Media: US conveys Israeli de-escalation message to Iran

The United States has conveyed to Iran that Israel does not intend to further escalate its military operations in Lebanon, as the Trump administration works to keep high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Tehran on track, CNN reports.

Addressing whether Washington would provide guarantees regarding the situation in Lebanon, the source familiar with the matter said: “Hezbollah violated the ceasefire. Israel has agreed to let it be, which was relayed to the Iranians, and it’s up to Hezbollah to stop.”

The development comes after CNN reported that Israel carried out a series of deadly strikes across Lebanon on Friday in response to a Hezbollah attack that killed four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. The strikes took place despite the recent US-Iran agreement, which declared an end to hostilities on all fronts.

An Israeli source told CNN that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not currently plan any additional retaliatory action against Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly sought assurances that hostilities in Lebanon will cease before planned talks in Switzerland can take place between US Vice President JD Vance and senior officials from both sides. Vance’s scheduled departure on June 18 was subsequently postponed.

It remains unclear how the Trump administration communicated the message to Iranian officials or whether the assurances will be sufficient to reschedule the planned technical discussions.

By Vafa Guliyeva