Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day.

On today's podcast:

(1) Israel launched its largest assault on Lebanon since the start of its invasion, escalating the campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah even after the US announced a ceasefire in the wider Middle East conflict.

(2) The White House announced the US would hold direct talks with Iran even as continued fighting in the Middle East, punctuated by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire in the six-week conflict

(3) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Europe to play an “effective” role in supporting lasting stability and security in the region and to pressure the US and Israel to adhere to their commitments and counter any violations to the ceasefire agreement, in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

(4) The US wants specific commitments from European allies on their pledge to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after the fighting in Iran stops, requesting that the countries present concrete plans to ensure navigation through the waterway within days, according to a senior NATO official.

(5) President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO after meeting with the military alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, making clear that his anger over the organization’s stance on the Iran war remained acute.

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