Mideast Conflict Escalates
Israeli Military Strikes Lebanon, Delays US-Iran Talks; Europe Faces US Force Review
Israeli forces launched an intensive bombardment of the Nabatieh district in southern Lebanon early Thursday, killing at least 18 people, according to AP News. The strikes came just 48 hours after the U.S. and Iran signed a landmark peace deal at Versailles — a deal Israel never signed and does not feel bound by.
The violence has put the fragile ceasefire on life support. U.S. Vice President JD Vance's planned trip to Switzerland for follow-up talks with Iran was cancelled, with the White House citing "logistical issues," Fox News reported. Diplomatic analysts say the real reason is simpler: Iran refuses to negotiate while Israeli bombs are still falling on Lebanon.
Israel Strikes Lebanon, Ignoring the Versailles Deal
On June 17, President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point agreement at the Palace of Versailles. The deal reopened the Strait of Hormuz and called for a halt to military operations "on all fronts," including Lebanon, according to AP News. But Israel was not in the room. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to pull back from southern Lebanon, insisting forces will stay until the "threat from Hezbollah has been eliminated."
By 1:30 a.m. local time on June 19, Israeli forces hit Nabatieh hard. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported 18 killed and 33 wounded. Four Israeli soldiers also died, including a Lieutenant Colonel, AP News reported. Hezbollah said the strikes were unprovoked. Israel said Hezbollah broke the ceasefire first.
Vance Trip Cancelled as Iran Walks Away From Talks
Vance was set to meet Iranian officials at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland. The talks were meant to turn the Versailles agreement into a real, binding deal. But Iran pulled back as Israeli strikes escalated. Vance made the U.S. frustration clear before the cancellation. "We seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough," he said, "and then all of a sudden, there's a major explosion in a civilian population center in Beirut," according to The Guardian.
Trump's approval rating on Iran sits at just 34%, according to a new AP-NORC poll released Thursday. That number has not moved despite the Hormuz deal reopening shipping lanes and pushing gas prices below $4.00 a gallon. Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults say they disapprove of how the president has handled Iran, AP News reported.
Hegseth Tells NATO Allies to Pay Up or Get Left Behind
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew to Brussels on Thursday and did not hold back. He called NATO allies' response to the Iran war "shameful" and declared that "NATO 2.0, an era of freeriding, is over," according to Breaking Defense. He announced a six-month review of all U.S. forces in Europe. The result of that review will depend on how fast European allies build up their own military strength.
The U.S. had already pulled 5,000 troops from Germany in May 2026 alone, Defense News reported. Analysts warn that Europe cannot quickly fill the gap. The U.S. is cutting fighter jets and reconnaissance assets that European forces currently rely on. The July NATO summit in Ankara will be the next major test of whether the alliance holds together.
UK's Starmer Vows to Fight Off Burnham Leadership Bid
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing a leadership challenge at the worst possible time. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election on Thursday, returning to Parliament and crossing the 81-nomination threshold needed to trigger a formal challenge, according to The Guardian. Burnham said he wants to represent his constituency at the "highest possible level" with a "place first, not party first" approach.
Starmer told reporters Thursday he would not "walk away" and plans to fight the challenge, AP News reported. Markets reacted quickly. Bond yields rose immediately after news of the challenge broke, signaling investor worry about UK political stability at a moment of global crisis.
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