Israel and Lebanon Agree to Cease-Fire

Israel and Lebanon announced a 10-day cease-fire aimed at halting fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. The truce, which took effect late Tuesday, was presented as a step that could ease broader tensions tied to negotiations between Washington and Tehran. However, uncertainty remains over whether the pause will hold, particularly given Hezbollah’s autonomy from the Lebanese government and disputes over Israel’s troop presence in southern Lebanon.

President Trump said he would invite the leaders of both countries to the White House for further talks and expressed optimism about upcoming negotiations involving Iran. The agreement comes amid renewed American warnings of potential strikes on Iranian energy sites and continued cyberactivity linked to Iran.

In Washington, a federal arts panel granted preliminary approval for President Trump’s proposed 250-foot monument in the capital, though members urged design changes. A judge also ordered a halt to above-ground construction of a planned White House ballroom. Meanwhile, Trump selected physician Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Elsewhere, Utah has become the center of a growing measles outbreak that has sickened nearly 600 people, largely children, amid rising vaccine exemptions. Maine lawmakers approved a temporary statewide halt on large data center construction as officials study environmental impacts. Other major developments include intensified Russian attacks in Ukraine, a deadly shooting involving a former Virginia lieutenant governor, and the continuation of Sudan’s civil war into a fourth year.