Vance Slams Israel as Lebanon Strikes Delay US-Iran
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- Israeli forces bombarded southern Lebanon on Friday, killing at least 18 people in strikes across the Nabatieh district towns of Dweir Harouf, Al-Sharqiya, Kfar Sir, Kfar Roumman, Haboush, Jebchit, Toul, and Deir al-Zahrani, with the assault expanding into the Western Bekaa Valley and along the Litani River.
- JD Vance publicly complained about the Israeli leadership's pattern of bombing during critical stages of US-Iran negotiations, telling reporters Thursday that a 'major explosion' in a Beirut civilian population center killing people 'who have nothing to do with Hezbollah' was 'not acceptable.'
- US and Iranian delegations delayed their planned Friday departure to Switzerland for a 60-day first round of talks on a permanent end to the Iran war, with the Trump White House citing 'logistical challenges' while Al Mayadeen, citing Iranian sources, reported the Israeli assault on Lebanon drove Iran's decision to postpone.
- The memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week explicitly calls for 'the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon' — a condition Iran had told Washington was central to whether talks would proceed at all.
- Itamar Ben-Gvir declared 'all of Lebanon must burn' after Hezbollah killed four Israeli soldiers in a Friday tank attack in southern Lebanon, escalating rhetoric even as US-mediated diplomacy hung in the balance.
- Hezbollah struck an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon, killing four IDF soldiers and triggering the renewed Israeli bombardment that local writers described as targeting populated residential neighborhoods where people 'had only just begun returning.'
Why it matters: The MOU explicitly required Israel to halt attacks on Lebanon — yet Israel killed 18+ the very day talks were to open. The White House blamed 'logistics'; Iranian sources blamed Israeli strikes, exposing a US credibility gap as mediator and putting 60 days of scheduled negotiations on hold pending a halt Israel has shown no intention of making.
