Full story
Ceasefire, talks delayed
Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement Friday to end their fighting in Lebanon, three diplomats briefed on the matter told CBS News.
The ceasefire came after violence flared overnight in a major test of the durability of the U.S.-Iran deal signed by President Trump just two days ago, and talks between Iran and the U.S. expected to begin in Switzerland Friday were delayed.
Lebanese state media said at least 18 civilians were killed in Israel's deadliest attacks since the U.S. and Iran finalized their agreement, while four soldiers were killed in an attack on a tank.
Officials told The Associated Press and other outlets that Iran had suspended the talks due to the ongoing fighting in Lebanon, and CBS News reported that Israel was honoring ceasefire but Hezbollah must be "destroyed," ambassador says.
In a separate development, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said consultations were ongoing through mediators regarding the next phase of U.S.-Iran talks aimed at drafting a final deal to end the war.
Israel’s hard line
Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel (Michael) Leiter said on X that Israel has not carried out any strikes since 11:30 a.m. local time and wrote, "Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire," while also insisting Hezbollah must be eliminated from Lebanon.
Leiter added, "This will only happen when Hezbollah, a murderous Iranian proxy, is destroyed," and said the end of Hezbollah would mark the beginning of a "beautiful peace" between Israel and the two countries.
Al Jazeera framed the Israeli posture as a balancing act around the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, describing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu restrained himself from openly displaying opposition.
Al Jazeera also reported that under the terms of the U.S.-Iran agreement the U.S. commits to the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon" while Israel responded by pounding Lebanon, killing at least 47 people on Friday according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
War’s wider effects
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told NorNews that the possibility of carrying out a deception operation to steal enriched uranium under the guise of a pilot rescue must not be dismissed in any way.
Baqaei said the area where it was claimed the American pilot was present was in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, and he argued it was far from the area where the Americans intended to land forces.
In parallel, Iran Online reported that the Social Affairs Deputy of the Blood Transfusion Organization said donating more than 220,000 units of blood occurred in 36 days of war.
The same report said a 49 percent increase in the number of people presenting for blood donation occurred only in the first 12 days of the Zionist-American aggression, and it described how Nowruz travel and Ramadan coincided with the war.
Folha de S.Paulo described how, after weeks of Iran's airspace being closed, Iran Air resumed some flights but travel agencies could not buy tickets due to sanctions, forcing a land route that took the reporter from São Paulo to Istanbul and then to Van before crossing at Razi.
