Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Jun 19, 2026

Trump Announces Renewed Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire in Lebanon After Deadly Beirut Strikes

On June 19, 2026, President Trump said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to renew their ceasefire in the 2026 Lebanon war, a truce a U.S. official described as mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Iran. The agreement came after fighting flared with intense Israeli strikes on southern Beirut and across southern Lebanon that killed dozens, making it one of the deadliest days of the conflict and briefly derailing U.S.-Iran talks. Vice President JD Vance postponed a trip to sign a related U.S.-Iran memorandum and publicly pressed Israel to respect the peace process, while Trump called the renewed truce "a little icing on the cake." Reactions among U.S. officials ranged from praise for the de-escalation to skepticism that a diplomatic solution would hold.

Iran and Israel Trade Missiles for First Time Since April Ceasefire; Trump Claims "Total Victory" Near

Iran fired approximately 30 ballistic missiles at Israel on June 7–8, 2026 — the first such attack since an April 8 ceasefire — after Israel launched airstrikes on Lebanon. Israel retaliated with strikes on central and western Iran before both sides announced a halt to hostilities on Day 100–101 of the Iran war. Trump publicly called for an "immediate ceasefire" while privately warning Netanyahu he might be "left alone," and declared "total victory" would come within two weeks. JD Vance acknowledged that US and Israeli interests had "diverged" in the conflict, and Trump told the Financial Times "I call the shots. I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn't call the shots."

US and Israel Launch Joint Military Attack on Iran

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran — codenamed "Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by Israel — striking nuclear facilities, missile sites, and government compounds across Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. By Day 2, CENTCOM confirmed over 1,000 targets had been hit, and Iranian state media acknowledged that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed along with dozens of senior officials. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, US military bases, and Gulf states including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, killing three US service members and eight people in Israel. Hezbollah broke its November 2024 ceasefire by firing rockets at northern Israel, the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, and Middle Eastern airspace was largely closed. In Congress, bipartisan war powers resolutions were introduced with votes expected as early as March 4, while Trump said the operation was "ahead of schedule" and could take "four weeks or less." As of March 1, strikes continued with international calls for ceasefire from the UN, China, and others, while Oman offered mediation and Iran signaled openness to de-escalation.