Israel continues strikes on southern Lebanon despite US-Iran ceasefire deal and Trump criticism

Israel continues to strike southern Lebanon, killing at least three people, despite a newly signed US-Iran interim agreement calling for a ceasefire on all fronts. The ongoing Israeli military action has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to be "more responsible," and a joint demand from G7 leaders for an immediate ceasefire. The US-Iran deal aims to end a wider regional conflict that has killed thousands.

US-Iran interim ceasefire agreement

• ▪The deal includes an end to hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of US sanctions on Iran.
• ▪The war began on February 28 after the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader and has killed over 7,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.
• ▪As part of the deal, Iran reaffirmed it would not build nuclear weapons and agreed to the on-site "down-blending" of its enriched uranium stockpile.
• ▪The US and Iran have signed a 14-point interim agreement to end their war, extending a ceasefire for another 60 days.
• ▪The agreement was digitally signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and went into effect on June 17, 2026.

Trump threats to Iran

• ▪President Trump threatened to "bomb the hell out of" Iran if the country violates the new ceasefire agreement.
• ▪Trump stated that if Iran does not behave, the US will "go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head."

Trump policy reversals

• ▪This contradicted a February 2026 promise by Trump to destroy all of Iran's missiles and "raze their missile industry to the ground."
• ▪President Trump reversed a previous war aim, stating it would be "unfair" for Iran not to have ballistic missiles.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

• ▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his country's forces would remain in Lebanon "for as long as necessary."
• ▪The Israeli military said five of its soldiers were injured in two Hezbollah drone attacks in southern Lebanon.
• ▪Israeli strikes on June 18, 2026, killed at least three people in southern Lebanon, including two in a car near Kfar Tebnit.
• ▪The conflict in Lebanon has killed over 3,800 people and displaced more than one million since March 2, 2026, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

G7 Lebanon ceasefire demands

• ▪G7 leaders issued a joint statement demanding an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
• ▪A politician from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party, Moshe Saada, urged him to strike Lebanon with "maximum force."
• ▪President Trump publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying he needed "to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon."
• ▪Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, declared the US-Iran agreement a "great victory" for the group.
• ▪Iran's top military command warned Israel of a "harsh response" if it continues its "malice" in southern Lebanon.

Oil price decline

• ▪The US-Iran agreement stipulates that maritime traffic will resume in the Strait of Hormuz "with no charge."
• ▪Oil prices declined on the prospect of the Strait of Hormuz reopening, with Brent crude futures falling below $80.

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