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June 20, 2026e-Paper
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June 20, 2026e-Paper
Updated – June 20, 2026 03:07 pm IST
Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli military strike in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel on June 19, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP
Lebanese authorities on Friday (June 19, 2026) reported 47 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, and Israel announced the deaths of four of its soldiers, the highest combined casualty count since the US and Iran struck their deal.
Israel and Hezbollah agreed a ceasefire on Friday, a U.S. official said, after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon once again put a deal to end the West Asia war under strain, less than two days after it was signed.
Also read: Israeli Minister says ‘all of Lebanon must burn’ after four soldiers killed
Talks between the U.S. and Iran were called off on Friday (June 19, 2026) after intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, officials said, raising questions about an initial agreement to end the war in Iran. Israel and the militant group later agreed to a ceasefire, three officials said.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister arrived in Iran on Saturday (June 20, 2026) after planned talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were postponed, Iranian media reported.
Tehran and Washington were due to hold talks in Switzerland on Friday (June 19, 2026), after signing a memorandum of understanding ending the war in West Asia, but the latest negotiations have been postponed with no new date announced.
Iranian media including Tasnim news agency said Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi landed on Saturday (June 20, 2026) in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
– AFP
India sharply diversified its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sourcing during the West Asia conflict, increasing imports from the U.S., Iran and several other countries to reduce dependence on the Gulf region, while state-owned fuel retailers absorbed much of the surge in international prices to shield households.
Before the conflict, roughly 90% of India’s LPG imports came from West Asian suppliers, leaving the country heavily exposed to regional disruptions. By April 2026, the United States accounted for nearly one-third of India’s LPG imports, up from just 8% in February, according to a Crisil report.
The shift was aided by a 2.2 million tonne-per-year LPG supply agreement signed with the United States in late 2025, equivalent to about 10% of India’s annual import requirement. Iran also re-entered India’s import basket, accounting for around 6% of April imports, while supplies were sourced from countries like Argentina, Chile, France and the Netherlands.
– PTI
Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is due to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi during a visit to Tehran on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to ISNA news agency.
Baghaei said Naqvi’s visit is part of Islamabad’s ongoing efforts related to negotiations between Iran and the United States.
– Reuters
The Lebanese army said an Israeli strike killed one of its soldiers in the country’s south on Saturday (June 20, 2026), despite a new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah reached a day earlier.
“An Israeli enemy strike targeted an army soldier on the Kfar Rumman-Nabatieh road, leading to his martyrdom,” an army statement said, charging that “the continuation of brutal Israeli attacks aims to obstruct any solution that would allow for restoring stability in Lebanon”.
– AFP
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah on Saturday (June 20, 2026) said his group had the right to respond to Israeli attacks, as Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon despite a new ceasefire announced a day earlier.
“There is talk of a ceasefire. For us, what concerns us is that the enemy fully and comprehensively respects the ceasefire, and doesn’t attempt to attack our country and villages or seek to occupy any new position,” Mr. Fadlallah said in a statement, adding that “the resistance has the full right to confront this enemy when it attacks us, as it is the aggressor and the occupier”.
– AFP
The Israeli military said it was striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Saturday (June 20, 2026) in response to overnight projectile launches from the Iran-backed group, despite a ceasefire announced a day earlier.
“Overnight, the Hezbollah terrorist organisation launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. Following the attacks, the IDF has been striking Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon,” an Israeli military official said.
– AFP
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi departed for Tehran on Saturday (June 20, 2026) for meetings with senior Iranian officials, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.
IRNA said Mr. Naqvi would discuss the progress of negotiations between Iran and the United States during his visit, without providing further details.
– Reuters
The Congress on Saturday (June 20, 2026) accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having a “blind devotion” to Israel and said this is hurting India’s interests.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the U.S.-Iran MoU that has been cautiously welcomed the world over faces many threats, the most important of which is posed by Israel.
“Israel’s National Security Minister — no less — has just called for all Lebanon to burn. His remarks have drawn wide condemnation. But as usual the Modi Govt has kept totally quiet,” Mr. Ramesh said on X.
– PTI
US envoy Steve Witkoff was headed to Switzerland for talks, American media outlets reported on Friday (June 20, 2026), after scheduled negotiations due to take place there between the United States and Iran were postponed.
Mr. Witkoff was on his way to the alpine nation on Friday (June 20, 2026), Axios said, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
His trip comes as Washington and Iran work to get technical talks following up on an initial peace deal “back on track,” CNN said.
– AFP
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff heads to Switzerland for postponed talks amid ongoing negotiations with Iran, alongside Jared Kushner.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi were both headed to Switzerland for talks, Axios said on Friday (June 20, 2026), as a ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to revive efforts to turn an interim Iran war pact into a lasting regional deal.
Emerging outlines of a deal between Washington and Tehran to end their war contain a stinging paradox: sweeteners to coax Iran into compliance may strengthen an adversarial force that the U.S. and its Western allies consider a terrorist organisation.
For years, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards thrived in the shadow of sanctions, building a sprawling commercial empire stretching from oil and construction to shipping, telecommunications and ports.
Now, as Tehran and Washington prepare for talks on a deal to end the war that could unlock billions of dollars for Iran and reopen its economy to global investment, the elite force is poised to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
– Reuters
Lebanese official media said fresh Israeli strikes on the country’s south on Saturday (June 20, 2026) killed five people, despite a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group announced a day earlier.
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes on more than a dozen south Lebanon locations after midnight and into Saturday morning, saying three people were killed in strikes on the town of Arab Salim, while one person was killed in Deir Zahrani, and another after “an enemy drone launched a strike on a motorbike” at the entrance of the town of Dweir.
– AFP
Fighting flared anew in Lebanon on Friday, with authorities reporting 47 killed in Israeli airstrikes and Israel announcing the deaths of four of its soldiers.
The violence is the worst since the sealing of a U.S.-Iran deal to halt the wider West Asia war, which was also supposed to pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported a fresh Israeli strike on the area of Jezzine in the south, soon after a US official said on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed on a ceasefire.
An NNA journalist also reported drones flying over the Tyre area, while an AFP correspondent heard artillery shelling in the southern town of Nabatieh.
The U.S. official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the truce was brokered by U.S. and Qatari mediators, following talks with Israel and Iran.
-AFP
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on a ceasefire, a U.S. official said on Friday (June 19, 2026), after deadly new exchanges in Lebanon put the fragile deal to end the West Asia war under immediate strain.
Israel and Hezbollah agree on Lebanon ceasefire: U.S. official
Israel and Hezbollah reach a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon amid rising tensions and criticisms from the Trump administration.
Israel and Hezbollah reach a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon amid rising tensions and criticisms from the Trump administration.
Switzerland said U.S. talks with Iranian negotiators on a pact to end the war in West Asia would not take place on Friday (June 19, 2026), while Vice President JD Vance dropped plans to travel there, fuelling uncertainty whether a lasting truce can be found.
U.S.-Iran peace talks postponed, clouding prospects for lasting truce
U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland are canceled after Vice-President J.D. Vance withdraws from the trip.
U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland are canceled after Vice-President J.D. Vance withdraws from the trip.
Published – June 20, 2026 08:23 am IST
West Asia / World / Iran / Lebanon / Israel-US strikes on Iran / USA / Israel / war / unrest, conflicts and war
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