From the Liveblog of
Friday, June 19, 2026
Ambassador to the US says Israel ‘firmly committed to immediate ceasefire’ with Hezbollah
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Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter says Israel “remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire” with Hezbollah, after a new truce was declared this afternoon.
“At 11:30 this morning, Israel halted all offensive operations; Hezbollah and Iranian claims to the contrary are bold lies,” Leiter writes on X. “If Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities, they will be met with quiet.”
“Israel wants our neighbor to the north, Lebanon, with which we have relations dating back to King Solomon and King Hiram, to prosper and enjoy democratic freedoms, and like any normal country will never compromise on our security,” he continues. “This will only happen when Hezbollah, a murderous Iranian proxy, is destroyed. The end of Hezbollah will mark the beginning of a beautiful peace between our two countries.”
He also defends the buffer zone in southern Lebanon, which he says Israel set up “to rid the area of Hezbollah and dismantle its terror infrastructure.”
“We will remain there until that mission is accomplished,” Leiter insists.
“The people of Lebanon deserve a future free from Hezbollah’s grip, and a real, genuine peace between our two countries remains possible.”
The Times of Israel Community.