Latest war news. Trump: ‘We will be able to stop Israel from attacking Lebanon’

“We will be able to stop Israel from attacking Lebanon.” Donald Trump said this in an interview with Axios.

Donald Trump told NBC that he had spoken to Israel today and asked them to agree to a ceasefire with Hezbollah. “It’s a positive development. It’s a bit like the icing on the cake,” said the president, without specifying who he had spoken to in Israel.

Traffic jams near Saida, in Lebanon, as hundreds of people flee the south of the country to seek refuge in Beirut following fresh Israeli attacks, which came after reports of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah had been released.

A statement from the Israeli army spokesperson.

The United Nations welcomes the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah. This was stated by UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

“We are, of course, aware of reports suggesting that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, and we welcome these developments,” Dujarric said during a briefing.

Talk about a thaw. Not even a day has passed since his return to the United States and Donald Trump has nonchalantly and maliciously undone the outcomes of the G7 summit and resumed his fierce attacks on Giorgia Meloni on a personal level, using scornful words: ‘I felt sorry for her.’ But this time, it is he who is a pitiful sight to Italians, having been feted at Versailles like the Sun King. Because so many people, not just in these parts, are just waiting for the ‘fairy tale’ to end like Andersen’s other famous story, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’: with someone suddenly managing to speak the truth, namely that ‘the emperor has no clothes’.

Trump’s attack, which came whilst the Prime Minister was attending the European Council in Brussels, seems entirely unwarranted. A form of institutional bullying, which betrays his contempt for an Italia that has not bowed to the tycoon’s expectations of becoming a MAGA outpost on the Old Continent, a Trojan horse to lay waste to Europe. The ‘shaman’ (copyright Massimo Giannini) has acted far more cautiously and far more in line with her European partners than Trump would have liked.

US intelligence agencies have warned the Trump administration that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to take steps to hinder the achievement of a lasting peace agreement with Iran. This is reported by the Washington Post, citing sources who claim that Israel intends to continue its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A new Israeli air strike has hit the centre of Sejoud, in southern Lebanon, following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. This was reported by the Lebanese National News Agency (ANI). The Beirut-based agency also reported that drones were flying over several villages near Tyre, whilst an AFP correspondent said he had heard continuous artillery fire in Nabatiyeh.

An Israeli official has confirmed that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire in the fighting against Hezbollah, under which IDF forces will remain in southern Lebanon and will be able to take action against “emerging threats”.

According to the Israeli official, as reported by Ynet, “if Hezbollah does not attack us, we will not attack it. If it attacks us, we will respond”.

The European Commission President’s comments on the situation in the Middle East.

Israel’s expansion, in its various forms, has accelerated sharply since 2023. According to calculations by the US-based Associated Press, over the past two and a half years the Netanyahu government has taken control of numerous tracts of land in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria, seizing more territory from neighbouring countries than it has done in decades.

According to the agency, this is a militarily occupied area, larger than many major cities, covering around 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles), over which Israel has stated it intends to maintain control indefinitely. Tel Aviv regards these as buffer zones necessary to protect the country from attack by enemy militias.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health has announced that 47 people have been killed and 97 injured in attacks by the Israeli armed forces since midnight. This was reported by the Israeli newspaper Ynet.

The majority of Americans continue to disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling the Iran issue, whilst his overall approval rating remains stable. These are the findings of a new AP-NORC poll.

The survey was carried out between 11 and 17 June, shortly after Trump had withdrawn his threats of military escalation and subsequently announced the agreement with Iran and the end of the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Americans’ views on the handling of the Iran issue are broadly in line with the president’s overall approval rating, which stands at 37 per cent, unchanged from the AP-NORC poll in May.

“It wasn’t us who asked for the meeting out of desperation: it was Iran. They’re finished! We’ll let the full 60 days run their course. They won’t get a penny, not even a cent.” Donald Trump said this on his social media platform, Truth.

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on a ceasefire that is due to come into effect at 4 pm local time today (3 pm Italian time). A senior US official made this statement to Reuters online. “Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire,” the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that negotiators from the United States and Qatar had reached the agreement with Iran’s help. “As far as we are aware, following today’s exchange of fire, Israel and Hezbollah are now observing a ceasefire.”

The 20-point plan for Gaza “is not what many of us would have drawn up, but it remains the only framework backed by sufficient influence, political commitment and potential resources to push the parties towards implementation”. This is according to a commentary published by the Financial Times by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Minister has strongly condemned the recent Israeli military operations and “terrorist acts” against various regions of Lebanon. Ismaeil Baghaei warned of the immediate consequences of the regime’s escalatory actions and held the United States directly responsible, citing violations of the peace memorandum signed on 17 June. This was reported by ISNA.

The Pentagon needs $80 billion to cover the costs of the war in Iran and other conflict-related expenditure. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing remarks made by the Deputy Secretary of Defence to MPs and senators. According to calculations by Moody’s Analytics, the war in Iran is costing American taxpayers at least $132 billion. As the New York Times points out, this figure includes military expenditure, rising energy prices and interest rates. In recent weeks, a Pentagon official estimated the cost to the armed forces at $29 billion in a briefing to Congress.

The Iranian Football Federation has announced that it will lodge an official complaint with FIFA regarding the ‘restrictions’ imposed on its team during the 2026 World Cup. These restrictions have, it is claimed, prevented the team from approaching their upcoming match against Belgium – scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Sunday 21 June (9.00 pm Italian time) – with the necessary peace of mind.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have stated that they have killed dozens of Hezbollah operatives in strikes against more than 80 targets in southern and eastern Lebanon since last night, after the armed group launched several attacks against Israeli troops.

According to the Israeli army, the targets struck overnight in the Nabatieh area and other parts of southern Lebanon included Hezbollah command centres, rocket launchers and other infrastructure. Furthermore, the Times of Israel reports that two manned command centres in the Bekaa Valley were struck a short while ago.

Several ships have resumed passing through the Strait of Hormuz following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran to end the conflict between the two countries.

Even following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran and the subsequent, albeit gradual, resumption of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a return to normality still seems a long way off. According to The Guardian, citing Intertanko, the association of independent oil tanker owners, around 80 mines remain scattered along the strait’s main shipping route, rendering the central corridor used prior to the conflict impassable. “It will take some time to clear the area,” said Phil Belcher, the organisation’s maritime director. The mines are believed to have been laid by Iran along the maritime traffic separation scheme between Iranian and Omani waters, forcing ships to follow alternative routes closer to the Omani coast. This situation increases the risk of collisions, accidents and groundings, a risk exacerbated by the interference with electronic navigation systems reported during the conflict. According to industry operators, nearly 600 ships remain stranded in the Gulf, whilst around 20,000 seafarers have suffered the consequences of the delays accumulated over recent months. Another cause for concern is Tehran’s intention to introduce, once the 60-day transitional period provided for in the agreement with Washington has ended, a toll for ships transiting the strait. This proposal is contested by the international shipping industry, which considers it contrary to international law and fears it could set a precedent for other strategic waterways, such as the Strait of Malacca or the Taiwan Strait. According to Richard Meade, editor of Lloyd’s List, “we are in uncharted territory” and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz may not return to pre-conflict levels before the end of the year.

At least 25 people have been killed in the last few hours by Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon, whilst Israel has launched a new large-scale offensive on Nabatiye, Tyre, the Bekaa Valley and the surrounding villages. This has been reported by the Lebanese government news agency (NNA) and media outlets in Beirut, which state that the victims are largely families who had returned to their homes, which were hit by the raids, and rescue workers who rushed to the sites of the bombings. The escalation followed the announcement of the deaths of four soldiers from the Israeli occupation forces, who were struck by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon during the latest hours of fighting. According to the same sources, more than 50 Israeli air strikes have hit Nabatiye and neighbouring towns, including Haruf, Doueir, Jibshit, Bfaruwe, Habbush, Toul and Deir Zahrani. Meanwhile, the Israeli army is attempting to advance towards the strategic heights of Ali Taher, which overlook Nabatiye and Iqlim al-Tuffah. Fighting between Kfartebnit, Kfarremmane and Nabatiye al-Fawqa has brought the front line closer to the main population centres in the area. In Haruf, six members of the same family – a father, mother and four children – were killed. Further casualties have been reported in Sharqiye, Kfarsir, Jibshit, Doueir and Deir Zahrani. Raids were also carried out in the Bekaa Valley, between Baalbek, Ain Burday, Douris, Zelaya and the Abu Rashed hills. The new wave of raids has caused residents to flee from the affected villages towards Sidon and Beirut.

The Israeli attacks on Beirut have repeatedly threatened to derail negotiations between the United States and Iran, with US President Donald Trump openly expressing his frustration at Israel’s insistence on continuing its offensive, notes the City newspaper. Iran has maintained its firm stance of ‘no Lebanon, no deal’, said a second source familiar with the negotiations, adding that Tehran believes it has the upper hand and can secure concessions from Washington regarding Israel’s war against Lebanon. According to the first diplomat, the Iranians’ message was: “We have reined in Hezbollah; the United States cannot rein in Israel. Until they do so, we will not attend.” Two of the sources reported that the talks had been provisionally rescheduled for Monday, but that this depended on the situation in Lebanon. A third source stated that the length of the postponement has yet to be confirmed.

“Talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland have been postponed due to a series of deadly air strikes carried out by Israel in southern Lebanon, according to three sources familiar with the matter,” reports the Financial Times. Iran did not send a delegation to Switzerland for the nuclear talks because of the attacks, the sources said. “The Iranians have demanded guarantees that hostilities in Lebanon will cease, as stipulated in the signed agreement, and mediators are currently working to resolve the issue,” said a diplomat familiar with the matter.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have reported carrying out ‘deep’ strikes in Lebanon, particularly in the Bekaa Valley, after four Israeli soldiers were killed in the south of the country as a result of attacks carried out by Hezbollah. This was “a response to Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire”, the IDF said, explaining that it had struck “infrastructure” belonging to the group. The Lebanese news agency NNA reports that at least three people were killed following Israeli air raids on the town of Jamaliyah, near the city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley.

Israel’s expansion, in its various forms, has accelerated sharply since 2023. According to calculations by the US-based Associated Press, over the past two and a half years the Netanyahu government has taken control of numerous tracts of land in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria, seizing more territory from neighbouring countries than it has done in decades.

According to the agency, this is a militarily occupied area, larger than many major cities, covering around 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles), over which Israel has stated it intends to maintain control indefinitely. Tel Aviv regards these as buffer zones necessary to protect the country from attack by enemy militias.

Talks between Iran and the United States will remain subject to Tehran’s “red lines”. This was stated to the IRNA news agency by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Tehran’s chief negotiator. “As we have demonstrated in the past during negotiations, we are determined to adhere to the conditions and red lines that have been established and to safeguard the interests of the Iranian nation,” said Ghalibaf.

In Lebanon, we must ‘open the gates of hell’. This was stated by the Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, following the Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon that claimed the lives of four IDF soldiers. Speaking on ‘X’, the minister referred to a ‘difficult morning’ and said that ‘it is time to speak with fire. To throw open the gates of hell’.

How symbolic is Donald Trump’s decision to sign and announce the agreement with Iran from the Palace of Versailles? At first glance, a great deal. It was in its Hall of Mirrors that, in 1870, Germany humiliated defeated France by proclaiming the empire, and it was in that very hall that, in 1919, Germany was forced to accept a humiliating peace treaty. The setting itself, resplendent with gold and stucco, evokes the monarchical power that Trump has never made any secret of his admiration for.

In addition to the four tank crew members killed in the last few hours, a further five Israeli soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah attack that took place overnight in southern Lebanon. One of them is reported to have been seriously injured, according to a statement by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). According to the army, as reported by The Times of Israel, an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah struck forces from the Commando Brigade in Kfar Tebnit, just a few hours after an attack on an Israeli tank in the same village, in which a battalion commander and three other soldiers were killed.

The latest escalation in Lebanon is putting pressure on the stability of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, which calls for a cessation of hostilities in the region “on all fronts, including Lebanon”. Overnight and this morning, Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon left 18 people dead and 33 injured, whilst Israel announced the deaths of four of its soldiers – the first Israeli casualties in Lebanon since the agreement between Washington and Tehran. There are also reports of at least five further Israeli soldiers being wounded.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health has stated that “intense Israeli air raids carried out from midnight until this morning prevented the evacuation of the dead and the wounded” and have resulted in 18 deaths and 33 injuries, according to a provisional toll. This is the highest death toll reported by Beirut since the announcement on Monday that the agreement had been reached.

The Lebanese state news agency NNA reports that the death toll from last night’s Israeli air strikes has risen to at least 18. According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the attacks are still ongoing. Meanwhile, the IDF has reported that four of its soldiers, including a lieutenant-colonel, were killed in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon.

“For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. The whole of Lebanon must burn.” So wrote Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, on X, following reports that four soldiers had been killed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. “With all due respect to the Americans,” he added, “Israel must make it clear to the whole world that the blood of our children and the safety of our citizens are not at the mercy of anyone. “All of Lebanon must burn. Our supreme duty is to protect the citizens of Israel and the soldiers of the IDF, and this commitment takes precedence over every other consideration.”

The Pentagon needs $80 billion to cover the costs of the war in Iran and other expenditure not directly linked to the conflict. US Deputy Secretary of Defence Stephen Feinberg told US lawmakers in telephone calls this week, according to people familiar with the discussions who spoke to the Wall Street Journal.

For weeks, Congress has been asking the Trump administration for an overall estimate of the cost of the war that began on 28 February. One of the concerns raised by MPs relates to the use of ammunition of strategic importance, which may be needed to address threats in other parts of the world.

Four Israeli soldiers from the IDF were killed in a firefight with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon last night. This was announced this morning by the IDF spokesperson, as reported by Israeli media. Among the fallen is Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedaliah Ben Simhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armoured Brigade. The names of the other soldiers killed have not yet been released.

Ships requesting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will not have to pay tolls for 60 days, and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will cover these costs. This was announced by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to the IRNA news agency.

The organisation has indicated that the Persian Gulf Waterway Authority has been tasked with examining and prioritising transit requests swiftly, in line with the objectives of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

The Israeli Defence Forces say they carried out air raids overnight and continued to target Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in various areas of southern Lebanon. The Times of Israel reports this, adding that the attacks were in response to repeated ceasefire violations by the Iran-backed terrorist group. The Lebanese state news agency reports that at least 16 people were killed in the Israeli air raids.

The talks scheduled to take place in Switzerland between Iran and the United States, aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East, have been postponed indefinitely. The Swiss government announced this a few hours after the cancellation of US Vice-President JD Vance’s visit to the Alpine country. “The planned talks between the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan have been postponed. Switzerland remains willing to facilitate these talks. The relevant preparatory work is continuing,” the Foreign Ministry announced in a statement sent to AFP, without specifying a new date for the talks.

Talks between the United States and Iran were due to take place today at Bürgenstock, near Lucerne. The postponement was announced by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. “Switzerland remains ready and is continuing with its preparations,” said Nicolas Bideau, spokesperson for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), as quoted by the Keystone-ATS news agency. “It remains fully committed to its efforts to promote dialogue,” he added.

Supertankers carrying nearly 80 million barrels of oil are moored in the Persian Gulf and ready to pass through the Strait of Hormuz at any moment, should traders and shipowners give the go-ahead.

This crude oil, which is not subject to sanctions and comes from producers in the Persian Gulf (excluding Iran), is on board 40 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) in the Gulf, according to Vortexa data compiled by Bloomberg. The volume of crude oil in the Gulf is likely to be even greater if smaller tankers are also taken into account. Last year, around 15 million barrels of oil per day from the region were delivered to Asia.