Three Killed in Israeli Strikes in Southern Lebanon, Local Media Says

Key Points:

• U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended the U.S.-Iran agreement against criticism from Israeli far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, emphasizing that military action alone cannot solve national security issues and questioning their specific proposals.
• Vance described Israeli officials' reactions as "weird panic," asserting that the U.S. still holds financial leverage over Iran and will not lift sanctions if Iran continues funding terrorist groups, while noting that Prime Minister Netanyahu has not publicly criticized the deal.
• Israel's military published a map showing an expanded zone of control in southern Lebanon amid ongoing talks with the U.S. about maintaining troop deployments there, despite the interim U.S.-Israeli pact calling for an end to fighting and respect for Lebanon's sovereignty.
• Israeli strikes in Lebanon's Nabatieh governorate continued, killing three people on Thursday, even as reports indicated a reduction in the overall volume of attacks ahead of the U.S.-Iran deal implementation.
• Hezbollah has persisted in attacking Israeli positions in southern Lebanon, including using explosive drones, while Israel refuses to withdraw troops from the area following its March invasion in response to Hezbollah rocket fire.