Israel and Hezbollah Reestablish Ceasefire Amid Disrupted US‑Iran Talks

Israel and Hezbollah agreed on Friday to restore a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon after a day of intense fighting that threatened the newly announced US‑Iran agreement to end their conflict.

The planned meeting in Switzerland between Washington and Tehran was cancelled when Hezbollah killed four Israeli soldiers, prompting Israel to launch a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley that killed at least 47 people.

The talks were scheduled to begin in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after a memorandum of understanding opened a 60‑day window for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The memorandum called for a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned on Friday that any breach would provoke a “decisive response … to the enemy.”

The abrupt cancellation caught U.S. officials off guard. Staff for Vice‑President‑designate JD Vance and a small media contingent had already assembled at Joint Base Andrews in anticipation of the trip, while dozens of White House aides and reporters were in Switzerland awaiting Vance’s arrival.

Late Friday, reports suggested that former President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, might open the talks. Axios cited a U.S. source saying the envoy was already in Switzerland, accompanied by former senior adviser Jared Kushner. The same outlet indicated Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was slated to travel to Switzerland on Saturday, though his plans remained uncertain.

The escalating violence added to doubts about whether a definitive end can be reached to a regional war that has claimed at least 7,000 lives, driven up energy prices and threatened global economic stability.

Trump defended the deal amid criticism from some Republican lawmakers who questioned whether he had conceded too much to end a war unpopular with many Americans ahead of the November midterms.

“The war has diminished Iran!” Trump posted on social media on Friday. “We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are finished! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not a cent!”

Lebanon has become a flashpoint that could derail Trump’s efforts to withdraw the United States from the conflict, frustrating the president, who has publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The latest clashes, the most violent since the ceasefire began, saw Hezbollah fire rockets and drones at Israeli forces near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon after intermittent Israeli shelling on Thursday.

Israel responded with airstrikes on the city and surrounding towns, killing at least 18 people and wounding 33, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.

By evening, the fighting appeared to have ended. “If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war,” an Israeli official said late Friday. Two Hezbollah sources confirmed a new ceasefire to Reuters.

Many Israeli commentators believe the Trump‑brokered deal will strengthen Iran, and Hezbollah’s killing of Israeli soldiers has sparked outrage in Israel.

Netanyahu, who has pledged a joint U.S.–Israeli campaign against Iran, faced intense domestic criticism this week. His office issued a statement saying Israel would not tolerate attacks on its soldiers or territory and would “exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks.”

“Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect the communities of the north,” the statement added.

Netanyahu, who faces elections within months, is under pressure from political rivals. Far‑right national security minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir warned that “all of Lebanon must burn,” adding that Israel must make clear that its citizens’ lives are not “up for bargaining.”

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said he had approved the memorandum despite reservations, while the United States officially lifted a blockade of Iranian ports.

Before the talks were canceled, Iran’s semi‑official Tasnim news agency said Iranian negotiators needed to see concrete implementation of the interim agreement by the United States before the next round of peace talks could begin, and that there was no confirmation Tehran would travel to Geneva.

Israel, which was not included in the peace talks and has distanced itself from the U.S.–Iran agreement, accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire—a charge Hezbollah rebuffed.

The fighting in Lebanon began on 2 March when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel, claiming retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader by the United States and Israel in the opening wave of the latest war. The subsequent Israeli invasion and bombing campaign has left more than 3,900 people dead. Hezbollah has killed at least 32 Israeli soldiers and three civilians.

On Thursday, Israel announced a “security zone” in southern Lebanon covering hundreds of square miles. Lebanese officials have demanded a full Israeli withdrawal, a condition Iran said was required by the memorandum.

Vance urged Israel to respect the peace process.

U.S. forces have lifted their naval blockade of Iranian ports, the Pentagon announced on Thursday, while warships will remain in the region.

Activity in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint for energy shipments that Iran blocked during the conflict, remained muted.

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