Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire on Tuesday while Lebanese and Israeli envoys met in Washington for direct talks, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the militant group was the only impediment to a peace deal.

The fighting came after US President Donald Trump declared Monday that he had brokered a deal which the Lebanese embassy in Washington said would at first only cover Israeli attacks on Beirut and Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory, before expanding in scope.

By Elizabeth Pineau

SARCELLES, France, June 2 (Reuters) - When Bassi Konate became mayor of Sarcelles this spring, the independent candidate backed by the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party ended three decades of municipal rule by the Socialists, the traditional powerhouse of the French left.

A native of Sarcelles, a poor, multi-cultural town north of Paris, Konate, 38, leveraged his hometown roots and a network of rappers, soccer stars and influencers to mobilise young voters through social media and canvassing.

Farmer Issa al-Moussa walks among his damaged wheat crop in eastern Syria after the nearby Euphrates River flooded in recent days due to heavy rainfall and increased flows from Turkey.

Syrian authorities have said the country was experiencing an "exceptional" rise in water levels along the Euphrates River, which originates in Turkey and flows through the Raqa and Deir Ezzor provinces before reaching neighbouring Iraq.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said Monday that peacekeepers will be needed in Lebanon after the mandate of the current mission expires at year-end -- an option likely to face opposition from the United States and Israel.

Last August, the UN Security Council, under US pressure, decided to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on December 31, 2026.

By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK, June 1 (Reuters) - An alleged member of an Iran-backed militia pleaded not guilty on Monday to U.S. criminal charges he was involved in multiple attacks against American interests in Europe, proclaiming in a courtroom outburst, "I am not a criminal."

BEIRUT, June 1 (Reuters) - Lebanon's embassy in Washington said in a statement on Monday that Hezbollah had accepted a U.S. proposal for a mutual cessation of hostilities that would be extended to encompass all Lebanese territory.

The statement, shared by the Lebanese presidency on X, said the arrangement would first see Israel refrain from striking Beirut's southern suburbs in exchange for Iran-backed Hezbollah halting its attacks against Israel, after Israel had threatened to attack the capital's suburbs on Monday.

June 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Israel would send no troops to Beirut after a call he held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop."

By Francois Murphy

VIENNA, June 1 (Reuters) - A former Syrian intelligence chief in the city of Raqqa went on trial in Austria on charges of torture and sexual abuse on Monday over the mistreatment of opponents of then-leader Bashar al-Assad more than a decade ago.

It is a relatively rare case of a European country claiming jurisdiction for alleged crimes committed by agents of Assad's government. The trial, due to last a month, will include alleged victims' testimony.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop fighting, adding that Iran talks were moving rapidly after seeming to falter over Israel's Lebanon offensive.

Trump said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and had a "very good call" through unnamed representatives with the Hezbollah militant group.

Netanyahu agreed to call off a military raid on Beirut while Hezbollah agreed "all shooting will stop," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

June 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had not heard from Iranians that they were suspending talks with the Washington, but added that silence would be fine and he was willing to wait.

"I think we've been talking too much if you want to know the truth. I think going silent would be very good, and that could be for a long time," Trump said in an interview with NBC News.

"It doesn't mean we're going to go and start dropping bombs all over there," Trump was quoted as saying. "We'll just go silent. We'll keep the blockade."