Trump vows 'total victory' over iran within weeks as Netanyahu confirms ceasefire

Iranian officials and media are suggesting Tehran's recent missile strike on Israel is the start of a new deterrence strategy, Iran International reported Monday.

Their message is that future attacks on Hezbollah or Lebanon could trigger direct Iranian retaliation, even if Iran itself is not targeted.

Supporters of the approach argue Iran must defend Hezbollah to keep its influence in the Middle East.

Farda News, a website close to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said attacks on Lebanon would no longer be cost-free, while he wrote on X that Iran's response would remain unchanged.

The report also said many ordinary Iranians are concerned about the risks, warning that further involvement in regional wars could bring greater instability, economic costs and the threat of a wider war impacting Iran

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), briefed the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on Monday about U.S. military operational priorities across the Middle East.

According to CENTCOM, Cooper met with lawmakers in Washington and is scheduled to provide a similar briefing to a Senate appropriations panel on Tuesday.

The congressional briefings follow testimony Cooper gave last month before the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

Vice President JD Vance said Monday that any potential nuclear deal with Iran woild need strict verification measures to ensure Tehran complies.

“The president's attitude on this is we have to verify,” Vance told Jesse Watters.

“Of course, one of the most important things in determining whether this ultimate settlement is a success is not what the Iranians write on the paper, but whether they actually comply with some of the requirements of the settlement that we come up with,” he added before citing the Obama deal and “what went wrong with it.”

“There was not a proper inspection regime to ensure that the Iranians could never build a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.

Vance said the administration would approach any agreement with skepticism and prioritize monitoring.

“Assuming we're ultimately able to make a deal, I don't assume that anybody is acting in good faith.

“We're going to take the attitude of accomplishing the president's mission, but verify over the long term that the Iranians are keeping their end of the bargain,” he added.

Vance acknowledged the challenge of securing a durable agreement but said the Trump administration believes it has leverage to reach one.

“It's a tall order, but it's one that the president has put us in a good position to achieve. Because let's be honest, the Iranians don't want this war to continue.

“I think they're coming to the table, putting some real things on the table. We're, of course, going to verify it, but if we get this deal, it's going to be a home-run win for the American people.” 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun appealed to the Israeli government and its people in an interview with CNN on Monday, saying a military solution "will never provide you with security and safety" for residents of northern Israel.

"We are ready, we are willing, we are committed. Are you? If you are, let's sit and talk," Aoun said.

The Lebanese leader also said he would not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before an agreement is reached to end the conflict. Aoun said such an agreement would take the form of a nonaggression pact rather than a full peace treaty.

The remarks came amid continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese leaders who support negotiations with Israel have faced heavy criticism from Hezbollah and its supporters, as well as public campaigns that include what critics describe as incitement, according to Ynet.

"Negotiation is safer than war, but it will not solve the problem immediately," Aoun said.

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has been suspended pending a vote by member states on his future, the court’s governing body announced Monday, following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

According to The Times of Israel, citing a source, the ICC’s executive bureau found Khan committed serious misconduct after an investigation into accusations that he engaged in nonconsensual sexual interactions with a lawyer in his office.

Khan, who sought arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza, has denied the allegations.

The findings will be sent to the ICC’s 125 member states, which are expected to vote on whether to remove Khan from office, the outlet said.

“The astounding story of the world’s International Criminal Court and its lead prosecutor headed by an alleged criminal and rapist, is not just about one rotten apple,” Anne Bayefsky President, Human Rights Voices, said in a statement.

"Khan has taken the credibility of the whole shameful ICC apparatus down with him. It’s time to hold the whole dangerous operation to account, “ the Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust added.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Monday that it intercepted an aerial target launched from Yemen.

“Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration in the Eilat area, a suspicious aerial target from Yemen was intercepted. The incident was concluded,” the IDF said in a statement.

This came after Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said a missile detected earlier Monday that was launched from Yemen was heading toward a "regional country," without identifying the destination, according to The Associated Press.

The ministry said an investigation found that the missile had "deviated from its course and fell in an open area near the Saudi-Yemeni border."

Iran denied launching the attack on Saudi Arabia, while the Iran-aligned Houthis said it had carried out an attack targeting Israel.

The Houthis said Israel-linked vessels would also be targeted in the Red Sea as well as the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called for de-escalation in the Middle East following strikes by Israel and Iran.

“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the renewed escalation in the Middle East. He calls on all concerned parties to immediately stop attacks, exercise maximum restraint, and refrain from any action that could further inflame an already volatile situation,” a spokesperson for Guterres said in a statement.

The statement also said the Secretary-General also urged all parties to abide by ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran and Gaza and to avoid steps that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Guterres reiterated that there is no military solution to the conflicts in the Middle East.

“The only way forward is through dialogue and negotiations,” the statement said before adding that Guterres “urges all concerned parties to work towards diplomatic solutions that advance regional and international peace and security.” 

U.S. forces disabled a Botswana-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf on June 2 after its crew ignored orders to stop while sailing toward Iran's Kharg Island, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

"The ship's crew ignored repeated warnings, failing to comply with directions from U.S. forces multiple times over a 24-hour period," CENTCOM said in a post on X.

According to the military, a Hellfire missile was fired into the engine room of the unladen tanker, called M/T Lexie.

The incident marks the latest enforcement action under the blockade of Iranian ports that has been in effect since April 13.

CENTCOM also confirmed it had redirected 122 commercial vessels and disabled six ships during the ceasefire with Iran.

A drone strike hit a camp housing Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq's Erbil region, according to reports.

Reuters reported the strike, citing security sources.

On Sunday, Reuters also reported two drone attacks near Iraq's Sulaymaniyah. One targeted a base used by Kurdish peshmerga forces, while the other struck a camp housing Iranian Kurdish opposition groups west of the city, according to security sources.

Iraq closed its airspace during Iran's attacks on Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post.

During Operation Epic Fury Tehran had also mobilized Iran-backed militias in Iraq to target Kurdish and U.S. interests, the outlet reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right security cabinet ministers appeared divided Monday over whether to follow President Donald Trump’s call for Israel to halt strikes on Iran, according to reports.

The Times of Israel reported tense exchanges during meetings, with Netanyahu defending coordination with Trump and arguing the president is aligned with Israel’s goals regarding Iran.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Israel to resist Trump’s pressure, saying it must “stand our ground” and defend its red lines.

The report also said Netanyahu warned that Israel would strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut if the group attacks northern Israeli communities.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Monday that Israel’s strikes on Iran lacked a clear strategic purpose, arguing they failed to achieve military objectives while drawing Israelis into another cycle of conflict.

Speaking at a Knesset press conference, Lapid said he had previously supported military action against Iran but now viewed the operation as one that “serves no strategic objective of the State of Israel.”

“When war is forced upon us, we must strike with overwhelming and disproportionate force. But war alone cannot become our automatic response to every problem,” he said, according to The Jerusalem Post.

“The government is sending its citizens to shelters, the economy is paralyzed, and there is no strategic objective behind all of this that anyone can understand — including people within the security establishment,” he added.

Lapid also argued that Israel’s previous operation neither advanced regime change nor significantly degraded Iran’s ballistic missile or nuclear programs, pointing to Tehran’s Sunday missile launches as evidence.

President Donald Trump said he scaled back the scope of an Israeli attack on Iran on Sunday after five Middle Eastern countries involved in mediation efforts urged him to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward diplomacy instead of military action.

According to Axios, the president said: “The Israelis gave us an update at a very late stage. They were already on their way to Iran. I managed to reduce the scope of the attack.”

The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on a unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy and two Iranians accused of threatening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the bloc said it had added the Hormozgan Provincial Command of the IRGC Navy to its sanctions list, along with Mohammad Akbarzadeh, the IRGC Navy’s deputy commander for political affairs, and Hamid Hosseini, a representative of Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister went on to dismiss the sanctions as "hypocritical."

In a post shared on X, Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would continue exercising sovereign rights over the waterway, citing the sanctions as a "fraudulent move."

Gharibabadi also said that the EU "deliberately remained silent in the face of the U.S. naval blockade against Iran, which is considered an act of war!"

"The legal regime emphasized by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz is 'innocent passage,' based on customary international law and observance of maritime safety and security considerations of the coastal state," he said.

"Iran does not attach any value to this political and hypocritical European move and will continue its strategy of maintaining sovereignty and exercising sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz," he added. 

Iran's Quds Force commander, Esmail Qaani, announced Monday plans for a new "resistance" security corridor stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, linking strategic waterways between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.

"From the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, a new security belt of the resistance will be formed," Qaani said in a message, according to Iran International.

Qaani also praised Yemen's Houthi rebels for launching missile attacks against Israel and suggested other Iran-aligned groups could join the effort if needed.

According to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, Qaani said recent actions by allied groups across the region demonstrated growing coordination among members of what Tehran calls the "resistance front."

"The hostile acts of the Zionist regime and America in this region will draw a reaction from the united resistance front," Qaani said.

"The timely and powerful action of heroic Yemen shows the wisdom of the resistance front. If necessary, others will also join," he added.

Qaani also issued a warning to Israel and the United States.

"Borderless fighters are overlooking your passage chokepoints. Continue the aggression, and they will grab you by the throat," he said.

Qaani's remarks come amid heightened regional tensions following military exchanges between Iran and Israel and ongoing hostilities involving Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a missile was launched from Yemen toward Israeli territory and air defense systems were activated to intercept the threat.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Monday that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports had undermined trust between Tehran and Washington.

He also accused the U.S. of acting against agreed-upon terms and showing it was not genuinely seeking dialogue or a lasting ceasefire.

"We will turn the naval blockade into another defeat for the 'enemy,' " Ghalibaf said, according to Reuters.

"Trump's statements about the MOU were against the agreed parts of the deal," he added before stating, "This shows the U.S. is neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue."

Ghalibaf said Iran's goal is ending the war and achieving "stable security," adding that Iran has "no trust in the opposing party."

In a separate post shared on X, Ghalibaf reiterated the trust issue.

"We have disrupted the equation of a ceasefire on paper and its repeated violations in the field," he said. "As long as you lack the genuine will to build trust, Iran's response will be exactly this."

Ghalibaf's remarks came as Iran's joint military command said its armed forces had suspended military attacks against Israel but warned that attacks could resume if Lebanon came under fire.

President Donald Trump warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that escalating military action could leave Israel isolated in a conflict with Iran, according to reports.

The warning came at a fragile moment following missile exchanges between Israel and Iran and amid efforts to preserve the ceasefire.

"I told Bibi, 'You better be very careful with what you do because you might soon be left alone against Iran,'" Trump was quoted as saying, according to Israel's Channel 12.

The remarks came after Iran and Israel said they had stopped military attacks.

Iran International also reported that Israel had approved a "dramatic attack" against Iran before Trump called it off, also citing a report from Channel 12.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel is now in a ceasefire with respect to Iran on Monday.

Netanyahu's announcement comes after President Donald Trump demanded that both Iran and Israel cease hostilities earlier Monday morning.

“Right now, the fire has been halted," Netanyahu said.

The Israeli leader went on to note that Israel is still committed to its right to self-defense, however, "and I say this with appreciation and respect in my good conversations with my friend President Trump," he said.

U.S. forces opened fire on a oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel attempted to violate the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports Monday.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran. An F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces. Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran," CENTCOM announced in a statement on X.

"CENTCOM forces have disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13," CENTCOM added.

Israel announced plans for new air strikes in Lebanon on Monday after agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran.

IDF Spokesman Avichay Adraee made the announcement in a public statement warning Lebanese citizens to evacuate the planned area for the strike.

"Urgent warning to residents of Lebanon, especially residents of the Zuqouq al-Mafdi Area Hezbollah’s repeated violations of the ceasefire is compelling the IDF to act against it with determination," Adraee wrote.

"The IDF does not wish to harm you. For your safety, we urge you to immediately move north of the Zahrani River. Anyone located near Hezbollah operatives, its infrastructure, or its weapons is putting their life at risk," he added.

Lt. Gen. Karen Gibson joined Fox News to analyze new video of Israeli strikes on Iranian air defense systems on Monday.

Gibson, a former CENTCOM director of intelligence, discussed significant ceasefire violations and warned that it could lead to potential full-scale war, highlighting Iran's use of proxies and complex diplomatic talks.

Saudi Arabia is investigating the launch of a ballistic missile in Yemen on Monday.

An official statement from the Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that the launch was detected near Yemen's border and resulted in air raid sirens Saudi Arabia.

"The sounding of air raid sirens in Al-Kharj Governorate early today was a precautionary measure resulting from the launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen that disappeared near the border, and investigations are ongoing to determine the details of this launch," the statement read.

Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said it is untrue that the missile targeted Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj.

Former deputy national security advisor KT McFarland urged President Donald Trump to resume attacks on Iran to "finish the military targets" to ensure Tehran can't break any peace agreement.

McFarland made the statement during an appearance on Fox News, saying a resumption of U.S. involvement in Iran is likely.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that the "final objective" in U.S.-Iran peace talks is "about to be achieved" on Monday.

Sharif made the statement on X, urging all sides to show restraint in the conflict as negotiations continue.

"The recent surge in violence in the Middle East is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with a tenuous ceasefire and the unbearable consequences it may lead to. As we work earnestly and painstakingly, together with our brothers and partners, to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict, and especially when the final objective is just about to be achieved, we sincerely urge all sides to exercise restraint and give peace a little more chance," Sharif wrote.

"Let us continue to remain on the path of peace and diplomacy which have bright prospects of success instead of violence and destruction!" he added.

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority reopened the country's airspace Monday morning after Israel and Iran both indicated and end to attacks between the two nations.

Iraq's government had announced a 72-hour airspace closure this weekend after Iran broke a ceasefire to launch missiles at Israel and Israel responded with its own attacks.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran has not left the negotiating table Monday after a weekend of trading attacks with Israel.

Pezeshkian says Iran is committed to emerging from the conflict "triumphant," but said that could come through either "diplomacy or defense."

"Our priority is national security and the peace of our people. We will defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not retreat in the face of any threat. Diplomacy and defense are the two wings of national power; we have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table. God willing, with unity and rationality, Iran will emerge triumphant from this trial as well," Pezeshkian wrote in a post on X.

Israel had decided to halt its attacks on Iran on Monday after Tehran announced its own end to hostilities, according to Reuters.

Israeli media also reported that Israel will continue attacks on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon in the coming days, citing a senior Israeli official.

President Donald Trump demanded earlier Monday that both Iran and Israel cease hostilities.

Cameron Khansarinia, chief of staff to Reza Pahlavi, joined "Fox & Friends" to discuss Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel and reports of growing student-led protests against the regime.

Khansarinia highlighted the Iranian people's long-suffering under a radical Islamist regime, their fight for freedom, and the crucial need for internet connectivity to support their cause.

Israeli forces launched airstrikes in Southern Lebanon on Monday just minutes after Iran announced a halt in attacks against Israel.

Sirens activated in Northern Israel amid the attacks on Lebanon.

Iran announced it was ending hostilities against Israel early Monday morning, but warned that it would renew attacks if Israel did not halt its own.

Iran first launched missiles against Israel this weekend in retaliation for Israel's missile strikes in against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters announced the end of hostilities against Israel on Monday just minutes after President Donald Trump demanded a ceasefire.

Iran's military says the ceasefire is conditional on Israel also halting its attacks, however, vowing to renew "severe and crushing" operations if attacks continue.

"Following the aggressions and evils of the brutal Zionist regime in South Lebanon and the Dahiya region, which took place with the support of the criminal America, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran gave a painful response to this regime in order to support the oppressed people of Lebanon," the military wrote in a statement.

"On this basis, the cessation of armed forces operations is announced; But it is emphasized that if the aggressions and evils continue, including in the south of Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures will be on the way," it continued.

Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes on sites it described as Hezbollah command centers in Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday, hours after Israeli officials said Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility.

The escalation came days after the U.S., Israel and Lebanon announced a renewed conditional ceasefire framework requiring Hezbollah to halt fire and withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon. It also followed the release of IDF footage that Israel said showed troops dismantling a Hezbollah explosives facility, where an outside expert said components appeared consistent with anti-personnel shrapnel devices designed to wound or kill people on foot.

The strikes mark a major cross-border escalation days after the U.S., Israel and Lebanon announced a renewed conditional ceasefire framework requiring Hezbollah to halt fire and withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the military action was direct retaliation for the group's violation earlier in the day.

Concurrently, footage released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) showed troops locating and dismantling a hidden, booby-trapped explosives warehouse.

The multipurpose assembly hub appeared to contain materials that could be used in makeshift shrapnel and propane tanks to create a distributed, lethal network.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Emma Bussey.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a shelter in place order for government employees and their families amid renewed attacks between Israel and Iran on Monday.

The Embassy announced the order in a post on X, urging State Department employees to be prepared to evacuate to a missile shelter.

"As a result of the current security situation in Israel, including Home Front Command alerts for multiple regions, the U.S. Embassy has directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to shelter in place, and be prepared to move to a protected shelter in the event of a red alert, until further notice," the Embassy wrote.

"The U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and Embassy Branch Office Tel Aviv consular sections are closed on Tuesday, June 9. In the event of missile, rocket fire, or hostile aircraft intrusion, a “red alert” siren may be activated. Follow the instructions from local authorities and the Israeli Home Front Command  and seek shelter immediately," it added.

Israeli Defense Forces offered new details on a wave of strikes that targeted Iran's military infrastructure early Monday morning.

The statement came just minutes after President Donald Trump demanded an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran.

"A short while ago, the IDF completed a wave of strikes targeting aerial defense systems belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran," the IDF said in a statement.

"The IDF is now releasing footage of the dismantling of one of the aerial defense systems, which housed missiles intended to target aircraft. Following the strike, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of missiles inside the launcher. Their dismantling further enhances the Israeli Air Force's aerial superiority in Iranian airspace, in order to continue and remove threats to the civilians of the State of Israel," the statement continued.

President Donald Trump claims Israel and Iran are pursuing an "immediate ceasefire" after the two countries exchanged missile strikes on Sunday.

"Both sides, Israel and Iran, are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on 'Peace' are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way," Trump wrote in a psot on Truth Social.

"The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a 'Final Deal' is reached. Things should move quickly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote.

Trump demanded that the two sides stop "shooting" earlier Monday morning.

President Donald Trump demanded that Israel and Iran cease hostilities after Iran broke the fragile ceasefire Sunday and Israel responded in kind.

"Israel and Iran must immediately stop 'shooting,'" Trump demanded in a terse post on Truth Social.

Israeli Defense Forces confirmed strikes against Iranian ballistic missile production facilities late Sunday night.

"A short while ago, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets, directed by the IDF Intelligence Directorate, completed a large-scale strike on strategic defense systems belonging to the Iranian terror regime," the IDF said in a statement.

"The targeted infrastructure produced unique materials that serve as critical components for the development of ballistic missiles, which pose a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians," it added.