We are now closing our LIVE coverage of the situation in the region. We will be back tomorrow morning with more news updates.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel called on Israel to “aggressively” investigate the murder of a U.S. citizen in a West Bank settler attack.
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, wrote on X that he had asked Israel to “aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Mussallet,” an American of Palestinian origin who was beaten to death in Sinjil, West Bank, during a visit to his family, Reuters reports. “Those responsible for this criminal and terrorist act must be held accountable,” Huckabee wrote. "Saif was only 20 years old.
The Israeli army fired five flares over a wooded area south of Aita al-Shaab, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
It also opened fire in the direction of the area. Our correspondent in the Bekaa reports that fighter jets and drones are currently flying over the area.
Syria condemns Israeli strikes, holds Israel responsible for 'consequences'
Syria on Tuesday condemned Israeli air strikes on the southern Druze-majority province of Sweida, where government forces entered after bloody sectarian clashes that killed more than 100.
"The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the treacherous Israeli aggression carried out today through coordinated drone attacks and military air strikes," the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that "a number of our armed forces and security personnel" as well as "several innocent civilians" were killed.
Damascus "holds Israel fully responsible for this aggression and its consequences," it added, stressing Syria's "legitimate right to defend its land and its people by all means permitted under international law."
US envoy says working to restore calm in Syria, calls clashes 'worrisome'
U.S. diplomat Tom Barrack said Tuesday that deadly violence in Syria's southern province of Sweida was "worrisome" and that his government was working to restore calm in the country.
"The recent skirmishes in Sweida are worrisome on all sides, and we are attempting to come to a peaceful, inclusive outcome for Druze, Bedouin tribes, the Syrian government and Israeli forces," Barrack, Washington's special envoy to Syria, said on X, naming the parties involved in the violence since Sunday.
Sweida: Saudi Arabia expresses 'great concern,' condemns Israeli aggression
The Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday that “the Kingdom is following with great concern the rapid developments in the Syrian province of Sweida," expressing “its solidarity with the Syrian people” and affirming “its full support for the measures taken by the Syrian government aimed at restoring security and stability in the country, and preserving civil peace, thus guaranteeing Syrian territorial unity and the integrity of its institutions.”
Riyadh “strongly condemns the continuation of Israeli aggression on Syrian territory,” which it considers “a flagrant violation of international law and a clear interference in Syrian internal affairs, threatening its stability, undermining international agreements, in particular the disengagement agreement signed in 1974 between Syria and Israel.”
The Kingdom “renews its appeal to the international community for immediate action in support of Syria at this delicate phase,” calling for “a halt to these ongoing Israeli attacks and violations,” and stressing the need for “a clear and unambiguous international position" and to “uphold international law in order to protect the sovereignty of Syria and its people.”
'Israel must do more to improve humanitarian situation in Gaza,' says EU foreign policy chief
Israel must take more concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and fully implement the agreement reached with the European Union last week, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday, quoted by Reuters.
"Israel must take more concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground. The European Union will follow the situation closely," she told reporters after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Hezbollah denounces 'abominable massacre' in Wadi Faara, Bekaa
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hezbollah strongly condemned the “abominable massacre” perpetrated by the “Zionist enemy” in the Wadi Faara region of the Bekaa. According to the Shiite party, the attack targeted a hydraulic shovel used to dig water wells, causing the death of twelve people, including seven “Syrian brothers,” as well as several injuries.
This “crime,” described by Hezbollah as a “serious aggression,” constitutes “a major escalation in the ongoing offensive against Lebanon and its people.” The statement accuses the Israeli enemy of “respecting neither laws nor international conventions” and of “committing massacres against innocent civilians.”
Hezbollah calls on the Lebanese state to "break with this useless silence" and "act seriously, immediately and firmly to make all international bodies, first and foremost the guarantor countries, face up to their responsibilities," in particular accusing the United States of shirking its obligations as guarantor of the cease-fire.
The party also insists that "the continued absence of a firm and active official position can only lead to a worsening of aggression." Hezbollah concludes by stressing that "the resilient Lebanese people, who have never accepted oppression, will remain more than ever firm and attached to their national choices of resistance, which are essential to confront the enemy, contain its aggression, and preserve Lebanon's dignity and sovereignty."
Gaza's civil defense reports 18 killed by Israeli raids and shelling
Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip reported 18 people killed Tuesday by fresh Israeli army air raids and shelling in the Palestinian territory ravaged and starved by 21 months of war, including two women near an aid center, reports AFP.
"At least 18 martyrs have been transported by Civil Defense teams [to hospitals to be declared dead] since 2 a.m., in several governorates of the Gaza Strip," this first aid organization told AFP. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army had no immediate comment.
Sharaa must be eliminated 'without delay,' says Israeli minister
Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism, Amichai Chikli, has called for the assassination of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Haaretz reports. In a post on his X account, the minister referred to fighting between Syrian regime forces and Druze militants in the southern Syrian city of Sweida.
“We must not stand idly by in the face of al-Qaeda's suit-and-tie Islamist-Nazi terror regime,” he wrote. “Anyone who thinks that Ahmad al-Sharaa is a legitimate leader is sadly mistaken: He is a terrorist, a barbaric murderer who must be eliminated without delay,” he continued.
West Bank: Population displacement highest since 1967, says UN
The U.N. has warned that massive population displacements in the West Bank have reached levels not seen since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago, reports AFP.
Since Jan. 21, the Israeli army has been carrying out a large-scale offensive known as the “Iron Wall” in several areas of the West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. According to the U.N., this military operation, presented by the Israeli army as an offensive against Palestinian armed groups, has displaced 10s of thousands of people.
This military operation is “the longest since the second Intifada” in the early 2000s, said Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), speaking from Jordan.
France announces UN conference to address post-war Gaza, recognition of Palestinian state
France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that the U.N. conference scheduled for this month will focus on the aftermath of the war in Gaza and preparations for recognition of a Palestinian state by France and other countries, according to Reuters.
The conference was postponed under pressure from the U.S. and after the start of the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran, during which regional airspace was closed, preventing representatives of some Arab states from attending. Diplomats said on Friday that the meeting had been rescheduled for July 28 and 29.
French President Emmanuel Macron was due to attend the conference and had hinted that he might recognize a Palestinian state in the territories occupied by Israel at the conference, a move Israel opposes. Macron's presence is no longer expected, which reduces the likelihood of a major announcement, according to Reuters.
Trump administration cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the West Bank
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the killing of Sayfollah Musallet, a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent, during a visit to the West Bank, calling it "shocking and appalling," Haaretz reports.
In a rare statement, the House Democratic leader called on the Israeli government to "conduct a thorough investigation into this murder and hold all settlers responsible for Musallet's brutal death accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
Jeffries also said that "the rise in violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank against Palestinian civilians is completely and utterly unacceptable."
"The Trump administration cannot continue to turn a blind eye to what is happening in the West Bank if it is truly committed to finding a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian people," he stated.
France announces that UN conference will focus on post-war situation in Gaza and recognition of Palestinian state
The French foreign minister, quoted by Reuters, said on Tuesday that the U.N. conference scheduled for this month will focus on the post-war situation in Gaza and preparations for recognition of a Palestinian state by France and other countries. The conference was postponed under pressure from the United States and after the start of the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran, during which regional airspace was closed, preventing representatives of some Arab states from attending. Diplomats said on Friday that the meeting had been rescheduled for July 28-29.
French President Emmanuel Macron was expected to attend the conference and had hinted at the conference that he might recognize a Palestinian state in the Israeli-occupied territories, a move Israel opposes. Macron's attendance is no longer expected, reducing the likelihood of a major announcement, Reuters reported.
West Bank population displacements largest since 1967
The U.N. warned that mass displacement in the West Bank has reached levels not seen since Israel began its occupation of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago, AFP reports.
Since Jan. 21, the Israeli army has been carrying out a major offensive called the "Iron Wall" in several areas of the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. According to the U.N., this military operation, presented by the Israeli army as an offensive against Palestinian armed groups, has displaced tens of thousands of people.
This military operation is "the longest since the second Intifada" in the early 2000s, said Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), speaking from Jordan.
Israeli strike on the countryside of Deraa in southwest Syria
Local Syrian sources reported that an Israeli strike targeted an artillery and tank battalion in Izraa, in the Daraa district, southwest Syria, Haaretz reported.
'Nothing has changed' on aid to Gaza despite Israel-EU deal
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Monday that "nothing has changed" on the ground in Gaza, despite an agreement reached last week between Israel and the European Union aimed at improving aid delivery.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi described the situation as "catastrophic."
"There is a real catastrophe underway in Gaza, due to the continued Israeli blockade," he said, adding that Israel had recently allowed the entry of 40 to 50 trucks from Jordan, a measure of aid that was "very insufficient" given the needs of the besieged enclave.
Israel ready to further reduce its military presence in Gaza
Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported that "Israel has agreed to new concessions regarding the Israeli military's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as part of a cease-fire agreement." He revealed that "Israeli negotiators presented updated maps showing a further reduction in Israel's military presence in the southern Gaza Strip."
According to the new maps, Israeli forces would remain in an area less than two kilometers wide north of the Philadelphia Corridor, along the Gaza-Egypt border, Ravid added, noting that Israel's initial position provided for a military presence up to five kilometers north of this corridor.
"We are serious and ready to take a few more steps toward reaching an agreement. Now it's up to Hamas to show flexibility and engage seriously in negotiations. Nothing will move forward without strong pressure from the United States," a senior Israeli official told the reporter.
The governor of Baalbeck-Hermel, Bashir Khodor, said that the Israeli strike on an excavator digging an artesian well in Wadi Faarra, in Hermel, killed seven Syrians, including five from the same family, and three Lebanese.
Meanwhile, earlier strikes in Shmustar killed two people, he added in a post on X.
An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on an excavator digging an artesian well in Wadi Faarra, Hermel. At least three people, including two Lebanese, were killed, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent, who reported that Syrians who were at the site were also injured.
In Syria, 12 Druze civilians were killed by government forces in Sweida, AFP reports.
Efforts are intensifying towards a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but negotiations are still in a preliminary phase, the Qatari mediator stressed after a week of talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha.
"Discussions on a framework agreement are continuing. Both delegations are in Doha, and mediators are intensifying their efforts to reach an agreement," said Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari.
These "negotiations are still in the first phase, which aims to reach an agreement in principle before the negotiations that will begin, God willing, in the next phase," he said at a press conference in Doha.
An Israeli drone dropped a concussion grenade on the border village of Ramieh (Bint Jbeil).
A new Israeli strike targeted Sweida, according to AFP.
Israel says it ordered its military to "immediately strike" government targets in Syria, according to AFP.
Syria's defense minister announced a "total cease-fire" in Sweida, following clashes between fighters and government troops who entered earlier in the morning.
"We are announcing a complete cease-fire, following an agreement with the city's notables," Minister Mourhaf Abu Qasra posted on X.
Clashes pitted government forces that had entered the city against Druze fighters, amid conflicting statements from Druze religious leaders, most of whom called on them to hand over their weapons without resistance. However, one prominent leader urged them to fight.
Israel is carrying out strikes on Sweida, according to AFP.
Former minister Wiam Wahab, leader of the Tawhid party, said that "the Druze are victims of genocide, and remaining neutral is treason."
"An agreement was reached for the entry of General Security, but armed men were brought in with them. To arms, to resistance: to surrender is treason," he added.
Israeli strikes on the Bekaa
The Israeli military carried out attacks targeting "several Hezbollah terrorist targets in the Bekaa Valley," Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X. "These strikes targeted camps belonging to the Radwan Force. Terrorist elements and warehouses used to store Hezbollah weapons were spotted in these camps."
According to the Israeli military, Hezbollah "used the targeted camps to conduct training to plan and execute attacks" against Israel. The party also reportedly conducted "rehabilitation activities," such as "shooting training and training in the use of various types of weapons."
Israeli strikes on the Baalbeck region
Israeli jets carried out airstrikes on Shmustar, Bodai and Wadi Um Ali (Baalbeck), as well as Taraya (west of Baalbeck), according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
Forced disarmament attempt could lead to civil war in Lebanon
U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack warned yesterday in a televised interview that any attempt to forcibly disarm Hezbollah could "lead to civil war in Lebanon," at a time when this issue remains at the heart of Lebanese and international political debates, particularly after the more than year-long war between Hezbollah and Israel.
Read the details here.
Druze spiritual leaders announced in a statement that they approved the entry of government forces into Sweida and called on Druze factions to hand over their weapons, following the Interior Ministry's announcement that it had imposed a curfew in the city.
Syrian government forces have begun entering Sweida, a predominantly Druze town in southern Syria, authorities announced after two days of deadly fighting between Druze and Bedouin fighters that left around 100 people dead.
An AFP correspondent heard explosions and gunfire after the announcement that government forces had entered the city.
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Syrian government forces to enter Sweida
Syrian government forces will enter Sweida, a predominantly Druze town in southern Syria, previously held by Druze fighters, the Interior Ministry announced, declaring a curfew in the city.
Druze spiritual leaders said in a statement that they approved the entry of government forces and called on Druze factions to hand over their weapons. The government's decision to enter Sweida comes after two days of clashes, which initially pitted Druze fighters against Bedouin tribes in the region and left around 100 dead.
Egypt and Qatar intensify mediation efforts for a truce in Gaza
Cease-fire mediators in Gaza said yesterday they have stepped up efforts to overcome obstacles hindering indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Al Jazeera reported, citing an Egyptian media outlet.
State-affiliated Al-Qahera News reported, citing anonymous sources, that Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani as part of Cairo's efforts to broker a truce in the Gaza Strip.
The date and location of the meeting were not specified. The same sources added that Rashad held a series of talks with Palestinian and Israeli negotiators.
EU has cards in hand to sanction Israel but hesitates to play them
EU foreign policy chiefs are meeting today to discuss a range of possible measures against Israel to punish human rights violations in Gaza, but with little chance of action, according to diplomats in Brussels. It is unclear whether any measure will be prioritized, one of them explained.
A report from the European Commission, presented to the 27 member states at the end of June, said that Israel has violated Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which unites it to the EU, in terms of respect for human rights.
As a result, EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas prepared a list of possible options: suspension of the entire agreement, a ban on exports from the occupied Palestinian territories, a review of visa policy or even suspension of the trade part of the Association Agreement.
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