Speaking to NBC, a U.S. official confirmed that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire.
The news substantially increases the chances that Washington can agree to a lasting peace deal with Tehran over the next sixty days, as per the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
Merkava Tank Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The news follows an escalation between the militant group and Israeli forces that threatened the peace process.
What Was Confirmed
NBC News also cited a Hezbollah source who confirmed that the group plans to abide by the ceasefire. That same official, however, warned that Israeli forces continued to fire at targets in southern Lebanon and were trying to move deeper into Lebanese territory.
A senior U.S. official also confirmed the news to Reuters, noting, “Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire.” The official also said that negotiators from the United States and Qatar were responsible for the deal.
“We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire,” the official said.
An Israeli official also told the outlet that they would agree to a ceasefire, noting that it would not be a “time of war” if Hezbollah “does not attack” Israel.
However, the source also confirmed that Israeli forces are expected to remain in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Strikes Threatened to Derail Talks
The memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington never technically bound Hezbollah or Israel, but U.S. President Donald Trump almost certainly expected – or indeed hoped – that Israel would refrain from taking any additional military action that could threaten to derail negotiations.
There was nothing he could do, however, to rein in Hezbollah. And that’s where the latest ceasefire announcement comes in.
On Friday, June 19, Hezbollah fighters reportedly attacked an Israeli tank in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit. The strike killed four Israeli soldiers, including a battalion commander, according to Israeli officials.
It was one of the deadliest incidents involving Israeli forces in Lebanon in recent times, and it prompted an immediate military response from Israel.
The Israeli response included strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, with officials claiming that the strikes targeted Hezbollah military infrastructure.
The timing of the strikes was an obvious problem.
U.S. and Iranian officials had been expected to continue negotiations in Switzerland on Friday as part of the next stage of the MOU process; however, those talks were postponed as mediators began to shift their attention to the continued fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
On Thursday night, the White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance would no longer travel to attend a planned meeting in Switzerland, where the talks would continue.
“The U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable,” the White House said in a statement.
“As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight. We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible.”
The announcement came ahead of the ceasefire agreement, indicating that the White House had shifted its focus to ensuring that exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah did not further disrupt the negotiating process.
That was especially important, not just because any Israeli strike gave Iran an excuse to step back in the negotiations, but because Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei authorized Iranian negotiators to finally engage in direct talks with the United States in recent days.
The news, which was welcomed by Iran’s chief negotiator and Speaker of Parliament, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, presents an opportunity to accelerate the negotiation process.
It means that, even as the two sides navigate major disagreements, it may no longer take several days to simply receive a response – and that, in turn, makes a deal at the end of the next 60 days more likely. If, of course, it is possible at all.
Oil Is Flowing Through Hormuz Again
If Trump’s intention was to get oil moving through Hormuz again by signing the MOU – and we know it was, because that’s what he said in Evian, France – then the plan seems to be working thus far.
According to shipping intelligence firm Kpler, at least 20 oil tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, June 18. It is the highest level recorded since June 2 and a significant increase over recent months more generally.
The news comes after the United States confirmed that it had ended the naval blockade and reached an agreement with Iran allowing commercial vessels to pass through the strategic waterway without tolls for the next 60 days.
Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Tehran was “honoring their end of the commitment.”
Reports also said that at least three Iranian supertankers loaded with crude oil were seen departing the region on Friday after previously operating with their transponders switched off during the conflict.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
