Merve Aydogan
20 June 2026•Update: 20 June 2026
Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including Israel and Hezbollah agreeing to a ceasefire after a deadly overnight Israeli strike on Lebanon, with Israel launching more than 10 airstrikes following the announcement and Iran holding the US responsible for the violations; President Donald Trump claiming that the Russia-Ukraine war could have been avoided had Russia remained in the G8, while revealing the US quietly moved at least 87 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz under naval escort; and Iran announcing new Strait of Hormuz transit procedures following its memorandum of understanding with Washington.
TOP STORIES
Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire taking effect at 1300GMT Friday: US official
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a senior US official confirmed to Anadolu, hours after an Israeli strike overnight killed at least 18 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers were killed in a Hezbollah attack in the south.
After the ceasefire announcement, Israel launched more than 10 airstrikes on towns in southern Lebanon, with Tel Aviv saying the truce would remain in effect only as long as Hezbollah complies, while the Israeli army would remain deployed in southern Lebanon, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei conveyed Tehran's strong condemnation of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and held the US directly responsible for the consequences of what it described as repeated violations of a ceasefire agreement.
Trump says Russia-Ukraine war could have been avoided if Russia had stayed in G8
US President Donald Trump claimed the Russia-Ukraine war could have been avoided if Russia had remained in the G8, blaming former President Barack Obama for expelling Moscow from the forum following its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Trump also said the US quietly moved at least 87 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz under naval escort with "all lights off," saying the operations were possible because American forces had "knocked out" Iran's radar systems.
The president described maintaining a "flexible line" on Cuba, saying Havana "wants to talk very badly" and pointing to the US military operation in Venezuela, which he said lasted "48 minutes," as a successful model.
In later remarks to US Air Force service members, Trump confirmed that he will attend a NATO summit in Türkiye on July 7-8.
He also said he will "at some point" go back to China for a big conference.
Iran discloses new Strait of Hormuz transit procedures following US-Iran memorandum
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority said vessels wishing to transit the Strait of Hormuz during the period covered by the US-Iran memorandum of understanding must submit passage requests through its official website or email at least 48 hours before arriving at the strait, warning that failure to comply would be the vessel owner's responsibility.
It also said tariffs for security, safety and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurance, will not be collected for 60 days, with costs to be borne by the government, adding that vessels must coordinate designated routes and transit times in advance due to mine-affected areas and the need to prevent collisions.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged the US to apply "all necessary pressure" on Israel to respect its ceasefire commitments in Lebanon, warning that failure to reach a deal risked prolonged regional instability.
- The New York Times faced renewed criticism from conservative outlet Just the News, which argued the newspaper ignored publicly available evidence that federal authorities surveilled members of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
- Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen International Airport ranked first among Europe's 20 busiest airports for on-time departures with an 88% punctuality rate, surpassing the European average of 72%, according to EUROCONTROL.
- A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, the latest in a series of tremors recorded off the region's coast, according to Russian state media.
- Iran postponed direct talks with the US in Switzerland to protest Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon, with Tehran's top negotiators pulling out at the last minute on orders from the Iranian leadership, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu.
- Large numbers of residents fled southern Lebanon's Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts toward Sidon and Beirut following deadly Israeli strikes that killed at least 24 people, Lebanon's state news agency reported.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Trump's claim that she had "begged" him for a photo at the G7 summit "completely made up," as Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned visit to the US because of the remarks.
- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys' future in office depends on progress in restoring ties with China and fulfilling commitments to Taiwan, warning that "certain results must be put on the table."
- Iran's football federation said it will file a complaint with FIFA for travel restrictions limiting the national team’s arrival in the US 24 hours before matches at the 2026 World Cup, arguing the measures violate the principle of equal treatment.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel's expanding attacks in southern and eastern Lebanon, urging a "comprehensive ceasefire as fast as possible" as Israeli strikes killed at least 31 Lebanese.
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye is "the leading actor" in efforts to resolve regional crises, citing the Iran war as the latest example of the country's role in regional peace efforts.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying developments in the country remain "deeply concerning."
- The EU disbursed €34 million (nearly $40 million) to Armenia in the first tranche of a broader economic support package to help the country offset the effects of Russian trade restrictions on its private sector, the European Commission confirmed.
- RSF drone strikes on civilian areas in North Darfur killed at least nine people and destroyed a market, a Sudanese rights group said.
- The UN welcomed reports of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, urging both to halt hostilities and pursue dialogue toward long-term stability along the Lebanese border.
- US President Donald Trump said Washington must keep Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a little bit sane" on Lebanon, claiming Israeli officials "do as I say" and that Israel would have been "eviscerated" without US support.
- Senior members of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Cabinet are expected to tell him that his "time is up" and push for an "orderly transition," following Andy Burnham's by-election win that positions him as a potential challenger to Starmer's leadership, The Times of London reported.
- One person was killed and several injured when two passenger trains collided near Bedford in eastern England, British Transport Police confirmed, with a major incident declared and rail services suspended.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- Oil prices climb above $80 as canceled US-Iran talks, Israeli strikes on Lebanon rattle markets
Brent crude futures rose above $80 per barrel as investors weighed renewed geopolitical risks following the cancellation of planned US-Iran technical talks in Switzerland and new Israeli attacks in Lebanon that killed at least 24.
Gains were capped, however, by signs of normalization in energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where the US Central Command lifted restrictions on traffic to and from Iranian ports and tankers carrying previously stranded crude began exiting the waterway, keeping prices on course for a sharp weekly decline.
