Israel Says Strikes in Southern Lebanon Have Stopped as Iran-U.S. Talks Open in Switzerland

Lebanese media reported overnight Saturday to Sunday that a “cautious calm” had settled over southern Lebanon from 6:30 p.m., and that Israeli attacks had stopped completely. The report came after five soldiers were killed over the weekend in Lebanon. The Israeli military said its forces had halted advances in line with political instructions, but that the firing had not stopped and no withdrawal order had been issued.

At the same time, U.S. and Iranian teams are expected to meet in Switzerland on Sunday, with American media saying the talks will begin with an emergency session on the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation. A diplomat expected to attend told CBS that the topic was added to the first day’s schedule and would open the negotiations. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has already departed, while the Iranian delegation is in place. Qatar and Pakistan are again serving as mediators, led by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir.

Israeli officials believe Tehran is trying to widen the split between Jerusalem and Washington and lock in a new fighting equation that limits Israel’s ability to operate in Lebanon. Israel, Hezbollah and the Lebanese government are not direct parties to the talks, but the decision to put Lebanon first signals a shift in U.S. strategy. Before leaving for Switzerland, Vance said, “One of the priorities is to make progress toward a ceasefire in Lebanon.” An Iranian source told CNN, “Ending the confrontation in Lebanon is the most important item on the Iranian delegation’s agenda.”

Vance also said Washington will use the talks to build a framework for negotiations with Iran and perhaps move forward on the nuclear issue. The future of Iran’s nuclear program is expected to be central in the next phase, though Iran says it is not formally part of these talks. Under the original agreement, Tehran pledged that it would “not acquire or develop nuclear weapons.” Iran also announced yesterday that it is closing the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway it has used as leverage since the war began. The U.S. military rejected Tehran’s claim that it controls the strait, and Donald Trump said Iran will be barred from collecting transit fees there after the 60-day ceasefire period unless the matter is handled by and for the United States.