First, links to reports from Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll down today’s IRAN so far, and for LEBANON 6-18-26.) — MCM

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Israeli strikes kill over 47 in Lebanon since midnight. From Middle East Eye. Lebanon’s death toll due to Israeli airstrikes has risen to 47 killed since midnight, Al Mayadeen news reported. Al Jazeera reported that Israel has conducted at least 12 strikes on southern Lebanon since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the afternoon.

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Trump says U.S. must keep Netanyahu ‘a little bit sane’ on Lebanon. From Middle East Monitor. U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington must keep Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “a little bit sane” on Lebanon, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

For now, links to TWELVE reports, commentaries, analyses and interviews: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Al Mayadeen, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and CGTN America via Informed Comment; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up for today’s LEBANON so far, and down for IRAN 6-18-26.) — MCM

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Talks between the U.S. and Iran are called off because of fighting in Lebanon, officials say, by Erin Cunningham, Jon Gambrell and Aamer Madhani | AP  JERUSALEM — Talks between the U.S. and Iran were called off today after intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, officials said, raising questions about an initial agreement to end the war in Iran. Click HERE for more of this AP report and HERE for a second. Click HERE for report from NPR, and HERE for links to all six Iran war-related reports today from NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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Escalation to capitulation: What the MoU means for Iran, region. From Al Mayadeen. The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding is being received by Western and regional officials as a diplomatic breakthrough with substantial economic dividends. This reading purposefully misses the document entirely. READ MORE . . .

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U.S.-Iran talks raise new questions about power dynamics in the region. Reported by Greg Myre and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Nearly three years of conflict have affected the Middle East’s power map. Now, the Iran war is triggering another shift, raising new questions about the power balance in the region. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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How the war on Iran will redefine the Middle East order, by Ahmed Mawlana | Middle East Eye  Signs of growing alignment have emerged among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan. Their increasingly coordinated positions on regional crises stand in contrast to the growing ties linking Israel, the United Arab Emirates, India, Greece, Cyprus and Ethiopia. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 18  Israel’s Netanyahu tells Trump he will not be bound by Iran-U.S. deal: report. From Middle East Monitor.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel would not be bound by the agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran, CNN reported Thursday, citing an unnamed official. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 18  Can the U.S.-Iran negotiations after the MOU succeed?  Asieh Namdar of CGTN America speaks with history professor Juan Cole of the University of Michigan. Click HERE for video and a transcript of interview from Informed Comment.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to a report from Middle East Eye and to an analysis from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll down for today’s LEBANON, IRAN, UKRAINE, and MEDIA so far, and for WEST BANK 6-17-26.) — MCM

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Former senior Israeli officials issue ‘final warning’ over West Bank settler terror, by Ayse Betul | Middle East Eye  A broad coalition of former high-ranking Israeli officials, including former prime ministers and defence chiefs, have issued what they termed a “wake-up call” and “final warning”, demanding that the Israeli government act against Jewish settler “terrorism” in the occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Why the West Bank may be Netanyahu’s next front, by Ramzy Baroud | Middle East Monitor  If Netanyahu can no longer sustain the wars that have prolonged his political life for nearly three years, he may escalate where resistance is weakest: the occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to THREE reports: from Reuters and the Cradle: and to an interview from National Public Radio; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s IRAN, UKRAINE and MEDIA so far, and down for LEBANON 6-17-26.) — MCM

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Israeli forces kill three people in southern Lebanon. From Middle East Eye. Israeli attacks on south Lebanon killed three people today, Lebanese state media reported, hours after the U.S. and Iran signed an agreement to end the war. READ MORE . . .

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Hezbollah deals heavy losses to invading troops as Israel rejects withdrawing from Lebanon. From the Cradle. Tel Aviv announced today the killing of an Israeli soldier and the wounding of seven others by Hezbollah, following the official signing of an understanding between the US and Iran – which demands an end to the war on Lebanon. READ MORE . . .

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First tankers cross strait under Iran deal; Israeli strikes raise doubt in Lebanon, by Maya Gebeily, Rami Ayyub and Zohra Bensemra | Reuters  BEIRUT / JERUSALEM / QLAILIEH, Lebanon — Three Saudi-flagged supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz today, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a deal with Iran to end the war that has disrupted global energy supplies. READ MORE . . .

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Israel issues new Lebanon occupation map, in talks with U.S. over deployment, by Pesha Magid and Rami Ayyub | Reuters  JERUSALEM — Israel’s military published a map today showing an expanded zone of control for its troops in southern Lebanon, as Israeli officials said Israel was holding talks with the U.S. over ‌continuing its deployment. READ MORE . . .

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Will Israel’s Lebanon offensive derail the agreement between the U.S. and Iran? Steve Inskeep of NPR speaks with Tracy Chamoun, Lebanon’s former ambassador to Jordan, about how Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon affects a U.S. agreement with Iran? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTNUED

For now, links to TEN reports, analyses, commentaries and interviews: from Reuters, Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, and the Chris Hedges Report — the last via ScheerPost and, most recently, Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down this date’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, UKRAINE and MEDIA so far, and down for IRAN 6-17-26.) — MCM

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First tankers cross strait under Iran deal; Israeli strikes raise doubt in Lebanon, by Maya Gebeily, Rami Ayyub and Zohra Bensemra | Reuters  BEIRUT / JERUSALEM / QLAILIEH, Lebanon — Three Saudi-flagged supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz today, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a deal with Iran to end the war that has disrupted global energy supplies. READ MORE . . .

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Hormuz vessels must still coordinate with IRGC navy, Iranian state TV says. From Middle East Eye. The transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz still needs to be done in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, Iranian state television said today. Vessels began moving through the strait following the signing of a deal to bring the U.S. war on Iran to a close.

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U.S. and Iran sign initial deal to end war, ease sanctions and open strait as nuclear talks continue, by Michelle L. Price, Matthew Lee, Jon Gambrell, Samy Magdy and Mike Catalini | AP  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran on Wednesday that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country, immediately allowing Iran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington, according to details released by both countries. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.  Click HERE and HERE for two reports from NPR.

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FROM JUNE 17  Transcript of the deal between the U.S. and Iran. From AP. Senior U.S. officials on Wednesday read the memorandum of understanding with Iran to journalists after days of secrecy over what is in the document. READ MORE . . .

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U.S.-Iran deal leaves Israel isolated and Netanyahu exposed, by Meron Rapoport | Middle East Eye  TEL AVIV — Israelis are viewing the emerging U.S.-Iran deal as more than just a diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran. READ MORE . . .

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The U.S.-Iran deal: What has changed and what does this mean for the region? by Ahmed Asmar | Middle East Monitor  War is a perilous political act aimed at shifting the balance of power. What balance did the United States seek to impose when it launched its war against Iran, and what did it achieve? And what does this . . . READ MORE . . .

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The war is accelerating Iran’s energy transition, by a correspondent of the Cradle  When Israeli strikes hit Phase 14 of South Pars, they landed on the world’s largest gas field at a moment when Iran’s energy system was already stretched. Electricity shortages, fuel imbalances, and rising demand had left little margin. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 3 and FEB. 17  Is Iran the ‘leading state sponsor of terrorism’? Journalist Chris Hedges  of the Chris Hedges Report speaks with former CIA officer, author and whistleblower John Kiriakou. The short answer to the headline is no. After Kiriakou defines terrorism, the two discuss topics related to intelligence agencies of various countries. Click HERE for interview, a transcript and an introduction from ScheerPost.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and MEDIA so far, and down for UKRAINE 6-17-26.) — MCM

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Clouds of black smoke rise over Moscow after Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery, by Barry Hatton | AP  Ukraine hit a major Moscow oil refinery for a second time in a week and disrupted commercial flights at the city’s airports in one of its biggest drone attacks since Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, Russian officials said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish. Click HERE for report from the Moscow Times.

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FROM JUNE 17  U.S,, EU authorize production of ‘deep strike’ missiles inside Ukraine. From the Cradle. G7 leaders announced on Wednesday that U.S. and EU arms makers will start manufacturing advanced long-range weaponry “under license” in Ukraine, as western stockpiles dwindle, aiming to industrialize the frontline and sustain pressure on Russia. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Links to a commentary from Middle East Monitor and a report from Press Freedom Global Alliance; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and down for MEDIA 6-14-26.) — MCM

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FROM JUNE 17  When peace becomes a media battlefield, by Ervin Hoskins | Middle East Monitor  When a war begins to give way to diplomacy, the battle rarely ends at the negotiating table. It continues in headlines, guest segments and the emotional frame through which audiences are told to interpret a possible end to violence. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 19  Citing threats, Iran International moves broadcasts to U.S. From Press Freedom Global Alliance. A Farsi-language satellite news channel based in London and long critical of Iran’s theocratic government said on Feb. 14 it had moved its broadcasts to Washington “to protect the safety of its journalists” after being targeted by Tehran. READ MORE . . .

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First, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll down for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and for GAZA 6-15-26.) — MCM

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Trump leverages illegally frozen Palestinian funds to force normalization, halt legal cases against Israel. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to leverage severe Palestinian financial hardship to coerce a “normalization” agreement that would require the Palestinian Authority to drop all international legal challenges against Israel, the Times of Israel reported today. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down for today’s GAZA, LEBANON, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and down for WEST BANK 6-16-26.) — MCM

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Trump leverages illegally frozen Palestinian funds to force normalization, halt legal cases against Israel. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to leverage severe Palestinian financial hardship to coerce a “normalization” agreement that would require the Palestinian Authority to drop all international legal challenges against Israel, the Times of Israel reported today. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from The Cradle and Reuters, and to a commentary from The Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up or down for today’s GAZA, WEST BANK, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and down for LEBANON 6-16-26.) — MCM

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Iranian army warns Israel of ‘severe response’ over dozens of violations in Lebanon. From the Cradle. The Iranian army has warned that it will strike Israel in response to continued attacks and violations in south Lebanon, as Hebrew media indicates Tel Aviv is preparing for a collapse of the understanding between Tehran and Washington. READ MORE . . .

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