The briefing for Friday, June 19.

Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned trip to Switzerland late Thursday, postponing direct negotiations with Iran over implementing their peace agreement. The White House cited difficult logistics, though the delay followed reports that Iran was hesitating to send its delegation over ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon. The talks had been expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program and full implementation of the interim deal signed just days earlier.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 18 people overnight into Friday, with Lebanon's state media describing the bombardment as one of the most intense of the war. Israel said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and reported four of its own soldiers killed. The conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group remains the most precarious element of the U.S.-Iran agreement, as neither Israel nor Hezbollah signed the deal despite language calling for an end to fighting on all fronts.

The interim agreement had already begun reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with major shipping companies moving vessels through the critical waterway for the first time in 110 days, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei gave his first public response to the deal, saying he held a 'different view' but allowed negotiations to proceed, adding that future talks 'will not mean acceptance of the enemy's position.' President Trump said he expects a ceasefire 'on all fronts' but the continuation of fighting in Lebanon casts doubt on the agreement's durability.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of U.S. military forces in Europe at a NATO defense ministers meeting Thursday, warning that 'some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors.' The review aims to ensure NATO is 'moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading' on continental security. Hegseth sharply criticized allies he said had been 'free-riding' and those that imposed limits on U.S. forces during the war with Iran, though he did not name specific countries.

The announcement follows a U.S. decision to scale back commitments to NATO's high readiness force, reducing air and naval capabilities that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged cannot be 'absolutely replaced.' The U.S. is demanding allies contribute more to defense spending and show concrete plans to reach a 5% of GDP target by 2035. Hegseth said NATO annual dues would become 'contingent on other countries meeting their defense spending targets,' with U.S. contributions decreasing where allies fail to spend with urgency.

NATO officials say defense spending rose €90 billion last year, nearly 20%, and Europeans are already working to backfill withdrawn U.S. resources. The changes take effect immediately. Poland's defense minister said the U.S. is open to Warsaw's offer to provide a permanent base for American troops, while tensions persist with Germany and Spain over their responses during the Iran conflict. Britain's new Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis, who took office after his predecessor resigned over insufficient funding, said his priority is ensuring armed forces have needed resources.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Texas man who challenged a federal law prohibiting marijuana users from owning firearms, potentially reshaping how Second Amendment rights apply to individuals using substances that are legal in many states. The decision comes as marijuana remains illegal under federal law despite legalization in numerous states for medical or recreational use.

The ruling could have significant implications for the estimated millions of Americans who use marijuana legally under state laws but have been barred from gun ownership under federal statute. Legal experts say the decision may force lawmakers to reconsider how drug laws intersect with constitutional rights as the gap between state and federal marijuana policy continues to widen.

At least 7,300 people have been killed across Iran and Lebanon since the U.S.-Israeli war began in February, according to official government figures, though analysts warn the true toll is almost certainly higher. Iran reported 3,468 deaths as of mid-April, including 1,460 civilians and 2,008 military personnel, while Lebanese health authorities say 3,912 people have been confirmed killed in Israeli strikes, including 366 women and 247 children.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency documented higher Iranian casualties at 3,636, including 307 children, calling their figures 'absolute minimums' due to government-imposed internet blackouts, restricted site access, and political repression that prevents families from speaking publicly. In Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said 3,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, though the health ministry has not broken down how many fighters are among total casualties.

Dr. Iain Overton of Action on Armed Violence said casualty figures 'are often incomplete, delayed or impossible to independently verify' due to the conflict spanning multiple countries, and warned 'the final death toll will likely remain contested' for years. The conflict has drawn criticism for heavy civilian casualties, with President Trump this week saying 'too many people have been killed' by Israeli strikes. Seven UN peacekeepers have also been killed in Lebanon.

The Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda has become the worst known outbreak at this stage of spread, with 894 confirmed cases and more than 200 deaths in its first month, Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. The current outbreak is three times worse than a 2000 Uganda outbreak that had 281 cases at the same point, with cases increasing 38% in the past week alone across 32 health zones in eastern Congo.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. The more common Zaire virus, which has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo's past 16 outbreaks. Experimental treatments like monoclonal antibodies are being developed for Bundibugyo, and 74 patients have recovered so far. The outbreak has spread to Uganda, where 19 confirmed cases have been reported and two people have died.

Contact tracing remains severely hampered, with only 4,000 of an estimated 17,000 to 35,000 potential contacts currently tracked—less than 15%. The challenges stem from ongoing conflict in Ituri province, where nearly a million people have been displaced, and the region's remoteness with dense forests, poor roads, and villages that can take days to reach. Of the $900 million pledged to fight the outbreak, only $90 million has been released, and Africa CDC has just 84 of the 540 personnel it estimates are needed.