Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
Iran says it ended talks with the U.S. because of Israel's continued invasion into Lebanon.
This, after Israel warned residents of South Beirut, said to be a stronghold
of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, that they needed to evacuate ahead of planned airstrikes.
President Trump says he spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday,
telling him to stop bombing Lebanon.
Keep in mind, both these men are facing elections this year.
The Iran War is not popular in the U.S., but it does have broad support in Israel.
And expanding the war in Lebanon derails those peace efforts with Iran.
And Netanyahu put out a terse statement yesterday after his call with Trump that sounded
like he was the one calling the shots.
He said he told Trump Israel would bomb Beirut if Hezbollah doesn't hold its fire,
that Israel's position remains unchanged, and that the military will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.
NPR's Ayah Batrali reporting.
At least 18 people are dead, more than 100 wounded in Ukraine, following massive Russian airstrikes overnight.
From Moscow, NPR's Charles Maines reports the attack comes days after the Kremlin warned it would launch,
quote, "systematic strikes" on Ukraine.
Ukraine's Air Force says Russia launched more than 70 missiles and 600 drones,
with several apartment buildings reduced to rubble in the capital, Kiev, and other cities.
In a statement, Russia's Defense Ministry said it struck defense-related