Israel and Hezbollah agree to ceasefire – Reuters
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 as of yet.
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.
19 June 2026
15:07 GMTIranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has denied reports that Tehran has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect its nuclear facilities.
He said that, as noted in the memorandum signed with the US, Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program pending a final deal. Inspections of facilities that have been carried out until now, such as at Bushehr, will continue, he added.- 15:01 GMT
The IDF has claimed there was “a hostile aircraft infiltration in the area of Zar’it (northern Israel),” and that “a report was received regarding the identification of two suspicious aerial targets.”
The incident concluded with no unusual findings and no injuries were reported, according to the statement. - 14:29 GMT
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has dismissed media reports regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as “completely unfounded.”
He said that Iran’s armed forces, acting in accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed with the US on June 18, have implemented all necessary measures to ensure the safe transit of commercial vessels through the strait.Maritime shipping is currently proceeding normally along the waterway, Baghaei added.
- 14:25 GMT
A Hezbollah official has told Al Jazeera: “The Israeli enemy continues to violate the ceasefire agreement, just as it did in previous agreements.”
Despite the reported ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah (LH), the Israel Defense Force has carried out additional strikes in Lebanon in the hours since the ceasefire was announced. This, amidst pledges from Israeli military and civilian decision-makers that Israeli… pic.twitter.com/hBNDitdbyo
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 19, 2026 - 14:25 GMT
Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the IDF has heavily attacked 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and killed “dozens of saboteurs.”
