Lebanon-Syria agree to a cease-fire after Lebanese Army fires back at the border | LIVE

Lebanon/Syria 

Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa spoke with his Syrian counterpart, Mourhaf Abou Qasra, to discuss recent developments on the Lebanese-Syrian border, the Lebanese ministry announced.

According to the statement, "the two sides agreed on a cease-fire while maintaining communication between the Lebanese Army's intelligence directorate and the Syrian intelligence services, in order to prevent any deterioration in the situation at the border and avoid innocent civilian casualties."

Lebanon/Syria 

Lebanese Army aircraft carried out an airstrike on artillery emplacements targeting civilians in the town of Hosh al-Sayyid Ali, in the Hermel district, reported our regional correspondent. 

Lebanon/Israel

The U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed concern about the "status quo" in South Lebanon that prevails between Israel and Lebanon, during a briefing on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701 at the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Lebanon-Syria 


The Lebanese Ministry announced that, over the past two days, clashes on the Lebanese-Syrian border have killed seven people and wounded 52 others.


Today, six people were killed and 42 wounded.

Yesterday, a 15-year-old was killed and ten others wounded, including a 4-year-old girl.

Syria 

The Israeli strike near the southern Syrian city of Daraa killed two people, state-run Syrian media, SANA, reported.


"Two civilians were killed and 19 others wounded in Israeli air strikes on the outskirts of the city of Daraa," said SANA. The Israeli army said it had targeted "command centers and military sites containing weapons and vehicles belonging to the former Syrian regime."

Lebanon-Syria

The Lebanese Army issues a new statement:

“The army has sent reinforcements from special units to the Hermel region on the Lebanese-Syrian border after several of its positions were targeted from Syrian territories. In addition, the military units deployed focused their fire on their targets in the firing sectors to stop attacks on Lebanese territory.”

For its part, our correspondent in the Bekaa reports that a Lebanese Army aircraft carried out a strike against artillery positions targeting civilians in Hosh al-Sayyed Ali. Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, the army spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied this information.

Syria-Israel

The Israeli army carried out a strike near the southern Syrian city of Daraa, the official Sana news agency reported.

“Israeli fighter jets launched air strikes targeting the outskirts of the city of Daraa,” Sana said. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the attack targeted a military site housing forces of the new Syrian army.

Lebanon-Israel

The Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson reported that the latter “carried out strikes on Hezbollah military positions, where saboteurs and military equipment belonging to this group were spotted.” “Terrorist activities constitute a threat to the State of Israel and represent a flagrant violation of the agreements between Israel and Lebanon,” wrote Adraee on X.

US-Houthis

Houthi media have reported further U.S. strikes in Yemen, in the western Hodeida governorate, controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

“One strike of U.S. aggression targeted the Bajel area in Hodeida governorate,” and others targeted a steel factory in the al-Salif area of the same governorate, the Houthi news agency Saba reported, quoted by AFP. Al Massira TV also reported the strikes, the agency continued.

Lebanon-Syria

In a statement issued in the evening, the Lebanese Army confirmed that it had returned fire from sources in Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, Hermel, and indicated that contacts were taking place between the army command and the Syrian authorities in order to restore calm.

“The area of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali [Hermel] was the target of intensive shelling from the Syrian side," the Lebanese Army said. "Military units have responded to the sources of fire with appropriate weapons and are working to strengthen their defensive position in order to stop attacks against Lebanese territory.” “Contacts are continuing between the Lebanese Army command and the Syrian authorities to restore calm and bring the situation in the border area under control,” the army added.

South Lebanon

The Lebanese Health Ministry has announced that one of those wounded in the Israeli strike on Yohmor al-Shaqif has succumbed to his injuries. This brings the total to two killed and two wounded.

South Lebanon

Israeli aircraft carried out two air strikes on the Litani River between Deir Mimas and the Khardali bridge in the Marjayoun district, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon. He also reports that Israeli aircraft continue to overfly the airspace.

Lebanon-Israel

The Israeli air force has carried out several strikes in the western Bekaa, two in Zilaya and three in Labaya, reports our correspondent in the region, Sarah Abdallah.

Lebanon-Syria

Clashes at the border have resulted in injuries to residents of the Lebanese towns of Mashrafeh and Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, in the Hermel region, while the Lebanese Army is returning fire, reports our correspondent in the Bekaa.

Many residents of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali have had to flee the town because of the shelling, our correspondent continues.

Hosh al-Sayyed Ali is a border town between Lebanon and Syria. A large part of the town lies on Syrian territory, and is considered virtually abandoned due to the small number of inhabitants. While the Syrian army has entered the area of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali located on Syrian territory, the Lebanese Army is positioned on the Lebanese side of the locality, as are the clans who are also located on the Lebanese side, explains our correspondent.

Lebanon-Syria

Commenting on the clashes on the Lebanese-Syrian border, Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan denied “any responsibility” on the part of his party in a statement to the Russian news agency Sputnik. He claimed that “these events are the result of attacks carried out by armed men against Lebanese citizens” and stressed “the need for the Lebanese state to defend these citizens, who are exposed to bombardment and murder.” “The inhabitants of the border villages in the north-east are only defending themselves, and these attacks must stop as soon as possible,” he added.

South Lebanon-Israel

“Lebanon is committed to implementing Resolution 1701 in all its aspects,” said Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa, as he received the French Ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, in his office in Yarze. In this context, he asked France to “support the Lebanese position calling for the total withdrawal of the Israeli enemy from the five points it still occupies in the South, and to exert pressure to put an end to its daily violations and aggressions.”

Magro reaffirmed “France's continued commitment to supporting Lebanon and its army ... to enable it to pursue its vital role throughout Lebanese territory.”

US-Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Iran will be held accountable and face “serious” consequences in the event of further attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

“Every shot fired by the Houthis will now be considered to have come from the weapons and command of IRAN. IRAN will be held accountable and will suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be severe,” said Trump on Truth Social, reports Reuters.

Lebanon-Syria

Syrian army artillery targeted the locality of Mashrafeh, adjacent to the Qoussair region, east of the town of Hermel, bombarding all the houses in the village, reports our correspondent in the Bekaa. At the same time, the intensity of clashes is increasing on the outskirts of the border town of al-Qasr.

⚡️ Lebanon-Syria

Violent clashes involving heavy artillery pitted the Lebanese Army against Syrian groups on the outskirts of Hoch al-Sayyed Ali, in the Hermel region, a source in the Lebanese army told L'Orient-Le Jour. Earlier, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had ordered the Lebanese army to retaliate against sources of fire on the Lebanese-Syrian border.

South Lebanon

Commenting on the drone strike that killed two people in the Yohmor al-Shakif region, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz explained that “the Israeli army has just struck Hezbollah terrorists in the Yohmor region, after they engaged in terrorist activities against Israel,” in a statement quoted by The Times of Israel.

“Our policy is clear: zero tolerance for any violation [of the ceasefire]. We will not allow any violation of the agreement, and we will not allow the terrorist organization Hezbollah to restore its capabilities,” he continued, before adding that "any terrorist who tries to harm Israeli civilians is a dead man."

Gaza

Three sources familiar with the issue of “relocating” Gaza's inhabitants to another country, a project initially desired by U.S. President Donald Trump, have told U.S. network CBS News that the Trump administration and Israel have also been interested in Syria as a potential destination, in addition to Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland, the network reported on Sunday.

A source familiar with the Trump administration's Middle East policy said it had attempted to establish contact with the new Syrian interim government through a third-party interlocutor, the U.S. network reports. Another source told CBS News that the Syrian government had been approached, but that it was unclear whether Syria had responded to this approach.

Lebanon-Syria

Artillery fire on the Lebanese-Syrian border, from Mashrafeh to al-Qasr, has resumed at an intense pace, reports our correspondent in the Bekaa.

Syria

The European Union will provide nearly 2.5 billion euros in international aid to Syria between 2025 and 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged at the opening of a donor conference in Brussels, AFP reported.

"The Syrian people need more aid, whether they are abroad or have decided to return home," von der Leyen said.

Lebanon-Syria

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has ordered the Lebanese Army to respond to the sources of fire along the Lebanese-Syrian border, the Lebanese presidency reported.

"What is happening on the eastern and northeastern borders can no longer continue, and we will not tolerate it," Aoun said. "I have given instructions to the Lebanese Army to respond to the sources of fire."

Aoun also contacted Foreign Minister Joe Rajji, who is currently in Brussels, and instructed him to engage with the Syrian delegation attending the annual donor conference "to resolve this issue as soon as possible while ensuring the sovereignty of both states and preventing a further deterioration of the situation," the Lebanese presidency said.

Syria

The United Kingdom has pledged to mobilize up to 160 million pounds (about 190 million euros) in aid for Syria this year, the Foreign Office announced as an international donor conference took place in Brussels, AFP reported.

This contribution "underscores our commitment to helping Syrians stabilize and rebuild their country, as well as providing vital assistance to Syrian refugees in neighboring countries," said Hamish Falconer, Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign Office, in a statement.

Yemen

Tens of thousands of people marched in Yemen in response to a call by the Houthi rebels, two days after deadly U.S. airstrikes targeted the Iranian-backed group's strongholds, according to footage broadcast by Houthi television.

"Death to America, death to Israel," chanted protesters gathered in the capital, Sanaa, while demonstrations were also held in Saada (north), the rebels' stronghold, as well as in Hodeida (west), Dhamar (southwest), and Amran (west), according to Al-Masirah TV.

South Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Yohmor al-Shakif killed one person and wounded three others, according to the Health Ministry.

Citing village residents, our correspondent in South Lebanon had initially reported two killed.

Lebanon-Syria

Syria’s Information Ministry condemned the "targeting" of journalists at the Lebanese-Syrian border and called on the Lebanese government to hold those responsible for the attack accountable.

According to Syria’s state news agency, SANA, a journalist and a photographer were wounded at the border near the Zaita checkpoint in a rocket strike that Damascus blamed on Hezbollah.

"The ministry condemns the fact that a group of journalists on the ground at the Lebanese-Syrian border was directly targeted by guided missiles fired by the Hezbollah militia after it abducted and killed three Syrian army members yesterday," the statement said. It urged the Lebanese government to "assume its responsibilities and hold those responsible for this attack accountable." The ministry also described the incident as a "flagrant violation of international laws and standards that guarantee the protection of journalists in the course of their duties."

South Lebanon

The Israeli army announced that it had carried out airstrikes on two Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon.

"A short while ago, two Hezbollah terrorists who were serving as spotters and directing terrorist activities were struck by the IDF [Israeli army] in the Yohmor region of southern Lebanon," the statement said. This announcement came a day after the Israeli military reported identifying a rocket launch from Lebanon toward Israel.

Gaza

The Israeli army has announced that it has carried out air strikes on Gaza on who it claims were "fighters attempting to plant explosive devices."

A first strike targeted “three terrorists operating near [army] troops and attempting to bury an explosive device in the ground in the central Gaza Strip,” the army said in a statement, reporting another strike in the Rafah region (south) against “several terrorists.”

South Lebanon

The death toll from the strike on Yohmor al-Shakif has risen to two killed, according to information from our correspondent.

South Lebanon

The strike in Yohmor al-Shakif left one person killed and several injured, according to our correspondent. Contrary to earlier reports, the drone strike hit a motorcycle passing a supermarket in the village center, while pedestrians and a van were passing by. Pedestrians were slightly injured in the shot, while the van near the target and the nearby supermarket caught fire.

South Lebanon

According to our correspondent's local sources, the Israeli drone strike targeted a van in Yohmor al-Shakif and injured two people. One of them is in a serious condition.

Photo sent by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

⚡ South Lebanon

An Israeli drone carried out a strike on a vehicle in Yohmor al-Shakif, in the district of Nabatieh, according to information from our correspondent. No information was immediately available on possible casualties.

Lebanon-Syria

Syrian forces arrested two Syrian nationals at dawn from their home in Fadilieh, Lebanon near the border with Syria, two local sources told our correspondent.

Their remains were later found in the border town of Sad Matraba.

Lebanon-Syria

A journalist and a photographer were wounded in a Hezbollah rocket attack on the Lebanese-Syrian border, near the Zaita dam, according to the official Syrian news agency Sana.

Lebanon-Syria

Reacting to the escalation on the Lebanese-Syrian border, Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh called on President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese Army yesterday to protect the Lebanese in border areas.

Lebanon-Syria

According to our correspondent, two shells fired from the vicinity of al-Qasr (north of Hermel) fell on the town, while “Shahine” reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Lebanon/Syria

The Lebanese Army claimed on Monday to have retaliated on Sunday night to the bombardments that targeted the Lebanese border from Syria, and handed over to the Syrian authorities the remains of three Syrians killed in clashes between Hezbollah-aligned clans and members of the Syrian armed forces.

“After two Syrians were killed and another wounded on the Lebanese-Syrian border in the vicinity of al-Qasr (Baalbeck-Hermel district), the latter was transferred to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” the troop said in a statement. It also claimed to have handed over the bodies of the three Syrians to the Syrian side and put in place “exceptional security measures.”

“Lebanese villages were bombed from Syria. Our military units responded with the appropriate weapons and reinforced their deployment to control the security situation,” the army continued. Finally, it indicated that contact between the army command and the Syrian authorities is ongoing to restore security and maintain stability in the border area.

Yemen

On the regional front, the Houthis claimed responsibility for two attacks on a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea yesterday and today. They also warned they would target American cargo ships in retaliation for U.S. strikes that Washington says killed several of their leaders.

South Lebanon

South Lebanon saw an especially violent day on Sunday. At least four people were killed by Israeli strikes, according to our correspondent. The strikes, carried out by drones and warplanes, took place at dawn and again in the evening.

The Israeli army claimed responsibility, saying it targeted Hezbollah fighters overnight and later in the evening hit "the headquarters of the Radwan Force," the group's elite unit in the South.

South Lebanon

At least two people were killed Sunday night in airstrikes on the outskirts of Ainata, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The Israeli army said the strikes targeted "the headquarters of the Radwan Force," Hezbollah's elite unit, as well as party buildings in South Lebanon.

Lebanon-Syria

The Lebanon-Syria border in Hermel, northern Bekaa, saw a flare-up of tensions Sunday between Lebanese residents, mostly clans reportedly linked to Hezbollah, and members of the Syrian armed forces.

Cross-border gunfire and mortar shelling from Syria killed at least three Lebanese, including a child, and three Syrian soldiers. Damascus accused Hezbollah of "kidnapping and executing" the Syrian soldiers. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the "incidents on the Lebanese-Syrian border."

Lebanon-Syria

Tensions have eased, and a fragile calm prevailed this morning along the Lebanese-Syrian border, according to our correspondent.

South Lebanon situation update – Sunday night

• After 11 p.m., a helicopter struck the village of Yaroun (Bint Jbeil) with four missiles. The Israeli army also fired flares over Mazraat al-Mjaydieh (Hasbaya), according to our correspondent.
• After midnight, an Israeli force advanced near Khallet Wardeh and Hadab Aita in the village of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).

Good morning. Thank you for joining us for today's live coverage of the cease-fires in Lebanon and Gaza and the events in the region. Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to catch up on the weekend's main events.