June 22, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeJune 22, 2026Updates2 hours agoTrump, seemingly unaware of Netanyahu statement on Lebanon: 'I can solve problems fast, including with Bibi'Asked Monday by a reporter in the Oval Office to comment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that the IDF would not be withdrawing from southern Lebanon, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared unaware of the Israeli leader's recorded statement.When told that the statement was made publicly, Trump appeared surprised, before saying: "We are going to take a look at it. I am a problem solver. I can solve problems fast, including with Bibi."In a recorded statement published Monday, Netanyahu said that the Israeli military will remain in the Israeli-controlled buffer zone in southern Lebanon "for as long as necessary." "My instruction and that of the Defense Minister to the IDF is clear and has not changed," Netanyahu said. "Our fighters in southern Lebanon have full freedom of action to thwart any direct or emerging threat against them or against the residents of the north."Trump also warned that he "will do what I have to do" if Iran does not stick to its agreement with Washington. "If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do," Trump told reporters."As long as they respect us – I don't want to use the word 'fear' because it's inappropriate – as long as they respect us, we're not going to have any trouble," Trump added. Trump said Iran was supposed to use the money being unfrozen to buy food exclusively from the United States. "All that money's coming back in the form of purchases of food which they desperately need. They have 91 million people, they can't feed them. So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers," Trump asserted.RECAP: Iran denies U.S. reports of allowing entry of nuclear watchdog inspectorsHere are Monday's latest updates:■ A police officer and a civilian were killed in Montreal in a shooting incident in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood, an area with a large Jewish population, and an additional officer is in critical condition, police said.■ Emergency response IDF units in the communities along Israel's northern border will be released from reserve duty on Thursday morning, four months after the breakout of the war with Iran and Lebanon.■ U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that Iranian assets will not be unfrozen unless there is progress in truce negotiations, claiming, "We have the Iranians allowing weapons inspectors, nuclear inspectors into the country for the first time in a long time... and finally, we continue to make progress on these technical negotiations."■ Foreign ‌Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran did not ‌negotiate on its nuclear ⁠program and did ⁠not accept any new commitments, including the entry of nuclear watchdog inspectors, in talks with the U.S. ‌in Switzerland, according to the official IRNA news agency.■ The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23-25 to discuss the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, and other safety and security concerns.■ Israel assassinated an operative of Hamas' elite Nukhba force for his alleged involvement in holding Omer Shem Tov hostage, the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency said Monday.■ Three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed on Monday by IDF strikes.Emergency response IDF units to be released from reserve duty on ThursdayEmergency response IDF units in the communities along Israel's northern border will be released from reserve duty on Thursday morning, four months after the breakout of the war with Iran and Lebanon.The emergency response units were mobilized at the outbreak of fighting and remained deployed in the north even when cease-fires were declared, as fighting in Lebanon and Hezbollah's fire continued.JD Vance: Iranian assets will not be unfrozen unless there is progress in truce negotiationsU.S. Vice President JD Vance said that Iranian assets will not be unfrozen unless there is progress in truce negotiations, claiming, "We have the Iranians allowing weapons inspectors, nuclear inspectors into the country for the first time in a long time... and finally, we continue to make progress on these technical negotiations."Vance called the initial discussions in Switzerland with Iranian negotiators and Pakistani and Qatari mediators a "very productive 36 hours."Foreign ‌Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran did not ‌negotiate on its nuclear ⁠program and did ⁠not accept any new commitments in talks with the U.S. ‌in Switzerland, according to the official IRNA news agency."Iran's interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ⁠will continue in accordance with current procedures, ‌subject ⁠to the ‌approval of Iran's parliament and the decisions ⁠of the Supreme National Security Council," Baghaei added.Iran did not negotiate nuclear matters or add to commitments in Swiss talks, ministry saysTehran did not ‌negotiate on its nuclear ⁠program and did ⁠not accept any new commitments in Sunday's talks with the U.S. ‌in Switzerland, Foreign ‌Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told the official IRNA news agency on Monday.Iran's interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ⁠will continue in accordance with current procedures, ‌subject ⁠to the ‌approval of Iran's parliament and the decisions ⁠of the Supreme National Security Council, Baghaei added.Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei attends an interview in Tehran, Iran, April. Credit: Majid-Asgaripour/REUTERSIran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei attends an interview in Tehran, Iran, April. Credit: Majid-Asgaripour/REUTERSU.S. Secretary of State to travel to UAE, Kuwait, BahrainThe U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23-25 to discuss the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, and other safety and security concerns.Entry of nuclear watchdog inspectors into Iran contradicts MoU terms, Tasnim news agency saysThe Iranian negotiation team has not agreed to permit nuclear watchdog inspectors to enter Iran, Tasnim news agency reported, contrary to the claims by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who wrote on X that the United States would waive sanctions on Iranian oil in exchange for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and granting permission for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to enter Iran."One of Iran's most important assets today, which prevents some of the foolish actions of the United States, is the policy of 'nuclear ambiguity' and the fact that the location of stored enriched nuclear materials is unknown to the Americans," Tasnim reported, adding that the United Sttes is "investing all their efforts to deal with this nuclear ambiguity and obtain the necessary intelligence in this field.""If the policy of nuclear ambiguity collapses as a result of the entry of IAEA inspectors into Iran, and the Americans complete their knowledge on the matter, this will serve only the enemy – an enemy that does not hesitate even to officially declare its ongoing efforts to remove nuclear materials from Iran, including through military action," according to Tasnim, the semi-official news agency in Iran associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps."This is likely why, to this moment, no Iranian official has confirmed this claim, and it is hoped that it will not be confirmed in the future either." The report said there is no mention of the IAEA inspectors in Iran in the memorandum of understanding, and that Iranian negotiators in Switzerland announced on Sunday that they had prevented the participation of the IAEA director-general in talks."Any possible presence of inspectors must be conditional on a final agreement – an agreement whose chances of being reached, given past experience with the United States, appear slim," according to Tasnim.Read the full articleIsrael says it assassinated Hamas operative over alleged role in holding Israeli hostageIsrael assassinated an operative of Hamas' elite Nukhba force for his alleged involvement in holding Omer Shem Tov hostage, the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency said Monday.In a joint statement, the military said the militant, who was killed over the weekend, was also involved in planting explosive devices and advancing terror plots against Israeli forces.In a separate strike in northern Gaza, three other armed Hamas militants were killed, according to the statement.Shem Tov was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. He was released in February 2025 after 505 days in captivity.RECAP: U.S. to grant Iran a 60-day temporary license to produce, deliver and sell Iranian oilHere are Monday's latest updates:■ The Israeli military will remain in the IDF-controlled buffer zone in southern Lebanon "for as long as necessary," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ■ U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. would grant Iran a 60-day temporary license to produce, deliver and sell Iranian oil, as both countries participate in "ongoing productive talks" in Switzerland. ■ The Lebanese army is advancing towards the village of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon's Tyre district, the Lebanese Al-Jadeed TV reported, as Israel and Lebanon negotiate over "pilot areas" to be transferred to exclusive Lebanese military control.■ U.S. Vice President JD Vance said talks with Iran have made "a lot of good progress," adding that Tehran has agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country and that technical negotiations will continue in the coming days and weeks. ■ Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Syria remains opposed to any military involvement in Lebanon and is instead seeking to support stability through political and economic cooperation. ■ Three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed on Monday by IDF strikes.■ Seventy-one vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz from Friday through Sunday, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said Monday, marking a noticeable increase in traffic since the lifting of the blockade last week.■ U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday after mounting pressure from within the governing Labour Party, saying he will remain as caretaker prime minister until a new leader is elected in the coming weeks.Netanyahu says IDF to remain in southern Lebanese buffer zone 'for as long as necessary' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Jerusalem News Syndicate International Policy Summit on Sunday. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/ReutersIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Jerusalem News Syndicate International Policy Summit on Sunday. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/ReutersThe Israeli military will remain in the Israeli-controlled buffer zone in southern Lebanon "for as long as necessary," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday. "My instruction and that of the Defense Minister to the IDF is clear and has not changed," Netanyahu said in a recorded statement. "Our fighters in southern Lebanon have full freedom of action to thwart any direct or emerging threat against them or against the residents of the north." "I stand behind them," the prime minister said, adding that "the entire nation stands behind them."The buffer zone currently extends 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) into Lebanese territory, and five IDF divisions are deployed there.Netanyahu's statement follows reports the Lebanese army was preparing to redeploy in positions it had evacuated due to the IDF's advances. 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