Also known as: the Iran-backed armed Shia Islamist group Hezbollah
Hezbollah — Iran-backed armed group active in Lebanon, rejected a US-brokered ceasefire deal in June 2026.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… Meanwhile, despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 16, Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade strikes. …
Iran offers to end Strait of Hormuz chokehold if US lifts blockade; top diplomat meets Putin in RussiaJoy Online
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his military to “vigorously attack Hezbollah targets” in Lebanon, two days after a ceasefire was extended by three weeks. …
Netanyahu orders army to ‘vigorously attack’ Hezbollah in LebanonJoy Online
… Adding to regional strains, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his troops to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, his office said, further testing a three-week ceasefire. …
US-Iran peace hopes fade as Trump scraps talksJoy Online
… The Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired rockets at Israel. Despite a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group, both sides have continued to exchange fire in recent weeks and have accused one another of violating the agreement. …
Trump cancels US envoys’ trip to Pakistan for talks on Iran warSaudi Arabia, which has largely avoided involvement in the US-Iran conflict since 28 February, has begun conducting joint strikes with the US on Iranian proxy militias in Iraq after being attacked from three sides. The kingdom now faces a choice between continuing retaliatory strikes as a deterrent or attempting to de-escalate through negotiation.
12 hours ago · Joy Online →
Saudi Arabia, which has largely avoided involvement in the US-Iran conflict since 28 February, has begun conducting joint strikes with the US on Iranian proxy militias in Iraq after being attacked from three sides. The kingdom now faces a choice between continuing retaliatory strikes as a deterrent or attempting to de-escalate through negotiation.
12 hours ago · Joy Online →
BAE Systems boss warns the UK has been complacent about foreign attack risk and says defence spending must increase beyond current plans to meet a 3.5% GDP target by 2035. He notes that Russia and Ukraine have become adept at using autonomous weapons like drones, and that the UK must develop counter-capabilities.
24 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Yemen's Houthi fighters have attacked shipping in the Red Sea, forcing vessels to turn back from the Bab El Mandeb strait and threatening to disrupt the main maritime route from Europe to Asia. The attacks come amid escalating US-Iran strikes and a Saudi-nuclear deal that has raised regional tensions.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Lebanon's army has begun deploying to a pilot zone in the country's south following Israeli withdrawal under a US-brokered agreement. The deployment covers the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and two other villages under a Trilateral Framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon, and the US.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Liberland, a micronation founded on disputed territory between Serbia and Croatia, is bankrolled by wealthy crypto investors and designed to be a digital country running on cryptocurrency technology, with governance based on ideas that replace traditional government.
11 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was absent from his father's funeral on Sunday, with senior regime figures and thousands attending. Speculation about Mojtaba's condition has continued after rumors he was wounded in US-Israel air strikes that killed his father, and he has not appeared in public since his appointment in early March.
5 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The US and Iran have agreed to "stand down" following an exchange of strikes over the past few days, with vessels now able to move through the Strait of Hormuz "freely" and renewed talks to end the war continuing. The agreement comes less than two weeks after a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 June, which has been under strain due to renewed attacks by both sides.
29 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon killed one person and wounded at least two more, a day after Israel and Lebanon signed a US-brokered framework agreement aimed at achieving lasting peace. Hezbollah's leader rejected the deal, calling it "humiliating" and a "surrender of sovereignty," while Prime Minister Netanyahu described it as "historic" and a blow to Iran and Hezbollah.
27 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The US military conducted strikes on Iranian missile, drone storage facilities and coastal radar positions in response to an Iranian attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command described the strikes as a "powerful response" to the drone attack and said Iran's action violated a ceasefire and undermined freedom of navigation.
26 June 2026 · Joy Online →
High-level negotiations in Switzerland on ending the Iran war concluded early Monday, with lower-level talks planned as Iran and the US agreed to create a "de-confliction cell" to address fighting in Lebanon. The talks launched a 60-day diplomatic process, though fighting between Hezbollah and Israel remains a key sticking point.
23 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
The first round of US-Iran negotiations to end the war has ended with "encouraging progress," according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan, who say the parties have agreed to a roadmap for reaching a final deal within 60 days. The memorandum includes commitments to ending fighting on all fronts including Lebanon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and lifting sanctions on Iranian oil and petrochemical exports.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices declined on Monday following the conclusion of US-Iran talks in Switzerland, where Tehran said it had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports. Brent crude fell 1.90% to $79.04 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures dropped to $76.53 a barrel.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The US and Iran have completed their first round of peace negotiations in Switzerland with "encouraging progress," with mediators Qatar and Pakistan reporting agreement on a roadmap to reach a final deal within 60 days. Technical talks focused on clarifying messaging regarding the Strait of Hormuz, ceasefire enforcement in Lebanon, and nuclear deal elements, with a communication line established to prevent incidents among commercial vessels.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Direct talks between the US and Iran are set to begin in Switzerland, with delegations led by US Vice-President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving on Sunday. Iran's military said it closed the Strait of Hormuz over Israel's attacks on southern Lebanon, though the US military reports traffic continues to flow; Pakistan's Prime Minister is joining as mediator.
21 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Direct talks between the US and Iran are set to begin in Switzerland despite Iran's military claiming it closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon. US Vice-President JD Vance and Iranian officials arrived for negotiations expected to cover nuclear issues and Lebanon ceasefire efforts, with Pakistan mediating.
21 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Iran's military reclosed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, citing continued Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and alleged US breach of a ceasefire agreement. The closure threatens a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the conflict, with Iran warning of further steps if aggression continues.
20 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The US says Israel and Hezbollah have agreed a ceasefire following intense Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon that killed 47 people, though Israeli forces said they would continue removing immediate threats and rescue officials reported at least 12 strikes in the city of Nabatieh since the ceasefire began.
19 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices fell on Friday as oil tankers began moving through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran interim peace deal, with Brent crude futures down 0.68% to $78.31 a barrel and analysts expecting over 85 million barrels of stranded Middle East Gulf oil to reach global markets alongside the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil.
19 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Israeli jets struck southern Lebanon on Wednesday, drawing fresh criticism from US President Donald Trump, who told Netanyahu to be "more responsible" and said Israel had been fighting Hezbollah for "too long." The Israeli military said it is targeting the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.
17 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent crude fell 5.1% to $78.96 a barrel and U.S. WTI fell 5.8% to $76.05 on Tuesday, reaching their lowest levels since March, as details emerged of an interim deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, including an agreement allowing Iran to sell oil.
17 June 2026 · Joy Online →
President Trump said a deal to end fighting between the US and Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, with the Strait of Hormuz to be "open to all" once agreed, though Iranian foreign ministry spokesman expressed caution about the timeline.
13 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Israel has carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations from about 20 locations, with at least one person killed in Marrakeh, Lebanese state media reports. Pakistan's Prime Minister, mediating US-Iran talks, says a peace deal is closer than ever and likely within 24 hours, with Iran's foreign minister saying the agreement would include an end to conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
13 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Iran's Foreign Minister said a deal with the US to end fighting includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting a US blockade, with nuclear programme talks to follow later. US officials confirmed some details, saying economic benefits for Iran would depend on Tehran meeting its obligations.
13 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Iran's Foreign Minister said a deal with the US to end fighting includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting a US blockade, though nuclear talks would follow later. US officials confirmed some details, linking economic benefits for Iran to Tehran meeting its obligations.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
President Trump said on Thursday a peace deal with Iran could be signed as soon as this weekend, with the Strait of Hormuz to open upon signing; Iran's Foreign Ministry said large parts of the agreement have been finalised but no final conclusion has been reached.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
US Vice-President JD Vance said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "has certainly gotten some things wrong," citing misalignment between Israeli and American interests, as tensions have emerged between the two allies over recent weeks regarding military action in Lebanon and Iran policy.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices climbed Wednesday after the U.S. military struck Iranian targets in response to the downing of a U.S. Apache attack helicopter, and as U.S. crude stockpiles posted another large draw. Brent futures rose 0.7% to $92.11 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 0.7% to $88.80.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
A US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed early Tuesday near the Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coast; its two crew members were safely rescued by an unmanned drone boat in what US Central Command described as a historic first for American forces. The cause of the crash remains unknown and is under investigation.
9 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate prices rose slightly after Iran and Israel halted attacks following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, though investors remain uncertain whether the truce will hold given lingering geopolitical tensions and the possibility of resumed strikes.
9 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel in response to an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah-linked building in southern Beirut. The attack suggests Iran's leadership believes the regime has strengthened its resilience despite months of conflict, sanctions, and military pressure.
8 June 2026 · Joy Online →