Iran Israel Updates Thursday June 18

- IDF: The Israeli army carried out attacks overnight and continues to strike against terrorists and terrorist infrastructure of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in several areas in southern Lebanon.

These attacks come after repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement by the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

Mark Levine: Hezbollah launched an attack tonight in which 4 Israeli soldiers were essentially incinerated.  I assume Israel will hit back very hard.  No MOU or final agreement will change who these terrorists are.

- Vice President Vance delays his departure for talks scheduled with Iran tomorrow. Due to technical issues

-  Serious security incident tonight in South Lebanon involving IDF soldiers with Hezbollah  terrorists injuries reported R"L after a missile was fired on a tank.

- Hezbollah and Israeli forces are fighting  in Ali Al Tahrir in southern Lebanon. Reports indicate Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli positions and the IDF answered with their own artillery and flares.

- CNN: Vance indicates that certain "gentleman's agreements" referenced by US officials have been documented, though not included in the official MOU. This suggests there are undisclosed side arrangements between the US and Iran

- Iran will invite the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect its nuclear sites and help identify the locations of Tehran’s enriched material, White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told US lawmakers Thursday, according to The Associated Press.

- Iran's delegation to the nuclear talks has been suspended following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, per Al Mayadeen. Tehran reportedly warned Washington that Lebanon remains central to any continuation of negotiations

- Channel 14 reporter: I spoke with President Trump earlier today. I asked him whether the U.S. would impose an arms embargo on Israel if it continues operating in Lebanon-

"I've never heard of that."

- Trump to Kan News on the enriched uranium inside Iran: "It's not very important, at the right time we'll get it." On the agreement that was reached: "The public in Israel needs to support it, it will ensure that Iran won't have nuclear weapons"

- In an exclusive interview with Channel 14 correspondent Libby Alon, President Trump confirmed that the U.S. would "absolutely" back Israel if it launches an independent attack on Iran.

- Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, with a response to JD Vance who asked what is their proposal:

“This is the proposal, @JDVance To deal with the Nazis of the 21st century, just as the United States dealt with the Nazis of the 20th century.”

- JD Vance to Israel “You’re a country of 9 million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”

- Trump: The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up. We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that today the US forces lifted the blockade on "all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, in accordance with the President's direction."

"Our great Naval Ships will remain in the general area to make sure that all aspects of the agreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect,"

- Trump: “There is no 300 Billion Dollar payment to Iran by the U.S. That’s Fake News! All there is for the U.S. is Success, Lower Oil Prices, and Victory. Check out the Stock Market. Dumocrat propaganda at play!!! President DJT” 

- JD Vance: My message to people in Bibi's government who are attacking Trump: Do not attack the only leader in the world who supports you. ..In the last three months, two-thirds of the defense systems that protected Israel were created by American workers and funded by American taxpayers.

(An earlier quote about your country was built with our money  was from Reporter  Amit Segal but the video of Vance does not show he said that)

- Trump to Israel Kan News: "I will likely support Netanyahu in the elections, but I need to see who is running. He needs to be more rational."

-Vance: Israel must respect this "peace process." We expect Hezbollah not to launch rockets - but we also expect Israel not to "run wild" in Lebanon.

- Vance: "The Iranians do not give up their right to self-defense, but we do expect that under the final agreement they will not be able to develop the type of missile that threatens the entire world"

- VP Vance: “The President has grown frustrated sometimes that we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden, there's a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That's not acceptable.” “We do not want Hezbollah attacking Israel. But in order to ensure that that happens, we have got to actually build the kind of regional framework that can cut off the money to Hezbollah, cut off Iranian support for Hezbollah, and also ensure that Lebanon's territorial sovereignty is respected by by all parties.”

- U.S. Vice President: “The moderate faction in Iran, which wants better relations with the West, has won the internal debate in recent months. The memorandum of understanding — Trump’s peace plan for Iran.”

- Netanyahu: The struggle is not over yet, and more challenges lie ahead. We will continue to navigate our path with wisdom and judgment. Just as we restored security and prosperity to the Gaza envelope, so we will restore security and prosperity to the northern settlements. This requires maintaining the "security zone" in southern Lebanon, this requires that we do not leave there as long as Israel's security needs require it. Because this zone separates Hezbollah from our citizens and our settlements. Iran will not have nuclear weapons. And as long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, it will not happen.

- Israel Hayom: In light of President Trump's major shift in attitude towards Iran, Israel is preparing for a period of at least several months during which pressure will be applied on Israel to limit its military activities. Additionally, Israel does not see itself as bound by the agreement Trump signed.

- Ambassador Yechiel Leiter: The murderous thugs of Tehran are not like any other state in the region. If they have ballistic missiles - they’re going to use them on their neighbours.

- JD Vance interview with the New York Times about Israel: There is a strange panic within the Israeli establishment, which I sense, where it is assumed that anything considered and potentially beneficial to Iran will indeed happen — but that it will happen without the Iranians changing any behavior on their part. Therefore, I find this whole wave of hysteria in Israel somewhat strange, because in my opinion, it stems from a lack of trust. The US has rightfully earned the trust of this region. We have done a very good job for that "particular country" and its government, and I believe the facts do not support the claim that we made a bad deal, which does not make sense when considering the depth and duration of the parties' relations.

- Tucker Carlson: Israel lost the only president it had full control over. Trump went from being a slave to Israel to comparing Benjamin Netanyahu disfavorably to al-Qaeda.

- Trump: These fools, who think I haven’t been tough enough on Iran, when the Stock Market Just Hit A RECORD HIGH, and Oil prices are “tumbling” down, are either jealous, bad people, or stupid. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT

- Trump suggests Israel in no place to criticize Iran deal since it backed out of 2020 strike on Soleimani

- CNN: PM Netanyahu told Trump that Israel does not see itself bound by an immediate and permanent end to the war in Lebanon.

- Iran says Israel’s continued presence in south Lebanon would nullify deal with US

- The IDF publishes an updated map of its security zone in southern Lebanon, saying it will not be withdrawing from the territory at this stage. Stretching east to west, the deployment line on the map runs up to 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep from the border into Lebanese territory.

- IDF reservist soldier was killed, and seven others were wounded, by a Hezbollah explosive device in southern Lebanon yesterday afternoon. The slain soldier is named as Alexander Filin, 29, from Chaifa

-Trump administration officials have recently expressed growing frustration with Netanyahu. Israeli officials have criticized some of Trump's advisers, believing they are feeding him negative information about Israel.

- The United States will restart military action and reimpose a blockade if Iran does not fulfill its commitments under its agreement with the US, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tells reporters.

- Israeli senior official close to Netanyahu tells Reuters: "Israel is conducting tough negotiations with the US regarding its presence in southern Lebanon. Israel has no intention whatsoever of withdrawing from its positions."