12AM ET 06/20/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update: 12AM ET 06/20/2026 Newscast

Main Theme:
This episode delivers a concise, fact-driven roundup of major domestic and international news events, with a spotlight on a new Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, shifts in global oil markets, the unveiling of a new Air Force One, and the release of previously classified COVID-19 origin files by outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Amid Regional Strain

• Ceasefire Reached:
  • Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire after heavy fighting in southern Lebanon, which had raised fears about destabilizing a broader ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
  • Debra Valentine (00:03): "Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire after their fighting in southern Lebanon had threatened to unravel the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran."
• Recent Violence & Aftermath:
  • IDF struck 80 targets in southern Lebanon following attacks reportedly backed by Iran.
  • Four Israeli soldiers were killed; Lebanese sources report 47 fatalities due to Israeli airstrikes.
  • Alex Hogan (00:17): "The IDF says that it struck as many as 80 targets in southern Lebanon today, firing back after the Iranian-back regime in attacks killed as many as four Israeli soldiers."
• Current Status:
  • Despite the ceasefire, Israel maintains a security presence.
  • Netanyahu's statement: Israeli troops will "remain in the security zone."
  • Israeli Official (via Alex Hogan, 00:43): "We are currently in a ceasefire, we remain in the security zone."

2. US-Iran Diplomacy & Strategic Oil Reserves

• Diplomatic Shifts:
  • US Vice President J.D. Vance postpones Swiss peace talks with Iran due to ongoing instability.
  • Debra Valentine (00:53): "Vice President J.D. Vance postponing his planned trip to Switzerland for planned peace talks with Iranian officials."
• Energy Market Updates:
  • Oil prices decline as traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz, yet US crude reserves reach a historical low.
  • Connor Hansen (01:09): "The SPR currently sits at around 340 million barrels. It hasn't been that low since 1983."
  • Energy Department had released 172 million barrels over 120 days to temper price spikes, raising concern about emergency reserves.
  • Connor Hansen (01:09): "Since the strait's closure, the US has been exporting record amounts of oil. But that has led to concerns about the state of the nation's strategic petroleum reserve."
• Relief at the Pump:
  • National average gas price down 50 cents month-over-month to $3.97.
  • Debra Valentine (01:47): "AAA putting the nationwide average for a gallon of regular at $3.97, down 50 cents from one month ago."

3. New Air Force One Unveiled

• Event & Aircraft Details:
  • President Donald Trump presented a new Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews.
  • The aircraft, a temporary measure (“bridge”) before a new presidential fleet, was a gift from Qatar and retrofitted by the US Air Force.
  • Interior features include spacious cabins, leather seating, and large monitors.
  • Jared Halpern (02:37): "President Trump walked down the steps of a new aircraft that will begin serving as Air Force One."
• Memorable Quote:
  • President Trump (via narrator, 02:46): “There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world’s most luxurious plane."

4. Major Declassification on COVID-19 Origins

• DNI Transition & Declassification:
  • Outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a significant cache of declassified documents related to the government's handling of the COVID-19 origins investigation.
  • Documents include intelligence assessments, internal communications, whistleblower reports, and grant records tied to research in China.
  • Brooke Taylor (03:27): "These pages ... are really hundreds and hundreds of pages of declassified documents which she says exposes the government's handling of their investigation into where Covid really came from."
• Wuhan Lab Focus:
  • Gabbard claims documents show US taxpayer funding for COVID research involving Wuhan scientists, central to the lab leak debate.
  • Brooke Taylor (03:27): "Gabbard says the record show US taxpayer dollars funded Covid research involving scientists at the Wuhan Lab, which is a focus of the lab leak debate for years."
• Related Release – Ukraine Biolabs:
  • Mention of prior release last week on US biolabs in Ukraine, previously denied by officials.
  • Gabbard stepping down for personal reasons; Dr. Fauci denies wrongdoing.
  • Debra Valentine (04:02): "Gabbard last week released files on US biolabs in Ukraine which were hidden and denied by Dr. Anthony Fauci and intelligence officials. Gabbard is stepping down to be with her husband who's battling a rare form of bone cancer."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire:
  • Alex Hogan (00:17): "There was a lot of concern here on the ground today that this deal was already off after renewed fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah."
• On the State of US Oil Reserves:
  • Connor Hansen (01:09): "The SPR currently sits at around 340 million barrels. It hasn't been that low since 1983."
• On the Air Force One Unveiling:
  • President Trump (via narrator, 02:46): "There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world's most luxurious plane."
• On COVID Document Dump:
  • Brooke Taylor (03:27): "They include intelligence assessments, internal emails, whistleblower allegations and grant documents tied to Covid research in China."

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 — Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire announced (Debra Valentine)
• 00:17 — Details on fighting, casualties, and political response (Alex Hogan)
• 00:53 — VP J.D. Vance delays peace talks; oil reserve update (Debra Valentine, Connor Hansen)
• 01:47 — National gas price drops reported (Debra Valentine)
• 02:37 — Unveiling of the new Air Force One (Jared Halpern, President Trump quote)
• 03:27 — DNI Tulsi Gabbard releases COVID-19 origin files (Brooke Taylor)
• 04:02 — Reference to US biolab files in Ukraine, Gabbard stepping down (Debra Valentine)

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Summary Tone:
The episode maintains FOX News’s brisk, authoritative tone, with field reporters and anchors providing rapid, on-the-ground updates and direct attribution for all key facts and claims.

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Transcript

[Debra Valentine]

A ceasefire. I'm Debra Valentine, Fox News. Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire after their fighting in southern Lebanon had threatened to unravel the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. Fox's Alex Hogan has more from Tel Aviv.

[Alex Hogan]

There was a lot of concern here on the ground today that this deal was already off after renewed fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah. The IDF says that it struck as many as 80 targets in southern Lebanon today, firing back after the Iranian back regime in attacks killed as many as four Israeli soldiers. And Lebanon says that as many as 47 people were killed there in new Israeli airstrikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying troops will remain in the security zone, although a senior Israeli official tells Fox, quote, we are currently in a ceasefire, we remain in the security zone.

[Debra Valentine]

Vice President J.D. vance postponing his planned trip to Switzerland for planned peace talks with Iranian officials. Oil prices are down as shipping has ramped up in the busy Strait of Hormuz and U.S. crude reserves are down. Fox Business Network's Connor Hansen reports from the White House.

[Connor Hansen]

The administration says it could start refilling those reserves in the fall. And while there have been more ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, some experts warn it could still be a while before things get back to normal. Since the strait's closure, the US has been exporting record amounts of oil. But that has led to concerns about the state of the nation's strategic petroleum reserve. The SPR currently sits at around 340 million barrels. It hasn't been that low since 1983. Back in March, the Energy Department announced it was releasing 172 million barrels of oil over a 120 day period to help address global price spikes.

[Debra Valentine]

AAA putting the national nationwide average for a gallon of regular at $3.97, down 50 cents from one month ago. America is listening to F News.

[Chevron Commercial Narrator]

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[Jared Halpern]

USA250 responsibly President Donald Trump unveiling the

[Debra Valentine]

new Air Force One during an event at Joint Pace Andrews.

[Jared Halpern]

Inside a hulking hangar at Joint base Andrews outside D.C. president Trump walked down the steps of a new aircraft that will begin serving as Air Force One.

[Chevron Commercial Narrator]

There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world's most luxurious plane.

[Jared Halpern]

When it was built, the aircraft, considered a bridge by the Air Force until a new fleet of presidential planes is complete, was a gift from the government of Qata. Military officials spent 10 months retrofitting the aircraft. Inside, several spacious cabins feature leather seating and large television monitors for staff and the press. At the White House, Jared Halpern, FOX News.

[Debra Valentine]

The outgoing director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard with a parting gift for America releasing a tranche of government files on The Origins of COVID 19. Fox's Brooke Taylor has more.

[Brooke Taylor]

In her final act as the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard releasing these pages that are really hundreds and hundreds of pages of declassified documents which she says exposes the government's handling of their investigation into where Covid really came from. They include intelligence assessments, internal emails, whistleblower allegations and grant documents tied to Covid research in China. Now Gabbard says the record show US Taxpayer dollars funded Covid research involving scientists at the Wuhan Lab, which is a focus of the lab leak debate for years.

[Debra Valentine]

Gabbard last week released files on US biolabs in Ukraine which were hidden and denied by Dr. Anthony Fauci and intelligence officials. Gabbard is stepping down to be with her husband who's battling a rare form of bone cancer. Housing finance director Bill Pulte will slide over as acting DNI director. Dr. Fauci has denied wrongdoing. I'm Debra Valentine. This is FOX News.

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