As U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to celebrate his 80th birthday at the White House, a long-anticipated peace deal with Iran aimed at extending the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz was nearly finalized. However, just hours before the signing, Israeli warplanes struck Beirut, killing at least three people. Trump publicly condemned the attack on Truth Social, calling it ill-timed, and later had a heated phone exchange with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly using harsh language.

The incident exposed growing tensions between the two leaders after more than three months of war with Iran. Trump, facing domestic pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, sought to end the conflict and lower oil prices, while Netanyahu insisted on continuing the fight until Iran’s defeat. Analysts noted that Netanyahu’s political future depends on the war’s outcome, with Israeli elections due in October and public opinion demanding Hezbollah’s destruction.

Talks between the U.S. and Iran remain uncertain after the Beirut strike, with the situation now hinging on developments in Lebanon and whether Iran can restrain Hezbollah.

At least 29 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on Saturday, just one day after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was announced. The attacks struck Nabatieh, Tyre, Sidon, and the Bekaa Valley, with Lebanon’s Civil Defense reporting 16 deaths in Nabatieh and the state news agency NNA describing the strike on Barish village as a ‘massacre.’ A Lebanese army officer was also killed in an airstrike on the Kafr Rumman–Nabatieh road.

The Lebanese army accused Israel of trying to obstruct any solution aimed at restoring stability in Lebanon. The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to overnight Hezbollah attacks on Israeli positions, while Hezbollah claimed it repelled Israeli infiltration attempts during the ceasefire. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Israel’s occupation made any truce meaningless.

The violence unfolded amid U.S.–Iran efforts to implement a memorandum of understanding to ease hostilities. Israeli ministers criticized the deal, while U.S. President Donald Trump condemned Israel’s operation. Iran warned that peace in Lebanon depended on Israel’s compliance with international law and an end to occupation.

An Israeli soldier was killed and 13 others injured during an operation to seize a major underground Hezbollah base in Lebanon early Saturday, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. in the village of Kafr Tibnit, Nabatieh, when rockets and drones targeted Israeli positions. The deceased soldier, Nir Ben Ari, 21, was a member of the Maglan unit of the Commando Brigade. Two of the injured soldiers are reported to be in critical condition.

The IDF stated that the underground base beneath the al-Taher mountain range serves as the main center for Hezbollah’s Badr regional division, where heavy fighting continues both underground and above ground. A day earlier, four Israeli soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, were killed in a similar attempt to capture the same base.

Following the latest attack, Israel launched extensive airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon. Lebanese media and rescue workers reported at least 27 deaths and 26 injuries from the Israeli strikes. The IDF said it has paused attacks outside the declared “security zone” but will continue operations within it.

At least 15 bodies of migrants, including women, were recovered over the past week along Libya’s eastern Mediterranean coast. Security, naval, and medical sources confirmed the information to Reuters on Saturday, saying the victims likely drowned after a boat sank. A naval source reported that about 10 people were rescued alive, and survivors said around 61 people had been on board. The bodies were found near the coastal areas of Tobruk, close to the Egyptian border, with some already decomposed. Officials warned that more bodies might still be in the area.

Photos posted on the Tobruk Red Crescent’s Facebook page showed volunteers in white protective suits collecting bodies from rocky shores and placing them in white bags. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s government in 2011, Libya’s coast has become a major route for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. Many people fleeing conflict and poverty risk the dangerous sea journey, while others come to Libya seeking limited job opportunities in its oil-based economy.

In a separate incident, Libya’s Emergency Medicine and Support Center in Tripoli reported rescuing 13 migrants alive after another boat accident, providing them with necessary medical care.

An Iranian high-level delegation has arrived in Switzerland to hold technical-level discussions with the United States on June 21 in Burgenstock. The talks follow the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Islamabad between the two countries. According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, the delegation’s arrival in Switzerland has been confirmed, and the Swiss Foreign Ministry also acknowledged their presence on Saturday night.

In a post on social media platform X, the Swiss Foreign Ministry welcomed the Iranian delegation and stated that the discussions are part of implementing the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States. Ahead of the meeting, a preparatory discussion took place at the Burgenstock resort, attended by diplomats from several countries.

Switzerland’s state media RTS reported that, in addition to the U.S. and Iranian technical teams, representatives from Qatar and Pakistan participated in the preparatory talks as mediating countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have ordered a halt to military operations in Lebanon, according to Israeli Channel 12 as reported by Dawn. The directive suspends offensive actions in southern Lebanon but does not include any withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupied areas. The decision was reportedly made in coordination with the United States, though no details were provided on when the order takes effect or which operations it covers.

Earlier, Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central command said the move was a temporary suspension of maritime traffic, describing it as the “first phase of response” to violations of a ceasefire agreement. Iranian authorities warned of stronger measures if the aggression continues.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed at least 4,057 people and injured more than 12,121, underscoring the severe humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned comments made by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who posted on X that “all of Lebanon must burn” following the killing of four Israeli soldiers in a Hezbollah attack. Cooper described the remarks as “horrendous and abhorrent” in her own post on Friday.

Ben-Gvir’s statement also rejected a peace agreement between the United States and Iran, declaring that Israel “is not subordinate to the United States” and calling for Lebanon to be “obliterated.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by saying the comments were not a random outburst but a public declaration by a senior Israeli official, calling Israel a “threat to all of humanity.” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz separately stated that 200,000 displaced residents of southern Lebanon would not be allowed to return, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged to “open the gates of hell” in Lebanon.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah, which began on March 2, 2026, has displaced more than 1.2 million people and killed over 1,200 in Lebanon.

A heated exchange broke out between Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon and senior United Nations officials during a high-level meeting in New York marking the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. The confrontation escalated when Danon demanded the resignation of Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, after a recent report listed Israel for the first time among countries accused of conflict-related sexual violence.

Vanessa Frazier, another UN official and author of a separate report on children and armed conflict, objected to Danon’s remarks, urging him to refrain from personal attacks. She defended the report’s findings as evidence-based. Frazier’s report highlighted violence and rights violations against Palestinian children and warned that Israeli settler groups could also face future blacklisting. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the rise in such violations as deeply concerning.

Earlier, Israel had already been included in the UN’s so-called “list of shame” for violations against children, intensifying diplomatic tensions over the reports’ findings.

Israeli forces have continued attacks on the blockaded Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire declared in October last year. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least five Palestinians were killed and 43 others injured in Israeli strikes over the past 48 hours. The information was reported by Al Jazeera, citing the ministry’s daily statistical report.

The report stated that Israeli aggression has not ceased since the ceasefire took effect. During this period, a total of 1,012 Palestinians have been confirmed dead and 3,208 injured as a result of Israeli attacks. The ongoing violence highlights the continued instability in Gaza despite formal declarations of truce.

The situation underscores the fragility of the ceasefire and the persistent humanitarian toll on Gaza’s population, as documented by health authorities.

According to US intelligence reports cited by American officials, Israel may continue its military operations in Lebanon even after a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. The reports indicate that although the agreement explicitly calls for a halt to hostilities in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to maintain operations against Hezbollah.

The New York Times reported that Israel views Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia and political group, as a serious threat. US intelligence agencies believe that despite ongoing diplomatic discussions between Washington and Tehran, Israel might persist with its campaign in Lebanon.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, stated on Friday that his country has committed to an immediate ceasefire and suspended all offensive operations in Lebanon. However, he emphasized that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon to safeguard national security. Intelligence assessments have expressed doubt about how long this suspension will last.

The bodies of two expatriate workers from Madarganj upazila in Jamalpur, who were killed in a road accident in Iraq, returned to Bangladesh 26 days after their deaths. The remains of Bazlur Rashid, 38, and Monohar Ali, 36, arrived at their respective homes on Saturday afternoon, where relatives and locals gathered in mourning. After funeral prayers, both were buried in their family graveyards.

According to family members, the two men died on May 25 in Iraq’s Kurdistan province when a speeding private car struck them as they were crossing a road after work. They had been working at a confectionery shop without valid documents or residence permits. Their bodies were flown to Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Bangladesh Biman flight before being transported to their villages.

Madarganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Suman Chowdhury expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured administrative support. The incident has left both families devastated, with relatives describing financial hardship and emotional distress following the deaths.

Israeli forces carried out air and drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing at least five people, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA). The attacks took place in the Nabatieh area just hours after a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group was supposed to take effect. Residential buildings and homes were reported destroyed in the overnight bombardment.

A U.S. official said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire on Friday, with the truce scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. that day. Despite this agreement, Israeli aircraft continued operations into Saturday morning, raising concerns about the durability of the ceasefire and the potential for renewed escalation.

The report did not include any official responses from either side, leaving the future of the ceasefire uncertain as tensions remain high along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following Israel’s deadly attack in southern Lebanon. The country’s central military command stated that the move was a response to what it described as a breach of an agreement with the United States. According to a statement broadcast on Iranian state television, all ship movements through the strait will remain suspended until further notice.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the closure was the first step in response to what it called enemy violations, warning that further measures could follow if aggression continues. Iran accused Israel’s recent actions of severely undermining regional stability and violating previous understandings. The report noted that neither the United States nor Israel had issued an immediate reaction.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, serving as a vital route for global oil and gas shipments. Analysts suggest the closure could heighten concerns over international energy supply and global trade stability.

Switzerland has confirmed that confidential discussions are ongoing at the Bürgenstock resort to advance the implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the United States. The Swiss Foreign Ministry announced this on Saturday, noting that a reliable and discreet environment is being maintained for the talks. The ministry did not disclose who is participating or what specific issues are being discussed, citing the need for confidentiality.

According to the statement, Switzerland has long served as a neutral and trusted mediator for sensitive diplomatic negotiations. The country’s role in facilitating such discussions underscores its reputation as a stable venue for international dialogue between states with complex relations.

No further details were provided about the content or timeline of the Iran-US memorandum or the expected outcomes of the current discussions.

Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has expressed skepticism about the stability of the recent agreement between the United States and Iran. In a post on the Russian social media platform Max, he warned that the deal could easily collapse due to new provocations or attacks, particularly in Lebanon. Medvedev said it would be premature to expect lasting peace under the current circumstances.

The statement comes as Russia and Iran have deepened their military and economic cooperation since the start of the Ukraine war. However, Moscow’s limited response to the recent US-Israel-Iran conflict—restricted mainly to diplomatic and verbal support—has highlighted the boundaries of their partnership.

Medvedev’s remarks suggest that Moscow views the US-Iran understanding as fragile and vulnerable to regional instability, underscoring Russia’s cautious stance in Middle Eastern affairs.