June 21, 2026

Good morning! Today is Sunday, June 21st 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. As the Iran War enters its 113th day, Vice President Vance prepares for talks in Switzerland while Tehran reshuts the Strait of Hormuz over Israel's continued bombing of Lebanon. Harrison Berger investigates Israel's systematic destruction of southern Lebanese villages, documenting American-made munitions, white phosphorus attacks, and operations that have defied President Trump's stated prohibitions. Spencer Neale examines how Ron DeSantis lost control of his own succession in Florida, as Casey DeSantis's ambitions collapsed amid the Hope Florida scandal and Trump anointed Byron Donalds as heir. and now for the details. We begin with the Iran War, now in its 113th day. Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News on Saturday that he expects to travel to Switzerland within days to meet with Iran's negotiating team. The trip follows the cancellation of talks one day earlier, after Iran objected to Israel's ongoing campaign in Lebanon. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are reportedly already en route. The diplomacy is moving against a fast-deteriorating backdrop. Iran's central military command announced Saturday the reclosure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel's continued bombing of Lebanon as a breach of the memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. That agreement conditions an end to the war on the immediate termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and on respect for Lebanese sovereignty. According to a senior Iranian official cited by Drop Site News, Tehran has told mediators it is prepared to suspend the MOU and launch retaliatory strikes against Israel unless Trump forces an Israeli halt and withdrawal. A truce Trump declared on Friday broke down within an hour. As Harrison Berger reports for The American Conservative, Israel killed at least 29 people in Lebanon on Saturday, after airstrikes Friday killed at least 83. The death toll since March 2nd has reached more than four thousand. Brent crude has fallen below 80 dollars a barrel on hopes of a deal, with the national average for regular gas at three dollars and ninety-five cents. That war in Lebanon is the subject of a longer investigation also by Harrison Berger. He traces a pattern in which Israeli operations have continued in defiance of stated American directives. Back in April, President Trump told Prime Minister Netanyahu on Truth Social that Israel was prohibited from attacking Lebanon, writing "Enough is enough." Within two days, Berger reports, Israel issued fresh displacement orders in southern Lebanon, accompanied by home demolitions and airstrikes that killed civilians. Berger spoke with American-Dutch journalist Courtney Bonneau, who has reported from southern Lebanon throughout the assault. Bonneau told TAC the destruction is systematic, with between 37 and 40 towns and villages destroyed so far, much of it carried out during ceasefire periods. She has personally documented structural damage across roughly 140 towns. In one case, she watched Israeli forces spend weeks rigging homes in the ancient town of Yaroun with C-4 before detonating them. Bonneau also says she photographed munitions waste marked "made in the USA," and has documented Israeli use of white phosphorus, an incendiary banned for use against civilian targets under the laws of war. Berger cites Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute, who argues Iran sees Lebanon as a test of Washington's willingness, and ability, to restrain its closest regional ally. International relations scholar John Mearsheimer told TAC that Netanyahu's aim is to foment civil war in Lebanon to weaken both the government and Hezbollah. With Israeli ministers openly calling for bombing Lebanese civilian infrastructure, Berger concludes that what happens next depends on Trump's willingness to restrain the foreign government Washington sponsors. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.