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peace process

Israeli airstrikes kill 9 including Lebanese army officers after ceasefire deal

Illustration accompanying article: Israeli airstrikes kill 9 including Lebanese army officers after ceasefire
  • Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on June 6 killed nine people, including three members of the Lebanese military, the Lebanese army and state media said.
  • A strike on a vehicle near Nabatiyeh killed a brigadier general, a captain and a third soldier, according to the Lebanese army. A separate strike on the village of Saksakiyah killed six and wounded four, state-run National News Agency reported.
  • The Lebanese army described the strikes as "deliberate" Israeli aggression aimed at thwarting efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and secure an Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories.
  • The Israeli military confirmed hitting a vehicle and said the incident is being reviewed, stating the vehicle was moving suspiciously toward Israeli soldiers after receiving indications that Hezbollah would direct fire from the same area.
  • The war began on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel; since then, more than 3,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, over 1 million displaced, and Israeli forces have seized roughly a fifth of the country.
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Volodymyr Zelensky invites Vladimir Putin to face-to-face peace talks

Illustration accompanying article: Volodymyr Zelensky invites Vladimir Putin to face-to-face peace talks
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an open letter published late Thursday, proposed a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the four-year war, calling for direct engagement and a cease-fire during talks.
  • Zelensky wrote that Ukraine seeks to end the conflict without waiting for the United States to take the lead, citing Washington's focus on Iran, and said the U.S. and European nations could join once a bilateral track is established.
  • Zelensky rejected Russian suggestions to meet in Moscow, proposing instead a neutral venue such as Switzerland, Turkey or an Arab nation with a track record of mediating conflicts.
  • Putin, responding before seeing the letter, said he was prepared to reach an agreement but rejected a cease-fire and reiterated doubts about Zelensky's legitimacy due to Ukraine's inability to hold elections under martial law.
 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Israel and Lebanon agree to renew ceasefire as Trump seeks to overcome Iran