US President Donald Trump announced on Monday, June 1, that he held a “very productive” call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with representatives linked to Hezbollah, brokering an end to “all shooting” between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to Trump, Netanyahu agreed to hold back deploying troops to Beirut, with any units previously headed toward the city “already turning back.” Hezbollah has also agreed to stop shooting, which was presented as a mutual commitment to halt fire on the Israel-Lebanon front.
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“I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back. Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop – That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.” he said.
Trump says talks with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace,” even as Iranian state-linked media announced that Tehran was suspending dialogue with mediators in protest at Israel’s expanding offensive in Lebanon, threatening to open “other fronts.”
Ben-Gvir pushes back: ‘Time to say no’
Shortly after Trump’s ceasefire claim, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a message on his X, in Hebrew. Addressing Netanyahu as “Mr. Prime Minister”, Ben-Gvir reminded Netanyahu of his own past line that a strong leader knows when to tell the US “yes,” and when to say “no.”
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“Mr. Prime Minister, you said that a strong prime minister tells the President of the United States – ‘yes’ when possible, and ‘no’ – when necessary. This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump – ‘no.’ Now is the time to do what is required and necessary to strike Hezbollah, to unleash the hands of our fighters, and to restore security to the north.”
In other words, while Trump is publicly claiming that Israel has agreed not to attack, calling for all shooting to stop, Ben-Gvir is calling for expanded military operations against Hezbollah, potentially undermining Trump’s claim that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to halt attacks.
Israel deepens Lebanon offensive
Iran’s suspension of indirect talks with the US, paired with threats to fully close the Strait of Hormuz and potentially target Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has pushed the regional war into a more dangerous phase, tying battlefield moves directly to the global energy market, with oil prices spiking and raising concerns about wider economic disruption.
At the same time, Israeli strikes on Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut have been paired with an expanded ground offensive, with a significant number of Israeli forces now operating beyond the Litani River.
Troops have crossed the Litani, raised the Israeli flag over the strategic Beaufort Castle, and issued sweeping evacuation orders for areas south of the Zahrani River, prompting fresh waves of displacement.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of a “scorched-earth policy and collective punishment” and is calling for a “swift and real ceasefire,” as Israeli and Lebanese officials continue US-mediated talks and prepare for another negotiating round.
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