Levant in June 2026: the most important developments in security
In the Levant in June 2026, security was dominated by the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel expanded its offensive on June 1, and fire continued after a US-brokered partial ceasefire plan was announced on June 2. A UN peacekeeper from Serbia was killed on June 4 and an Israeli strike on June 6 killed three Lebanese soldiers; the Israeli military said it was investigating. Israeli strikes killed at least 14 people in Tyre on June 9, and the UN estimated the destruction in Lebanon at no less than $365 million. Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs on June 7 and June 14, when it killed the senior Hezbollah commander Ali Musa Daqduq. On June 15, Israeli officials said troops would stay in areas they occupy in southern Lebanon.
An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was agreed on June 19 after four Israeli soldiers were killed. Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes killed 18 people that day, and at least 16 died on June 20 in strikes hours after the ceasefire took effect; the Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired about 50 projectiles at its troops. The IDF said it had found a Hezbollah tunnel complex and drone factory, and five Israeli soldiers were killed in the area on June 21. On June 27, Israel carried out drone strikes hours after a framework deal was signed and said it would keep a security zone in Lebanon.
The conflict spread to the wider region. Iran fired missiles and drones at US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain on June 10, and Jordan said it shot down 20 missiles. On June 20, Iran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli strikes on Lebanon, and ship traffic fell sharply; Oman opened a transit corridor on June 26.
In Syria, Israeli forces entered Quneitra and searched homes, detained dozens of Syrians on June 17, and carried out ground incursions in the south on June 27. Syria arrested more than 200 Islamic State suspects in 90 days, and the US military said it killed a senior Islamic State leader in northwest Syria.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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