Israel hammers Lebanon despite reported deal with Hezbollah: As it happened (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire starting on Friday, Reuters has claimed, citing an unnamed US official and “two Hezbollah officials.” However, no official confirmation has been made by either the Israel Defense Forces or the militant group.
According to the US official who spoke to Reuters, negotiators for the US and Qatar worked out the deal with help from Iran. “We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire,” he added.
The American-Iranian memo of understanding signed earlier this week states that the war should be terminated on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, Israel has continued its strikes on its neighbor, killing at least 18 people only Friday night, the country’s health ministry said earlier.
Earlier today, Lebanese Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told Reuters that Iran had informed the group that talks with Washington could not continue without the implementation of a comprehensive ceasefire.
He also called on the Lebanese government to reject any direct negotiations with Israel while Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue.
Hezbollah not only functions as a militant group, it is also as a political party and social welfare provider; however, it is at odds with the Lebanese government. In March, Lebanon’s government took the unprecedented step of banning Hezbollah’s military and security activity.
The group is represented in both the government and parliament. The move came hours after it announced it had launched rockets and drones towards Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat sources, the Shiite political alliance is now divided over how to deal with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, which took the decision. While one faction, described as hardline, favors changing the government, another believes current political conditions make such a move unrealistic because of parliamentary arithmetic: priority should instead be given to securing an Israeli withdrawal and rebuilding devastated towns.
- 20:46 GMT
The next round of the US-Israeli-Lebanese talks will take place in Washington from June 23-25, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed during his call with Lebanese president Joseph Aoun.
- 20:38 GMT
Washington is unable to implement the very first point in the US-Iran MOU, which proves it “lacks the will” to earn Iranians’ trust, Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, has said.
The U.S. failure to implement the first article of the MoU proves it lacks the will to earn the trust of the Iranian people.
— ابراهیم عزیزی (@Ebrahimazizi33) June 19, 2026
Let it be clear: we remain steadfast.
If this situation continues, the price will be high, beginning with our smart and deterrent response.Article One of the agreement states that all sides must terminate all hostilities and ensure the territorial integrity of Lebanon.
- 20:27 GMT
The recently signed US-Iran MOU corresponds to the terms that Tehran has been insisting on since the early days of the war, Iranian-American Lego cartoonist Mahdi Hemmat (aka PersiaBoi) has told RT.
“Iran didn’t enter this deal out of desperation,” said the cartoonist, some of whose Lego animations went viral online on the frontlines of the US-Iran meme war.
“They absorbed heavy pressure, responded strategically with asymmetric tactics, they kept the resistance axis alive and they demonstrated real control over the Strait of Hormuz.”
- 20:03 GMT
US and Israeli interests are not always aligned, US Vice President J.D. Vance has said.
“People will say that America’s interests are always aligned with Israel’s interests. It’s just not true,” he said in an interview with American conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey.
“I think is that American leaders have to be very careful that when we pursue something, we’re doing it for America’s best interest and not for any other country’s best interest.”
- 19:53 GMT
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has to be kept a little bit “sane,” US President Donald Trump has told Axios in an interview.
He said that his relationship with Netanyahu was “good,” but stressed that “we have to keep him a little bit… sane.”
Trump also claimed that he could keep Israel from attacking Lebanon.
“They have a lot of respect for me, and they do as I say.”
- 19:42 GMT
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei “has a certain braveness,” US President Donald Trump has told Axios.
“I killed the Ayatollah,” he said, referring to the February 28 assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“And I sadly hurt the other Ayatollah, who’s… I did not meet him, I did not speak to him, but… he’s got a certain braveness,” Trump said, adding that the Iranian leader was “badly injured” during the war.
Trump on Mojtaba Khamenei:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 19, 2026
I killed the Ayatollah, and I sadly hurt the other Ayatollah.
I did not meet him. I did not speak to him, but people were speaking of him.
But he's got a certain braveness because he was badly injured.
Source: Axios pic.twitter.com/3WkdnPxam2 - 19:30 GMT
US President Donald Trump said he made a phone call to Israel earlier on Friday and asked them to agree to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, NBC News has reported.
In a phone interview with the outlet, Trump declined to confirm that he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly, but said he has “always been good with Bibi.”
“You just gotta calm down sometimes and use your head,” NBC News’ White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez cited the president as saying.
- 19:17 GMT
Israeli forces have targeted three towns in southern Lebanon with artillery fire, Lebanese state news agency NNA has reported.
- 19:07 GMT
Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, has confirmed the ceasefire in Lebanon, while also stressing that West Jerusalem aims to wipe out Hezbollah.
“Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire,” he wrote on X. “At 11:30 this morning, Israel halted all offensive operations; Hezbollah and Iranian claims to the contrary are bold lies.”
Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire. At 11:30 this morning, Israel halted all offensive operations; Hezbollah and Iranian claims to the contrary are bold lies.
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) June 19, 2026
If Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities, they will be met with quiet.…
