Hamas says it has submitted its response to mediators regarding the truce proposal; Trump says Iran has not abandoned uranium enrichment| LIVE

In a statement, Hamas said it has “submitted its response to the framework proposal regarding the cessation of aggression against the Gaza Strip and the mechanisms for its implementation” to the mediators.

The movement specified that this response was adopted following a “series of extensive contacts with the leaders of Palestinian factions and forces.”

Hamas concluded that the response “was formulated unanimously and in a positive spirit,” reflecting “a responsible Palestinian leadership committed to preserving the achievements of our people and ensuring a unified Palestinian position to end the war of extermination waged against our people in the Gaza Strip.”

The U.S. envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, indirectly urged Lebanon to respond positively to the American proposal regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament, posting on X:

“Lebanon’s hope is awakening! The opportunity is here. This is a historic moment to move beyond the entrenched sectarianism of the past and finally realize the country’s true promise: ‘One nation, one people, one army.’ As the U.S. President has always said, ‘Lebanon is a great place, with great people. Let’s make Lebanon great again.’”

The Israeli army announced today that it had killed a member of Hezbollah’s elite al-Radwan force in a drone strike in Ainata, southern Lebanon.

According to our correspondent, the man killed is believed to be the same individual targeted earlier this morning in the strike near Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed his spokesperson, Omer Dostri, according to Haaretz.

Sources close to Netanyahu confirmed the information, while Dostri did not respond to the newspaper’s inquiries.

An Israeli drone fired at a pickup truck near the Birkat an-Naqqar neighborhood in the Shebaa Heights (Hasbaya district), without causing any casualties, our correspondent reports.

Security sources told the local TV channel MTV that the Lebanese Army sent reinforcements two days ago to the northern border and began patrolling along the border with Syria, from Aarida to Wadi Khaled.

According to the same channel, the Lebanese Army fears that members of the former Islamist organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham might once again infiltrate Lebanese territory, after they “repeatedly crossed the border in recent days to enter Alawite villages and kidnap wanted individuals who had fled from Syria to Lebanon.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene to put an end to the shootings at aid centers in Gaza, which have killed more than 500 people according to the UN, Turkish state agency Anadolu reported today.

Erdogan told Donald Trump at the end of June during the NATO summit that “people are being killed in queues to receive food. You must intervene so that these people are not killed,” according to the remarks quoted by the agency.

The Gaza Health Ministry, led by Hamas, announced that more than 70 people were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, and 332 were injured.

According to the statement, since the beginning of the war, 57,338 people have been killed and 135,957 injured in the Gaza Strip, with thousands still reported missing.

According to preliminary information, a pickup truck was targeted. Emergency services arrived at the scene. For now, only minor injuries have been reported.

Photo provided by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

⚡New drone strike hits a car in Bint Jbeil, near the vocational school, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

The issue of Lebanon’s response to the US proposal regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament has sparked much debate since this morning.

Al-Jadeed reported that “Hezbollah last night submitted its response to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of the cease-fire resolution,” stressing that “there is no need to conclude a new agreement that would revisit what has already been agreed upon, and the party has called on Israel to fully respect this resolution.”

According to Al-Jadeed, which also mentioned the meeting scheduled today in Baabda to discuss the matter, Hezbollah indicated in its response that it is ready to discuss its armament within the framework of a defense strategy or through an internal dialogue, affirming its willingness to participate in a constructive debate.

Sources contacted by Al Arabiya and Al Hadath said the Lebanese presidency sent an ultimatum to Hezbollah this morning, demanding a response to the proposals of the U.S. special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack.

President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri agree that “the era of weapons outside the Lebanese state is over” and have agreed not to allow any party to drag Lebanon toward destruction.

Nabih Berri reportedly sent a message to Hezbollah saying: “If you do not respond, we will move forward without you,” according to the same media outlets.

In a statement relayed by the National News Agency, Nabih Berri’s press office denied “any remarks or messages attributed to him or reported by his visitors in certain media outlets,” clarifying that “meetings are ongoing and no final position has yet been taken.”

Hezbollah acknowledged in a statement that the occupant of the vehicle hit by a strike in southern Lebanon this morning, who was killed, was one of its fighters.

Johnnie Moore, spokesperson for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a U.S.-backed organization responsible for distributing food and aid in the Gaza Strip — reported that two American aid workers were injured during foundation activities. Their lives are not in danger.

“Initial indications suggest this was a hostile act carried out by Hamas,” Reverend Johnnie Moore wrote on X, adding that more information would be provided “as soon as it becomes available.”

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and injured during GHF aid distribution operations.

Photo provided by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

In a speech on the eve of Ashura in the town of Saksakieh (Saida district, southern Lebanon), Hezbollah MP Ezzedine declared:

“No one can impose normalization with Israel on Lebanon, nor strip it of the weapons of the resistance, because these weapons are a legitimate right and an essential means of defense against a treacherous and greedy enemy.”

In a radio interview cited by the National News Agency, Lebanese Forces MP and former minister Ghassan Hasbani stated that the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament must be addressed through concrete actions, as Lebanon prepares its response to a U.S. proposal on the matter.

“What is both laughable and sad is hearing that 80 percent of the response to the American document has been finalized, when the key lies in the remaining 20 percent. That 80 percent could very well be meaningless. In my view, the response must go beyond a document — it must involve concrete action by the Lebanese Army on the ground. Deeds before words. The document should then explain how to sustain that momentum. There’s a risk that this document will be insufficient, or even end up meaningless,” he said.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health has reported one death and five injuries following three new Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon today.

Israel-Iran war: only one of 1,000 Iranian drones reached Israeli territory, reports Haaretz

During the near-total 12-day war between Israel and Iran, only one drone out of the 1,000 launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran reached Israeli territory, according to Haaretz.

“The others crashed or were intercepted, showing a 99.9 percent interception success rate,” notes the left-leaning daily, which cites U.S. military officers saying that Jordan and Syria became “graveyards for Iranian drones” during the war.

Yemenis wave the flags of Hezbollah, Lebanon, Iran, and Palestine during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians and the Gaza Strip, and in condemnation of Israel and the US, in the Huthi-run capital Sanaa on July 4, 2025. (Credit: Mohammed Huwais /

Medical sources in the Gaza Strip report at least 35 deaths from Israeli airstrikes since this morning, according to Haaretz.

Lebanon’s Grand Mufti visits Syria

The Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sunni Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, began a visit to Syria on Saturday, during which he held several meetings ahead of a scheduled meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

➡️ Follow the visit here

The person killed in the drone strike in the town of Bint Jbeil has been identified as Haytham Ismail Mustafa, from the village of Ainata in the Bint Jbeil district, according to our correspondent.

Islamic Jihad backs truce talks, calls for “guarantees”

Islamic Jihad, the main Palestinian faction allied with Hamas in the Gaza war, announced last evening — shortly after Hamas — that it supports entering truce negotiations, while demanding “guarantees” that the ceasefire will become permanent.

“We presented Hamas with a number of detailed points regarding the mechanism for implementing the truce proposal [sponsored by Washington and received] from the mediators [Egypt and Qatar], and we want additional guarantees to ensure that [Israel] will not resume its aggression after the release of [hostages],” said a statement from Islamic Jihad, cited by AFP.

“Hamas consulted us regarding the cease-fire agreement and their response was responsible. We wish to move toward an agreement,” the statement added.

Iran refuses to halt uranium enrichment

Iran has not agreed to cease uranium enrichment or to open its nuclear facilities to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday morning, as reported by Reuters.

He stated that American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites had permanently set back Iran’s nuclear program, but acknowledged that Tehran could restart it elsewhere.

The President said he would discuss the Iran issue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to the White House on Monday.

Israeli drones flying over southern Lebanon

Our correspondent in southern Lebanon reports unusual Israeli drone activity in the region’s skies.

Hamas ready for immediate cease-fire talks

Hamas announced late last night that it is ready to “immediately engage” in talks on implementing the cease-fire proposal with Israel, which it received from mediators.

“Hamas has completed its internal consultations and discussions with [other] Palestinian factions regarding the mediators’ latest proposal to end the aggression against our people in Gaza. The movement has submitted its response to the mediators […], which is positive, and is ready to immediately and seriously begin a round of negotiations on the implementation mechanism of this framework,” said a Hamas statement cited by AFP.

Photo provided by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

⚡ Another drone strike in southern Lebanon

In the town of Chaqra, in the Bint Jbeil district, another drone strike has targeted a vehicle. Preliminary reports indicate two people were injured.

19 killed in Gaza airstrikes; Trump expects possible cease-fire

In Gaza, where Palestinians continue to be killed daily by Israeli fire, a cease-fire and hostage release deal could be concluded next week, according to a new statement by President Donald Trump, cited by Reuters.

The President welcomed Hamas’s “constructive” response to a U.S.-brokered cease-fire proposal. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said he had not been briefed on the current state of negotiations.

“We need to do something about Gaza. We’re sending a lot of money and a lot of aid,” he added.

At least 19 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since early morning today, according to hospital sources cited by Al Jazeera.

U.S. proposal on Hezbollah disarmament awaiting Lebanese response

While Israel continues to occupy several positions in southern Lebanon and violates the cease-fire daily, the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament is central to a U.S. proposal to which Lebanon must respond imminently.

Media reports mentioned a meeting of the committee drafting Lebanon’s official response scheduled today at the Baabda Palace.

➡️ Click here for our latest update on this issue.

Other incidents in southern Lebanon

Our southern Lebanon correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah, reports other minor incidents:

On Saturday night after 11 p.m., a loud explosion was heard near Wazzani. The cause is unknown. Israeli forces later dropped illumination flares and opened fire with machine guns in a sweep operation. An Israeli helicopter flew over the area opposite the town of Markaba (Marjayoun district) in the morning. 

Also this morning, an Israeli drone flew at medium altitude over Yohmor and Arnoun (Nabatieh district), as well as Qlayaa, Deir Mimas and Kfar Kila (Marjayoun district).

Major developments this morning in southern Lebanon

Israeli forces have launched new drone strikes, including a deadly one.

Around 9:30 a.m., an Israeli drone hit a house in Shmeiss, within the town of Shebaa (Hasbaya district). Reports say three were injured: two lightly and one critically. About an hour later, another drone strike targeted a car near the Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil (Bint Jbeil district), killing at least one person and injuring two others.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East

In Gaza, where Israeli strikes continue even as the possibility of a deal slowly takes shape; in Lebanon, where Israel continues to regularly bomb the south despite a truce; in Iran, after a cease-fire ended 12 days of war; and in Syria, where the regime of Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December and replaced by a coalition of Islamist groups.