Israel lifted all restrictions in its north on Monday as the longest lull in fighting since the Israel-Hezbollah war began less than four months ago raised cautious hopes that diplomatic efforts could end a conflict that has devastated communities on both sides of the border. A UNIFIL source said no attacks were recorded on Sunday between Israel and Hezbollah, the first such day since March 2, when the latest war began.
Israel and Lebanon were expected to negotiate this week over "pilot zones" for exclusive Lebanese control, with an Israeli source telling Haaretz that the IDF would withdraw from some of these areas. Under the reported plan, Lebanese forces would assume responsibility for those areas under close American supervision and would also take control of additional locations not currently held by Israeli troops. A report by Haaretz cited an Israeli source saying the Israeli military could be required to partially withdraw from the so-called yellow line in southern Lebanon as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
US-Iran Talks Yield Foundation for Deal
In Switzerland, Vice President JD Vance said his lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials created a "good foundation for a successful final deal" as the United States and Iran sought a permanent end to the war that the U.S. and Israel began in late February. Vance said, "The final deal is the house. We set the foundation. We haven't built the house, but we've laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people." He said progress had been made on multiple fronts, including the establishment of "mechanisms" to ensure the Strait of Hormuz stayed open and that a ceasefire held in the fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.
The mediation effort in Switzerland started Sunday and stretched into early Monday, and technical talks would continue this week, Vance said. In a joint statement, mediators Pakistan and Qatar hailed what they called "encouraging progress." The interim deal to end the fighting in Iran, signed last week by the leaders of the U.S. and Iran, set a 60-day period for negotiators on issues including the future of Tehran's nuclear program.
Economic Measures and Sanctions Relief
Vance said the U.S. Treasury issued a 60-day license waiving sanctions on Iranian oil as part of the interim agreement to end the war, and that the license would last through Aug. 21. He said the U.S. could agree to unfreeze Iranian assets for purchases of U.S. soy, corn and wheat, and said Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and one of the lead U.S. negotiators, came up with the idea with officials from Qatar. Vance said Qatar would have approval over the process and that Iranian money accessible as sanctions were lifted would buy American products "for the benefit of the Iranian people."
U.S. envoys Kushner and Steve Witkoff were handling many of the technical details. Trump did not attend the "Lake Lucerne Summit," but his presence loomed over the talks. The talks were jolted by statements from Trump, who fired off comments that offended the Iranians. Iranian state media said talks had paused after the "publication of an insulting message by the U.S. President," but the negotiations later continued.
Diplomatic Tensions and Progress
Vance said, "No, they didn't throw a wrench in the system," and added, "Yes, they did threaten to walk out, or at least there were social media threats that they would walk out. But we were negotiating well past one in the morning yesterday, so they didn't walk out." Vance also said, "What we told the Iranians yesterday is when you guys engage in what us millennials might call trash talk, you can't expect the President of the United States not to respond and not to correct the record."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that mediators delivered "major progress to end the Lebanon War" and said the first "real test" of negotiations would be whether the mechanism succeeded in halting the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. He said neither Israel nor Hezbollah was a signatory to the U.S.-Iran deal.
Cautious Calm in Lebanon
A renewed ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to be holding, and Israel's military said it would lift movement restrictions for residents near the Israel-Lebanon border on Monday. Cautious calm continued Monday in Lebanon, with no Israeli strikes reported overnight, and Hezbollah had not announced any attacks on Israeli forces since Saturday. The lull in fighting in Lebanon was the longest since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2. Vance said, "This region has been a basket case for a very long time."
Why This Matters:
The diplomatic opening in Switzerland represents the most serious effort in months to end a conflict that has displaced communities, disrupted civilian life, and raised the specter of wider regional war. For residents on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, the lifting of restrictions and the first attack-free day since March offers a glimpse of what sustained peace could mean after less than four months of violence. The success of the 60-day negotiating period will depend not only on technical agreements over nuclear programs and sanctions relief, but on whether mechanisms can be established to prevent the cycle of escalation that has repeatedly derailed ceasefires in the past. The planned Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon, if implemented under international supervision, could create the conditions for Lebanese sovereignty and civilian security that have been absent for years. Whether this foundation becomes a house, as Vance put it, will test the international community's ability to translate diplomatic progress into durable protection for civilians who have borne the costs of this conflict.