon and accused Hezbollah of launching hundreds of drones and rockets at Israeli civilians and soldiers. Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi told Al-Araby, "We will respect the ceasefire if Israel respects it, and we have the right to respond."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Lebanon needs a "comprehensive ceasefire" ending all Israeli attacks, calling it a foundation for the next round of Israeli-Lebanese talks, expected in Washington from June 23 to 25. The State Department said Rubio also emphasized the need to disarm Hezbollah and backed Lebanese efforts to build a fully sovereign state at peace with its neighbors. Iran’s foreign ministry said it was working with mediators to reschedule the technical talks, while Trump is expected to travel to Camp David this weekend for meetings as he tries to finalize an agreement with Tehran.