16 killed several injured as Israel strikes Lebanon, Iran-US deal negotiations on hold
Tel Aviv, June 19
Israel Defence Forces carried out strikes against the Hezbollah in Lebanon on Friday, killing at least 16 people and leaving several more injured, Al Jazeera reported.
Despite the fact that the Iran-US deal called for cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, the strikes continued.
In a statement, the IDF also stated that they carried out numerous attacks on southern Lebanon overnight, saying they were a response to Hezbollah's "repeated violations of the ceasefire," as per Al Jazeera.
Earlier in the day, the Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed that the planned talks between the US and Iran are postponed.
Switzerland's Foreign Ministry, responding to an email by ANI, said that it remains ready to facilitate these talks.
"The planned talks between the US, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan have been postponed. Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks. The relevant preparatory work at Burgenstock is continuing. No further information can be provided at present," it said.
A White House spokesperson on Thursday (local time) said that US Vice President JD Vance will not depart for Switzerland for further talks as the plans for the talks have not been finalised.
The spokesperson said that a delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity.
"As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalised, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable," the spokesperson said.
"As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps. We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible," they added.
Meanwhile, in Tehran the Iranian Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council announced that if the other side violates the agreement, countermeasures will be taken accordingly.
The council, as quoted by ISNA News Agency, said that "with complete distrust of the renegade and treaty-breaking enemy and with close monitoring of the negotiation process and implementation of plans, if any violations or violations are committed by the American side, countermeasures will be taken according to a predetermined plan."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian, I see how fragile peace is in this region. Iran and the US need to talk, but with strikes happening, it's like a jigsaw puzzle where pieces keep breaking. The IDF says Hezbollah violated the ceasefire, but is bombing the answer? This cycle of violence never ends.
The postponement of talks is concerning. Diplomatic efforts seem to be collapsing under the weight of military action. I hope Switzerland can help mediate soon, but with Vance not departing, it feels like the US is dragging its feet. Lives are at stake here.
As a former army officer, I understand the need for security, but this is reckless. Israel's strikes on Lebanon will only embolden Hezbollah and create more terrorism. The US-Iran deal was a chance for stability, and now it's on hold. India should call for restraint at the UN.
16 dead. And what's the response? Accusations and counter-accusations. The international community, including India, needs to step up. We can't normalize this kind of violence. The logistics excuse from the White House sounds weak. Prioritize human lives over politics.
The Iranian statement about countermeasures feels ominous. Both sides are playing a dangerous game, and the common man pays the price. I wish our leaders would learn from this. In India, we've seen what communal violence does. Peace is always better than revenge, no matter the provocation. 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.