BBC News, Arabic Go to content Main Watch Listen Main Sections News Economy Health Science Culture Arts World Cup 2026 Investigations News Economy Health Science Culture Arts World Cup 2026 Investigations Dozens killed in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, and Trump says he asked Israel to agree to a ceasefire.
At least 47 people were killed on Friday due to airstrikes carried out by Israel on Lebanon, mostly in the south of the country, where its army announced the deaths of four soldiers by Hezbollah fire, in the heaviest escalation since Tehran and Washington reached an agreement to cease the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon.
Hours after this escalation, a U.S. official announced that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire and that the truce went into effect on Friday afternoon, noting that Washington and Qatar had mediated it after talks with Israel and Iran, according to Reuters news agency.
Two people were killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, after the ceasefire agreement went into effect, according to official media, while Israel carried out more than ten airstrikes on southern Lebanon after the announcement of the agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he spoke to "Israel" and asked them to agree to a ceasefire.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump refused to confirm that he specifically spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, stated that his country is committed to the ceasefire with Lebanon as long as Hezbollah adheres to it, while the Israel Defense Forces will remain deployed in southern Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah had agreed earlier on Friday to a ceasefire, after a day of intense hostilities.
The agreement came amid fears that continued fighting in Lebanon could undermine a peace agreement between the United States and Iran.
In contrast, the Israeli army announced the deaths of four of its soldiers by Hezbollah fire, in the heaviest escalation since the agreement between Washington and Tehran to cease the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that his forces will remain in Lebanon "as long as necessary," threatening to impose a "heavy price" on Hezbollah.
Netanyahu stated that the army "will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary to protect the towns in northern Israel," adding, "Israel will not accept any attack on our soldiers or on our territory."
Axios reported on Friday, citing a U.S. official, that U.S. special envoy Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Mnuchin, is heading to Switzerland to participate in the first round of talks with Iran regarding a potential nuclear agreement.
Axios added that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, is already in Switzerland.
A new round of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran was postponed on Friday.
It deserves attention a deep explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important changes around you and their impact on your life.
In Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun saw the necessity of securing a "comprehensive ceasefire" to make progress in talks with Israel.
In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, Aoun thanked the U.S. official for his country’s support, but at the same time emphasized "the need to stop Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory by achieving a comprehensive ceasefire."
The Lebanese president stressed that his country considers this comprehensive ceasefire a basis to move forward in Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations, set to be held in Washington next week (from June 23 to 25).
For his part, Rubio confirmed his country’s full support for the Lebanese government in its efforts towards a fully sovereign state living peacefully with all its neighbors.
The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that the joint negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are the only way towards reconstruction and economic recovery and breaking the ongoing cycle of violence.
Rubio stressed the need to disarm Hezbollah and restore control over all...