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Trump on official visit to the Gulf in May

Donald Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16, his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced.

This will be the second international trip by the American president since his inauguration on Jan. 20, following his planned trip to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday.

Suspicious messages urge Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip

Residents of the Gaza Strip have recently begun receiving messages via WhatsApp inviting them to "consider opportunities to leave the Gaza Strip," Haaretz reports.

One of these messages, addressed to Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, offered them to "set up a meeting" with a certain "Captain Jalal" in the Netzarim corridor, south of Gaza City, an area controlled by the Israeli army. The Israeli army told Haaretz that it was not aware of such messages being sent.

Hamas responded to this phenomenon by denouncing an "Israeli disinformation campaign" aimed at promoting emigration and "undermining the national resolve of the Palestinian people." The movement called on the population not to cooperate and to be wary of associated phone numbers, which could be used "for intelligence recruitment purposes."

Putin calls for immediate Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories

Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, issued a joint statement on Tuesday following their meeting in Moscow, in which the two leaders stressed "the need for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories."

According to the statement, they expressed their "deep concern" at the resumption of the war in Gaza, and spoke in favor of an "immediate and lasting cease-fire."

High-level talks between Iran and the United States postponed until Saturday

High-level nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, originally scheduled for Wednesday, have been postponed until Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

The previous round of bilateral talks between Tehran and Washington took place last Saturday in Rome, Italy, following a first round held in Muscat, Oman, a week earlier.

Body of al-Rissala rescuer recovered by collegues

A team from the al-Rissala Scouts, the rescue association affiliated with the Amal Movement, announced that it had recovered the body of one of its volunteers, Youssef Siklawi, from the village of Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain (Sour), killed during the war between Hezbollah and Israel, L'Orient Today's correspondent reported.

In a detailed report released in January, the Ministry of Health said that at least 223 medical and rescue personnel were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon between Oct. 8, 2023, and Nov. 27, 2024, with an additional 330 injured.

Israeli cabinet ministers are expected to discuss a timeline for reaching an agreement with Hamas on the return of hostages held in Gaza and the next steps regarding the deployment of the Israeli army at a meeting later this evening, Israeli news outlet Ynet reported.

Israeli army claims it killed 'senior Jamaa Islamiya official'

The Israeli army stated, in a message posted on X by its Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, that it had eliminated a “senior official of Jamaa Islamiya, affiliated with Hamas,” in the Naameh area near Damour. According to Adraee, Hussein Atwi was “involved in planning terrorist plots against Israel, including attacks on the Israeli army along the northern border.”

The army also alleged that during his years with Jamaa Islamiya, Atwi had “launched rockets, attempted to infiltrate Israeli territory, and planned attacks on Israelis worldwide.”

Southern Lebanon

Hezbollah's Islamic relations official, Sheikh Abdel Majid Ammar, condemned Israel's assassination of Sheikh Hussein Atwi, a member of the Jamaa Islamiya, calling it a "cowardly act aimed at undermining the resistance." Ammar attributed the "continued aggression against Lebanon" to U.S. support for Israel and the lack of intervention from international actors. He urged the Lebanese state to take decisive action beyond mere condemnation in order to protect its sovereignty and resist enemy violence.

Israeli army claims to have killed a "senior official of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya"

The Israeli army said, in a message on X from its Arabic-speaking spokesman Avichay Adraee, that it had killed a "senior official of the Hamas-affiliated al-Jamaa al-Islamiya" in the Naameh region, near Damour.

According to Adraee, Hussein Atwi was "involved in planning terrorist plots against Israel, including strikes against the Israeli army on the northern border." During his years with al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, the army claims, he "carried out rocket attacks and attempted to infiltrate Israeli territory, as well as planning attacks against Israelis worldwide."

What else do we know about Hussein Atwi? Read here.

Lazzarini denounces 'deliberate' famine in Gaza

The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, condemned the "worsening, deliberate famine" in Gaza, following 50 days of Israeli blockade on aid entering the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

“Gaza has become a land of desperation. Hunger is spreading and deepening, deliberate and man-made,” he stated.

One killed in Israeli army drone strike in South Lebanon

or the second time today, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a car on Lebanese territory, killing the driver, according to information from our correspondent. This second targeted vehicle was struck in Haniyeh, South Lebanon, following intense drone activity over the Sour region.

Lazzarini deplores "deliberate" starvation in Gaza

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has denounced the "worsening, deliberate starvation" in Gaza, after 50 days of Israeli blockade on aid entering the war-ravaged enclave.

"Gaza has become a land of desperation. Hunger is spreading and deepening, deliberate and man-made," he said.

The van hit by the Israeli army in Haniyeh. Photo obtained by L'Orient Today's correspondent Mountasser Abdullah.

More details on the deadly strike on Haniyeh in South Lebanon

The victim of the strike on Haniyeh (Sour) was a person from Majdel Zoun (in the same region) who had escaped an earlier strike in Deir Kanoun Ras al-Ain, according to information from our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah. The drone fired two missiles at the vehicle, the first did not hit it.

Artillery fire on Shebaa, sound bomb dropped on Aita al-Shaab in South Lebanon

In addition, Israeli artillery targeted Shebaa (Hasbaya), which was hit by two shells according to local residents, while a sound bomb was dropped by an Israeli drone on the central square of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).

One killed in Israeli drone strike in South Lebanon

For the second time today, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a car on Lebanese territory, killing the driver, according to information from our correspondent. The second targeted vehicle was struck in Haniyeh, South Lebanon, following intense drone activity over the Sour region.

Jamaa Islamiya announces the death of one of its "commanders"

Jamaa Islamiya, a Lebanese political party, confirmed in a brief statement the death of Hussein Azzat Atwi in an Israeli drone strike on his car, “as he was traveling from his home in Baaouerta to his workplace in Beirut.” The party described Atoui as both a "commander" and a university professor.

Detained pro-Palestinian student activist meets U.S. senator

A U.S. senator shared a video of his meeting with detained Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was taken into custody by immigration officials over his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Video can be seen on Al-Jazeera website.

South Lebanon

An Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of Haniya town (Sour district), and immediately, ambulance teams headed to the targeted area, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the south.

The airstrike was preceded by intensive drone flights over the skies of the villages of Sour, local residents reported.

Jerusalem

Israeli police in occupied East Jerusalem, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. Witnesses said the settlers arrived in groups and roamed the site, seeking to “provoke” Palestinians.

Israeli forces deployed heavily throughout the Old City, stationing officers at every gate leading to al-Aqsa, Wafa reported. Witnesses described the area to Wafa as resembling a “military barracks”.

Hamas delegation heads to Egypt to discuss 'new ideas' for Gaza cease-fire

A Hamas delegation is en route to Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian mediators about “new ideas” for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip after 18 months of war, a senior Hamas official told AFP.

The delegation, which includes the group’s chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, will “hold meetings with Egyptian officials regarding new ideas aimed at reaching a cease-fire,” the official said. This development comes just days after Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for a temporary truce.

For a closer look at the stalled Gaza truce negotiations, read here.

Israel/Gaza

Israeli army has released the names of more than 60 Palestinians from Gaza who are held in Israeli prisons and camps, according to a joint statement by the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society and Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs.

The development comes after changes to Israel’s “unlawful combatant” law, the prisoners’ groups said on Telegram.

The statement said Israel still “deliberately” issues contradictory information and continues to commit “enforced disappearances” against Palestinians from Gaza.

Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya in Lebanon mourned the death of its “academic and university professor Dr. Hussein Azzat Atwi, who was killed by Israel. He was targeted in a drone strike that attacked his car on Tuesday as he was traveling from his home in the town of Baaorta to his workplace in Beirut.”

Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza now risen to 25 since morning

Palestinian Civil Defense has reported that Israeli forces have killed 25 people in airstrikes across the Gaza Strip since this morning, according to an updated toll.

Civil defense confirms one killed in Baaouerta strike

Lebanese Civil Defense confirmed on X that the driver of the car targeted in Baaouerta, Mount Lebanon, was killed. Civil Defense teams responded to “extinguish a fire in a car at 9:10 a.m. after it was targeted by an Israeli drone.” They retrieved the body of a victim from the vehicle.

al-Jamaa al-Islamiya member targeted in Baaouerta, Mount Lebanon

A senior official from al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a Lebanese Sunni party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, confirmed to our correspondent that the individual targeted in the car bombed by an Israeli drone in Baaouerta belonged to the party. The driver of the targeted vehicle is Sheikh Hussein Atoui, originally from Hebbariyeh in the Hasbaya district of South Lebanon and a professor at the Lebanese University.

Sheikh Atoui had previously survived an Israeli strike in South Lebanon several months ago. His current condition following this latest strike was not immediately known.

Israeli strike on car in Mount Lebanon

An Israeli drone struck a car near Baaouerta in the Aley district of Mount Lebanon, less than 20 kilometers south of Beirut, according to our correspondent. A video shows the targeted vehicle engulfed in flames on a secondary road. The strike occurred near a Lebanese army barracks. No immediate information was available about casualties or the identity of the person targeted.

Relatively calm Monday in South Lebanon

Monday passed relatively calmly in southern Lebanon, according to local sources, following a violent Sunday. On that day, Israeli airstrikes killed two individuals in Kaouthariyet al-Siyad and Houla, whom the Israeli army described as Hezbollah "operatives." Israeli jets also bombed multiple areas in the South—in the Nabatieh and Saida regions and on the Jezzine heights — reportedly targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Netanyahu threatens Houthis with 'strong response'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a "strong response" to the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been launching missiles and drones at Israel since the war in Gaza began in Oct. 2023. "To the Houthis and all who wish us harm: any attack on us will not go unanswered. There will be a strong response," Netanyahu declared in a speech delivered in Jaffa, central Israel.

Nighttime incursion into Abbassiyeh

Between Monday night and early Tuesday, Israeli military vehicles crossed into Lebanese territory, infiltrating the village of Abbassiyeh in the Hasbaya district, reaching as far as the village mosque, according to a local correspondent. The vehicles later withdrew to Ghajar, a disputed village annexed by Israel that straddles the border. Earlier in the night, Israeli drones were seen flying at low altitude over several villages in the Nabatieh and Sour regions.

Good morning and welcome to today's live blog, covering Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East, stay tuned for live updates.

Catch up on yesterday's news with our Morning Brief .