Thank you for joining us for our live coverage today. Be sure to come back tomorrow for the latest updates.
Goodnight!
Red Cross 'deeply alarmed' by escalation of war in Gaza
The Red Cross said it was "deeply alarmed" as the Israeli military stepped up its operations in Gaza, with the few remaining medical facilities in the war-torn Palestinian territory already overwhelmed.
"The International Committee of the Red Cross is deeply alarmed by the intensification of hostilities in Gaza City and Jabalia, which have reportedly caused dozens of civilian deaths and injuries over the past 36 hours," the ICRC said in a statement.
The European Union is ready to facilitate the resumption of negotiations with Iran on the future of its nuclear program, its foreign minister, Kaja Kallas, said following a call with her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.
Following the Israeli and U.S. strikes, "negotiations to end Iran's nuclear program must resume as soon as possible," as well as "cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Kallas wrote on X. "The EU stands ready to facilitate this."
Israeli army announces intercepting missile fired from Yemen
The Israeli army announced that it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen shortly after air raid sirens sounded in central Jerusalem, according to AFP journalists.
Following the sounding of sirens "in several regions in Israel, a missile fired from Yemen was intercepted," a brief military statement said.
The Israeli army announced Tuesday that it had expanded its offensive in the Gaza Strip, where gunfire and strikes have killed 20, according to Palestinian relief workers, ahead of a meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.
Gaza residents said the sounds of gunfire and explosions have been almost constant in recent days across the Palestinian territory, ravaged by nearly 21 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
Funeral planned for Thursday for Hassan Nasrallah's former bodyguard
Hezbollah announced that the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah's former bodyguard, Hussein Khalil, known as "Abu Ali," and his son, Mahdi Khalil, both killed by an Israeli airstrike on Tehran on June 21, will take place this Thursday, July 3, at 5:00 p.m. The commemoration will take place in front of the Imam al-Askari compound and continue to the Jannat al-Zahra cemetery in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Hezbollah statement said.
Described in the statement as Nasrallah's "shield," "Abu Ali" systematically accompanied him during his rare public appearances and was at his coffin's side on board the funeral truck during his public funeral.
For more on "Abu Ali," click here.
Israeli forces killed 112 Palestinians in Gaza over the past 24 hours and wounded 463 others, according to the enclave's health ministry.
The ministry also said four bodies were recovered from the rubble, bringing the total death toll from the war to 56,647.
Since the resumption of fighting in March, the ministry reports 6,315 Palestinians killed and 22,064 wounded.
The Iranian embassy in Berlin rejected accusations of an alleged planned attack on Jewish institutions by a Danish national, according to Reuters.
According to Israeli media, U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped a cease-fire in Gaza would be reached "sometime next week."
Three days ago, Trump told reporters that an agreement would be reached "by next week."
He also said he would discuss the situation in Gaza, as well as the "great success we have had with Iran," during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House next week.
UN report accuses global corporations of profiting from war in Gaza
A new report by U.N. Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has sparked international attention, labeling Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza as a “genocidal campaign” that is financially benefiting major global corporations, reports Middle East Eye.
Released late Monday, the 27-page report alleges that more than 60 companies — spanning arms manufacturing, tech, and construction — are profiting from the devastation in Gaza and the West Bank.
“While life in Gaza is being obliterated and the West Bank is under escalating assault, this report shows why Israel's genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many,” Albanese wrote.
The findings are based on over 200 submissions from governments, NGOs, academics, and private entities. Among the companies named:
Lockheed Martin and Leonardo are accused of supplying weapons used in airstrikes on Gaza.
Caterpillar and HD Hyundai allegedly provided bulldozers and heavy machinery used in the demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure.
Tech giants including Google (Alphabet), Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, and Palantir are described as “central” to Israel’s surveillance and military technology operations.
Palantir, in particular, is said to support Israeli forces with AI-driven technologies, though the report does not provide extensive documentation.
While the companies named have yet to respond in detail, the report raises urgent questions about the role of private industry in conflict zones and the growing intersection of war, surveillance, and profit.
An Israeli delegation, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, has confirmed that it will meet Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance next Tuesday in Washington, according to Haaretz.
Palestinian authorities report death of 22-year-old detainee in Israeli custody
Palestinian authorities announced Monday the death of a 22-year-old Palestinian man held in Israeli detention for over a year, according to AFP. The man, Lo'ay Faiçal Nasrallah, had been imprisoned under administrative detention since March 2024. His family says he had no prior health issues, though the circumstances of his death remain unclear.
The Palestinian Commission for Prisoners' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club issued a joint statement condemning what they described as “systematic crimes” committed by the Israeli prison system. According to the statement, Palestinian detainees face daily abuses including “torture, starvation, physical assaults, medical negligence, sexual violence, and conditions that deliberately promote the spread of serious infectious diseases.”
Nasrallah had been held at Israel’s Negev prison, which the groups say is known as a hotspot for scabies outbreaks.
Netanyahu confirms Washington visit, UN to double Iran aid budget
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed he will travel to Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Israeli media.
Netanyahu also announced plans to meet Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and members of Congress for “security meetings,” the reports said.
The United Nations is preparing to double its humanitarian and development aid budget for Iran in the aftermath of the recent war with Israel, a senior UN official said Tuesday.
“We are currently drafting the budget. It will be a significant increase,” said UN Resident Coordinator in Iran, Stefan Priesner, during a press briefing in Geneva. Speaking from Tehran, he added: “It’s still early to name an exact figure, but we certainly expect to request double the funding.” Last year’s aid budget for Iran was $75 million.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he expects to travel to the United States next week for meetings with President Donald Trump, after a "great victory" in a 12-day war with Iran last month.
Netanyahu said in a statement ahead of a cabinet meeting that the visit will also include talks with other top officials, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
"We still have a few things to finalize in order to reach a trade agreement in addition to other matters," he said, referring to Trump's tariff plans. "I’ll also have meetings with congressional and Senate leaders and some security meetings."
A Danish national was arrested Tuesday in Germany on suspicion of spying for Iran, allegedly gathering information on Jewish sites and individuals in Berlin, German prosecutors said, according to Reuters.
Identified only as Ali S. under German privacy laws, the man reportedly surveilled three properties in June 2025 in preparation for further intelligence activities, which could include terrorist attacks on Jewish targets.
In Israel, police and the Shin Bet announced the arrest of a couple in their thirties from the central city of Raanana, also suspected of spying for Iran, according to Haaretz.
Authorities searched their apartment Monday, seizing phones, computers, and electronic devices, and uncovered alleged correspondence between the couple and their handler.
A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning to consider extending their detention.
Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is in Washington to explore cease-fire options ahead of Netanyahu’s visit next week. Despite mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt, talks remain stalled.
L'Orient Today's correspondent in the Bekaa, confirmed that reports circulated by some websites — including spotshotvideo — claiming tensions at the Lebanese-Syrian border ahead of Ashoura are false. She stated that there are neither tensions nor any Syrian military deployment in the area.
Over 130 aid groups — including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International — are calling for the shutdown of the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), citing its failure to protect civilians and a rising death toll among Palestinians seeking aid.
Since the GHF began operations in late May, following a three-month Israeli blockade, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 wounded while trying to access food and supplies, according to a joint statement reported by Middle East Eye.
The statement condemns “routine” shootings by Israeli forces and armed groups at aid distribution points. “Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families,” it reads.
Children and caregivers are among the dead, with minors injured in over half the documented attacks. Human rights groups also cite reports of Israeli soldiers admitting they were ordered to fire on civilians approaching aid.
An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on a pickup truck in a neighborhood of Kfar Kila, in the Marjayoun district, causing no damage or casualties, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
In southern Lebanon, an Israeli drone strike targeted a house in Harouf — specifically in Jabal al-Ahmar, located between Harouf and Shoukine (Nabatieh district) according to our correspondent in the area.
The strike reportedly injured two people, a man and a young boy, both with minor wounds.
Two young men were killed Monday night by Israeli army fire in Hebron and Ramallah, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the occupied West Bank, quoted by Haaretz.
The Israeli army said it is investigating Monday’s naval attack, during which at least 34 people were killed, according to Haaretz.
G7 foreign ministers said Monday that they support the cease-fire between Israel and Iran and called for the resumption of negotiations toward an agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program, according to a joint statement reported by Reuters.
Few incidents to report overnight in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent.
After midnight, Israeli forces launched several flare grenades over the border area between the towns of Mais al-Jabal and Blida, in the Marjayoun district.
In the morning, the Israeli army fired machine guns from its positions toward the town of Adaisseh, in the same district.
The United States announced Monday that it has approved a $510 million sale to Israel of bomb guidance kits and related services, just days after the end of the conflict between Israel and Iran.
"The proposed sale will enhance Israel’s ability to meet current and future threats by improving its capacity to defend its borders, critical infrastructure, and population centers," said the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in a statement.
"The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to help Israel develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," the agency added.
The State Department has approved the sale and submitted it to the U.S. Congress, as required by American law.
In Gaza, the Israeli military continues its indiscriminate attacks.
Despite renewed calls for a cease-fire in Gaza, local rescuers reported 51 deaths on Monday, including 24 people killed in an internet cafe, during several Israeli military operations across the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, which has endured over 20 months of conflict.
Donald Trump recently urged Israel to "make a deal in Gaza." But on the ground, Israel continues its offensive, aiming to destroy the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
In an interview aired overnight by CBS and filmed in Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the idea, put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump, of an imminent resumption of nuclear talks.
"I don't think negotiations will resume that quickly," said Araghchi, explaining that Tehran is first seeking guarantees that the U.S. will not carry out further military strikes during potential diplomatic discussions.
"Given all these factors, we still need time," he added, while reaffirming that "the doors of diplomacy will never shut," suggesting that dialogue remains possible in the future.
Araghchi also said Iran could rebuild its nuclear infrastructure and resume uranium enrichment "within months" if needed, despite recent U.S. strikes.
He further stated that Iran had demonstrated its defense capabilities and would continue to do so "if any aggression is launched against us."
The Israeli attack on Iran, which triggered the 12-day war between the two countries in June, occurred just days before a planned meeting between Tehran and Washington to discuss a new nuclear agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on July 7, according to an Israeli official cited by Haaretz.
The two leaders are expected to discuss Iran, Gaza, Syria, and other regional challenges, the official added.
In addition, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is also expected to arrive in the U.S. on Monday for a series of meetings in Washington. The same source said Dermer is scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Haaretz noted that it remains unclear whether the U.S. administration intends to pressure Israel, via Dermer, to abandon its goal of toppling Hamas in Gaza in order to end the ongoing conflict and secure the release of living hostages.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated Monday that they are "working on a date" for Netanyahu’s visit. "I know he has expressed interest in coming to Washington and meeting with the president," she said. It will be Netanyahu’s third visit to the U.S. capital since Trump returned to power in January.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East: in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, Iran and Syria.
Catch up on what you missed yesterday and what to watch out for today by reading our👉 Morning brief.
Already have an account? Login here
You have reached your article limit
Get the latest on Lebanon and the region
Read all our reports, analyses, videos, and special series for only $1!
This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers.
Already have an account? Login here
