Morning Briefing: June 2, 2026

Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including Lebanon saying that Hezbollah has agreed to a US proposal for a mutual halt to attacks with Israel, US President Donald Trump saying that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to halt “all shooting,” and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying that Türkiye confronts efforts to reshape the region through bloodshed while continuing to strengthen its defense industry.

TOP STORIES

• Lebanon says Hezbollah agreed to US proposal for mutual halt to attacks with Israel

Hezbollah has agreed to a US proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks with Israel, the Lebanese Embassy in Washington said in a statement.

Following a conversation between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese authorities received confirmation that Hezbollah had agreed to the US-backed proposal for a mutual halt to attacks, the statement said.

Under the arrangement, Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs would cease in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from launching attacks against Israel, with the ceasefire later expanding to cover all Lebanese territory, it added.

• Trump says Israel, Hezbollah agree to halt 'all shooting'

US President Donald Trump said that "all shooting" between Israel and Hezbollah would be halted following a series of phone calls involving both sides.

Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had "a very productive call" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and received assurances that Tel Aviv would not send troops to the Lebanese capital Beirut.

"There will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back," he said.

• Erdogan says Türkiye confronts efforts to reshape region through bloodshed, advances defense industry

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Türkiye is working to counter efforts to reshape the region through ongoing conflicts while continuing to strengthen its defense industry.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said attempts are being made to influence regional developments through “bloodshed and tears” in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen, adding that Türkiye is acting to foil such “games.”

He said Türkiye is also “making history” in the defense industry and remains focused on its long-term goals amid what he described as a period of major regional and global change.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the participation of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in New York City's annual Israel Day Parade, calling him a "far-right extremist" whose views are at odds with the state's values.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv's campaign of what he described as "long-range sanctions" against Russian military and energy infrastructure is producing results.
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its naval forces targeted the vessel MSC Sariska with a cruise missile in a “retaliatory operation” following an alleged US attack on an Iranian ship in the Sea of Oman.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said army troops will continue an ongoing offensive in southern Lebanon despite US President Donald Trump’s talk of a ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Hezbollah.
• Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon, despite US President Donald Trump’s talks of ceasefire arrangements between Tel Aviv and Hezbollah.
• Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said ongoing talks between Iran and the US offer an opportunity that should be seized to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement, including for Lebanon.
• Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for the international community to work collectively for “lasting peace” in the Middle East as Islamabad continues to position itself as a mediator in regional diplomacy during talks with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in Islamabad.
• Dutch Patriot air defense systems and around 150 troops will remain in Poland for up to six more months to protect a key NATO logistics hub supporting Ukraine
• Denmark is set to get a new government led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen after coalition negotiations were completed
• An Israeli military doctor was killed and seven soldiers were wounded in an explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon,
• China and Brazil pledged to deepen practical cooperation and strengthen strategic coordination as their top diplomats met in Beijing, agreeing to work together to address external challenges and promote cooperation among developing countries.
• Two members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in an explosion involving projectiles left over from recent US-Israeli strikes in central Iran
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry held the United States responsible for the consequences of Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon, warning that Tehran would defend its interests “wherever necessary.”
• US President Donald Trump said he would welcome a period of silence if Iran suspends indirect peace talks with Washington.
• The Netherlands has halted the return of Lebanese asylum seekers due to a “fragile security situation” in Lebanon,
• Florida became the first US state to file a lawsuit against artificial intelligence company OpenAI, alleging its flagship chatbot ChatGPT caused a range of harms and the company knowingly released an unsafe product despite warnings about potential risks.
• New Jersey State Police in the US arrested several people outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark after authorities imposed an emergency curfew following clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined four essential actions to keep development on track, warning that the UN system faces an unprecedented funding decline just 1,700 days before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline.
• A British army service member died in a training accident in northern Iraq on May 31, the UK Defense Ministry confirmed.
• NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska reiterated the need to turn alliance commitments into action ahead of the Ankara summit that will be held on July 7 and 8.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Energy prices down as tensions ease in Middle East

Energy prices decreased amid easing tensions in the Middle East following US President Donald Trump's statements related to Lebanon.

Brent futures, after exceeding $97 per barrel, dropped to below $95 while West Texas Intermediate prices fell to $91.90 as of 1820GMT.

in a post on the US social media platform X the Intelligence Organization of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tehran views any crossing of what it described as red lines in Lebanon and Gaza as a direct war and an attempt to impose costs on Iran’s national security and the so-called resistance axis.

• US stock markets close at record highs as Middle East tensions ease

US stock markets closed at record highs as President Donald Trump said Iran would continue negotiations, while European indexes all closed in the red.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.09%, or 46.42 points, to finish at 51,078.88.

The S&P 500 gained 0.26%, or 19.90 points, to close at 7,599.96, while the Nasdaq rose 0.42%, or 114.19 points, to 27,086.81.