Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on Friday, a U.S. official said, after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon put a deal to end the Middle East war under strain less than two days after it was signed.
Talks scheduled for Friday between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland to advance the deal were postponed amid the fighting, with no new date announced.
Tehran’s Top Negotiator Warns It Won’t Bend on Red Lines
Tehran’s top negotiator warned it would not bend on its red lines and that its finger was still “on the trigger,” even as shipping appeared to pick up in the Strait of Hormuz, which had essentially been closed during the war.
The deal signed this week by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian aims to end a war that began on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The agreement was also meant to halt fighting in Lebanon, which Iran has always insisted should be covered under any accord, turning Israel’s ongoing campaign there into a source of frustration for Washington.
Deadly Friday Strikes
Israel’s military said Friday that it had struck more than 80 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and killed dozens of members of the Iran-backed group. Lebanon said 21 people were killed Friday in Israeli airstrikes in the south, while Israel’s military reported four troops were killed, drawing furious reactions at home.
But a U.S. official told AFP a truce between Israel and Hezbollah, beginning immediately, had been brokered by U.S. and Qatari mediators following talks with Israel and Iran. A Gulf diplomat confirmed the ceasefire.
Previous Truce Failed, Netanyahu Still Vows to Stay in Lebanon
A previous truce agreed in April, however, did nothing to stop attacks by either side. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said just hours earlier that the Israeli army would stay in Lebanon “as long as necessary” and would make Iran-backed Hezbollah pay a “heavy price” for its attacks.
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went even further, saying after the soldiers’ deaths that “all of Lebanon must burn.”
U.S.-Iran Talks Postponed at Swiss Resort
Preparations had been made to host Iranian and U.S. delegations led by Tehran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, overlooking Lake Lucerne. The talks were due to kick off a two-month period of negotiations to discuss outstanding issues not covered by the initial deal, notably Iran’s nuclear program.
Switzerland’s foreign ministry confirmed the discussions had been postponed but said it “remains ready to facilitate these talks.” Quoting diplomats, the Financial Times said Israel’s strikes on Lebanon had led to the postponement, though there was no immediate confirmation.