South Lebanon
The Israeli strike near Ansar (Nabatieh) resulted in a large fire, reported our correspondent.
South Lebanon
This evening, the Israeli airstrikes targeted several areas in southern Lebanon:
- The villages of Aita al-Jabal and Kounine (Bint Jbeil district)
- An area between Zebqine (Sour) and Yater (Bint Jbeil)
- An area between Ansar (Nabatieh) and Zrarieh (Saida)
- The village of Tebna, near Baisarieh (Saida)
- An area near Rihane (Jezzine) in Aishiyeh — the village of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun — and in Sojod (Jezzine).
- The outskirts of Azza (Nabatieh)
*So far, no casualties have been reported. However, our information indicates that the targeted areas are 'unpopulated' areas and outskirts of villages.
Lebanon/Israel
The Israeli army's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adrae, claimed on X that the Israeli army struck "Hezbollah military sites."
Bekaa, Lebanon
Israeli military aircraft and drones overflew the Bekaa region at low altitude, reported our regional correspondent.
South Lebanon:
Despite the cease-fire reached on Nov. 27 of last year, the Israeli army conducted around 15 airstrikes with more than 20 missiles in southern Lebanon across various districts, reported our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
While the Israeli army has carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon, violating the cease-fire agreement, this marks the highest number of strikes in a single day since Nov. 27.
(Credit: Image sent by resident to our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah)
South Lebanon:
At least two Israeli airstrikes targeted an area between Ansar and Zrarieh, in the Nabatieh district.
(Credit: Image provided by our regional correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah)
South Lebanon
The Israeli air force struck the village of Tebna, near Baissarieh, in the Saida district.
In around 10 minutes, the Israeli army conducted some seven airstrikes in southern Lebanon.
South Lebanon:
The Israeli air force continued its strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting the village of Aita al-Jabal, in the Bint Jbeil district.
South Lebanon
Israeli military aircraft carried out a series of strikes on the Jabal al-Rihan, in the Jezzine district, reported our regional correspondent.
According to residents, three explosions were heard.
South Lebanon:
Israeli military aircraft carried out at least two airstrikes between Yater (Bint Jbeil) and Zebqine (Sour), reported our regional correspondent.
Loud explosions echoed in the surrounding region, locals told our correspondent.
South Lebanon
Israeli military aircraft overflew the Sour district at low altitudes, reported our regional correspondent.
Syria
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that "134 Alawite civilians were executed by security forces in the districts of Banyas, Latakia and Jableh."
Members of the security forces, including foreigners, intervened in the homes of residents and carried out summary executions of civilians, particularly in the town of Banyas, he added.
This brings the death toll since the outbreak of violence on Thursday to 229.
Lebanon/Syria
In a video, relayed by the Janoubia website, members of the Ghannam clan, based in Wadi Khaled, an area inside Lebanese territory on the border between North Lebanon and Syria, declared their support for the new Syrian security forces in their deadly clashes with supporters of Bashar al-Assad's former regime.
"Whoever crosses the border and hits the HTS [Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the now-disbanded rebel group that led the Islamist coalition that toppled the Assad regime on Dec. 8], whatever sect [referring to the Alawites], we are ready to fight them to the death," a spokesman for the clan said in the video, among other things.
Yemen/Gaza
Yemen's Houthi rebels will resume "naval operations against Israel" if aid supplies to Gaza do not resume within four days, the leader of the Iran-backed movement warned.
"If the Israeli enemy continues, after the first four days, to prevent aid from entering the Gaza Strip ... then we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy," said Abdel Malek al-Houthi in a televised address.
The group has initiated attacks, following the war in Gaza, and halted them after the cease-fire took effect.
Syria
The director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) told AFP that "90 Alawite civilians, at least six of them women, were executed by security forces in the districts of Baniyas, Latakia and Jableh."
He added that 45 fighters loyal to Assad and 50 members of the security forces had been killed, bringing the death toll to 185 since the outbreak of violence on Thursday.
🗞️ Ibrahim Houeija, a former Air Force intelligence chief under ex-Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, was arrested in Jableh by the new Syrian authorities yesterday.
Houeija is "accused of hundreds of assassinations under Hafez, including supervising the assassination of Kamal Joumblatt, leader and founder of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and head of the National Movement during the Lebanese Civil War," writes Malek Jadah. To find out more, press here. 👈
Syria
Syrian authorities have announced the launch of a security operation in Assad strongholds, following violent clashes that have killed more than 140 people in western Syria.
A source from the Defense Ministry, speaking to the official SANA news agency, stated: "Our forces will conduct targeted and precise operations in coordination with security forces against individuals loyal to the former regime, who have betrayed both our forces and our fellow citizens in the city of Qardaha."
The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (Credit: AFP)
"In recent days, Ankara and Tehran have exchanged harsh words, each seeking to protect its sphere of influence in Syria, even if it means clashing," Dany Moudallal writes. As tensions rise, both nations grapple with shifting alliances, regional power dynamics, and the complex situation in Syria. Will common interests prevent direct confrontation, or is a deeper rivalry inevitable? To find out more, press here. 👈
Syria
The Syrian Defense Ministry said it had "made rapid progress on the ground and restored control over areas that have been the scene of treacherous attacks," reports al-Jazeera. "We hand over all those involved to the relevant security authorities to ensure that they are held accountable in accordance with the law," the ministry added. The ministry also called on citizens to return to their areas, as the situation is "under full control."
Yesterday evening, fights between Assad loyalists and the new Syrian government forces erupted, resulting in many casualties and heightened tensions. To find out more about these clashes, press here.👈
Gaza
The Israeli army said it had carried out an airstrike against several people who allegedly were burying an explosive device in the ground in the northern Gaza Strip.
"Several terrorists have been identified operating near army troops and burying an explosive device in the ground in the northern Gaza Strip," where a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas has been in effect since Jan. 19, the army said in a statement, adding that a military aircraft had "hit them ... in order to remove the threat."
👉 Will war resume in Gaza? Clara Hage explores the renewed threat of hostilities which looms larger than ever, following new Israeli demands and strikes in the enclave.
Russia/Syria
Russian diplomacy has called for "de-escalation" in Syria. "We call on all Syrian leaders who can have an influence ... on the ground to do everything possible to stop the bloodshed," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, saying it was willing to "coordinate efforts" between "foreign partners" to ensure "rapid de-escalation."
Iran/Syria
In a statement to AFP, Iran's foreign minister said his country is in no hurry to establish ties with the new Syrian government after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, a longtime ally of Tehran.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is currently only an observer of Syrian issues; we have no relationship with the current Syrian government, and we are not in a hurry in this regard. However, we hope that the developments in Syria will move towards an inclusive popular government, and we hope that all illegal groups whose work has led to the instability in Syria will return to the rule of law," Abbas Araghchi said.
Iran
Iran's Foreign Minister warned that any Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear would trigger "a widespread fire in the region," adding that Iran would "follow by similar action against Israel," AFP reported.
Abbas Araghchi added that Israel's goals would not be achieved through a military attack. "Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed through military operations ... this is a technology that we have achieved, and the technology is in the brains and cannot be bombed. Second, Iran's nuclear facilities are scattered in many different parts of the country and are properly protected, and we are sure that they cannot be destroyed."
He also said, "I think that both Israel and America and others are fully aware of our capabilities, and therefore, if rationality prevails, even the permission for threatening Iran should not be given, let alone an actual military attack."
Syria
In a revised death toll, the SOHR claims that 69 Alawites were “executed” by security forces in two localities near Latakia, Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya. The NGO relies on videos and eyewitness accounts. It has published images showing dozens of bodies in civilian clothes piled up in the courtyard of a house, as well as summary executions.
Syria
Jordan supports Syria in all measures it takes to protect its security and rejects any foreign interference as well as any attempt to push its neighbor into chaos, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Gaza
Hamas has released a video showing a living Israeli hostage, held in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, addressing his family by identifying himself.
The Palestinian Islamist movement is still holding 58 hostages in Gaza, 34 of whom have been declared dead by the Israeli army.
South Lebanon
The Lebanese Army has issued a statement denouncing the fact that Israeli soldiers brought settlers to visit an alleged religious shrine in the Ibad-Houla (Marjayoun) region of southern Lebanon.
The site visited is traditionally considered to be the tomb of the Babylonian rabbi Rav Ashi, near the Israeli town of Manara.
In a statement, the troop pointed to a “flagrant violation of Lebanese national sovereignty.” “The entry of Israeli settlers into Lebanese territory is one aspect of the enemy's persistent violation of international laws, resolutions and related agreements, in particular Resolution 1701 and the cease-fire agreement,” it stressed.
Finally, the army said it was monitoring the issue in coordination with the committee overseeing the cease-fire agreement and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Gaza
Muslim countries are meeting today in Saudi Arabia to discuss the Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, adopted in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to take control of the Palestinian territory.
Foreign ministers from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are expected at the organization's headquarters in Jeddah, to support the plan approved by Arab leaders at Tuesday's summit in Cairo. The plan, drawn up by Egypt, envisages rebuilding the Gaza Strip without displacing its 2.4 million inhabitants.
Gaza
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for talks on Saturday with Egyptian mediators on the continuation of the fragile truce in Gaza, two Palestinian movement officials told AFP.
The “high-level” delegation will “assess progress in implementing the truce agreement and hold discussions concerning the second phase” of this agreement, which came into force on Jan. 19, said one official.
Syria
The Syrian authorities will extend the curfew until Saturday morning in the coastal region, a former stronghold of the Assad clan where security forces are conducting a vast operation, the official news agency reported.
A senior security official in the province of Latakia said that the curfew had been extended until 9 a.m. on Saturday in the town of the same name, and until 10 a.m. in the town of Tartous, as part of security operations targeting fighters loyal to the forces of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, according to the Sana agency.
South Lebanon
The Israeli army fired machine guns into the area known as Kroum al-Sharaki, east of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), to scare off the inhabitants living there, according to information from our correspondent.
South Lebanon
The Israeli army shot at and wounded three people in Kfar Kila, in Marjayoun district, after they were reportedly spotted in an area near the border wall, constructed by the Israeli army along the U.N.-drawn demarcation line known as the Blue Line.
Occupied West Bank
The Israeli army and settlers occupying Palestinian land committed 187 violations against Bedouin communities in the occupied West Bank in February, Al Jazeera reports, citing Al-Baidar Organization for the Defence of Bedouin Rights.
The report details attacks and incidents of abuse including 39 in Hebron, 18 in Bethlehem, seven in Nablus, 21 in Jericho and the Jordan Valley, 33 in Tubas, 21 in Ramallah, 21 in Salfit, 21 in Qalqilya, and six in occupied East Jerusalem.
Incidents involved damage to shelters and tents, physical assaults on civilians, livestock theft, the burning of property and agricultural equipment, home demolitions, destruction of farmland, uprooting of trees, and the construction of new settlement roads, the report said.
In January, the same organization reported 2,977 violations for the year of 2024, which pushed out 67 entire Bedouin communities comprising 340 families from their homes.
Syria
Turkey warned against "provocations" in Syria's Latakia province, saying they threatened peace, according to AFP. "Such provocations must not be allowed to become a threat to the peace of Syria and our region," foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli wrote on X.
More than 70 people were killed and dozens wounded in fierce fighting earlier today between Syrian security forces and gunmen loyal to deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad in Latakia. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), these are the most violent clashes since the fall of the Assad regime.
Syria
More than 300,000 Syrian refugees have returned home since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in early December 2024, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
In addition, 900,000 internally displaced persons in Syria have also returned home, UNHCR spokeswoman Celine Schmitt told a press briefing by video conference from Damascus.
Syria
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the “execution” on Friday of 52 Alawites, the community from which deposed president Bashar al-Assad hails, by security forces conducting a vast operation in the west of the country.
“Security forces executed 52 Alawite men in the localities of Al-Shir and Al-Mukhtariya“ in the Latakia region,” according to videos authenticated by the SOHR, as well as testimonies received from the victims' relatives.
Gaza
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for a “lasting” cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, where a truce is in force between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
“If the major powers truly care about the people of Gaza, they should promote a total and lasting cease-fire in Gaza and increase humanitarian aid,” Wang Yi told a press conference in Beijing.
Gaza
Hamas has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to meet Palestinians released from Israeli prisons as part of the truce agreement with Israel, as he had done the previous day with former Israeli hostages in Gaza.
While U.S. President Donald Trump speaks of the “unbearable suffering of Israelis detained in Gaza” ... we invite President Trump to show the same level of respect to released Palestinian political prisoners, and to take the time to meet them and listen to their stories,” wrote Bassem Naim, a member of the Palestinian movement's political bureau, in an open letter from Gaza.
Syria
Violent clashes in northwest Syria between members of the security forces and fighters “loyal” to ousted president Bashar al-Assad have killed more than 70 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday.
“More than 70 people were killed and dozens more wounded or captured in bloody clashes and ambushes on the Syrian coast between members of the defense and interior ministries and militants from the late regime's army,” the UK-based SOHR, which has an extensive network of sources in Syria, said on X. The fighting in the town of Jableh and villages near the Mediterranean coast, is the “most violent attack against the new authorities since the fall of Assad” in December, according to this source.
South Lebanon
On Thursday, the Israeli media outlet i24News reported that the Israeli army planned to authorize 250 ultra-Orthodox Jews to enter at night, under military escort. The media outlet explains that this is an exceptional authorization granted on the occasion of March 7, the anniversary of the birth and death of the prophet Moses in Jewish tradition, a period during which several holy sites are visited by ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, a UNIFIL spokeswoman pointed out that “any unauthorized crossing of the Blue Line constitutes a violation of resolution 1701.”
South Lebanon
A group of ultra-Orthodox Israelis entered Lebanese territory this morning, in southern Lebanon, at Houla (in the Marjayoun district), during a “religious visit” organized by the Israeli army, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).
The site visited is traditionally considered to be the tomb of the Babylonian rabbi Rav Ashi, near the town of Manara.
According to The Times of Israel, this site is located on the Blue Line, within a militarized site, squeezed between an Israeli army post and a base of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). It lies opposite the Lebanese village of Houla, in Marjayoun.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East, notably in Lebanon, where the period of application of the terms of the cease-fire agreed on Nov. 27 between Israel and Hezbollah officially expired on Feb. 18, but where the Israeli army continues to occupy at least five positions along the border.
We will also be following developments in Gaza, where the second part of the truce, due to come into effect on Sunday following talks in Cairo, has been postponed, while the occupied West Bank has been the scene of a violent offensive by the Israeli army for over a month. We will also be covering the situation in Syria, almost three months after the fall of the Assad regime, on Dec. 8, 2024.
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