This concludes our live coverage for the day.
Check in tomorrow for more regional updates.
(Credit: Image sent by locals to our regional correspondent, Mountasser Abdalla/L'Orient Today)
The targeted vehicle caught fire following the Israeli drone strike in Houmin Fawqa, Nabatieh district.
Israeli drone strike kills driver in Houmin Fawqa, south Lebanon
An Israeli army drone fired two missiles at a car in Houmin Fawqa, in Iqlim al-Tuffah, Nabatieh district, killing the driver. The vehicle caught fire after being directly hit, and ambulances rushed to the scene, our regional correspondent reported.
The victim was identified as Abbas Jawad, our correspondent added.
Israel rules out Turkish troops in Gaza multinational force
Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesman for the Israeli government, said there will be no Turkish troops in Gaza as part of the multinational force planned with the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
"There will be no Turkish boots in Gaza," the official told Reuters in response to journalists’ questions.
Former Israeli army legal chief hospitalized after suspected suicide attempt
The Israeli army’s former chief legal officer, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi — who previously leaked a video showing Israeli soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee — was hospitalized in Tel Aviv today, Haaretz reported.
A source told Haaretz she may have attempted to harm herself by taking sleeping pills. She was found conscious and is not in life-threatening condition.
Tomer-Yerushalmi, a former Israeli army general, is under house arrest following her detention last week over the leaked video. She has been under severe Israeli public scrutiny since.
Netanyahu announces 'national day of recognition' for Israeli soldiers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the establishment of a "national day of recognition" dedicated to IDF soldiers, as attacks on Palestinians continue in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, al-Jazeera reported.
Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said his cabinet would also approve "additional assistance for professional soldiers and regular service conscripts," including an economic relief fund, bonuses, financial incentives and housing benefits.
According to official figures, more than 880 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023.
Collège de France cancels Palestine conference amid controversy
The Collège de France announced it is canceling a conference on Palestine, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, citing “the controversy surrounding the holding” of the event.
“The administrator of the Collège de France, responsible for the safety of property and people as well as the serenity of events on the premises, is obliged to cancel the event,” the institution said. It added that the Collège “does not advocate, encourage, or support any form of activism” and maintains strict neutrality on political or ideological issues.
The conference, “Palestine and Europe: the weight of the past and contemporary dynamics,” co-organized by historian Henry Laurens and the Arab Centre for Research and Political Studies (Carep Paris), was described by several public figures as “pro-Palestinian.” The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) called it an “anti-Zionist fair,” criticizing the use of a prestigious institution, and said it would refer the matter to the Minister of Higher Education.
Read more on the controversy, here.👈
Hamas hands over the body of an Israeli soldier killed in 2014
The Israeli army said today that Hamas handed over a coffin to the Red Cross in Gaza, reportedly containing the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed in 2014.
“According to information provided by the Red Cross, the coffin of a hostage has been transferred to their custody and is on its way to army troops in Gaza,” the army said in a statement.
It did not confirm the identity of the remains, which will be verified by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine.
At least 241 Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza since cease-fire came into effect
Gaza's Health Ministry reported that one person was killed and five others wounded in the past 24 hours due to continued Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
The ministry said six bodies were recovered and transported to various hospitals, noting that "many victims remain under the rubble or in the streets, with rescue and civil defense teams unable to access them at the moment."
Since the cease-fire took effect on Oct. 11, the ministry says 241 people have been killed and 619 wounded, with 528 bodies recovered so far.
Israeli strike sparks fire at Wazzani Plain power station
The Israeli army targeted an agricultural project in the Wazzani Plain (Marjayoun district) at dawn, sparking a fire at an electrical station, locals told our regional correspondent.
Hamas fighters in Rafah refuse to surrender, call on mediators
Hamas fighters entrenched in the Rafah area, currently under Israeli occupation, said they will not surrender, urging mediators to find a solution to the crisis threatening the fragile truce.
According to sources close to the mediators, cited by Reuters, a plan was proposed for fighters to lay down arms in exchange for transfer to other parts of the enclave outside Israeli control. Egyptian mediators suggested that in return for safe passage, remaining fighters would hand over their weapons to Egypt and provide information on tunnels for their destruction, a source said.
In a Sunday statement, the Ezz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, blamed Israel for the ongoing clashes, saying their fighters were defending themselves. "The concept of surrender does not exist in the dictionary of the al-Qassam Brigades," the group said. It added that mediators are responsible for ensuring the cease-fire holds and preventing Israel from exploiting the situation to target civilians in Gaza.
For more details on the proposal to exfiltrate Hamas fighters from Rafah, click here.👈
Hamas to return presumed remains of Israeli soldier slain in 2014 Gaza war
After 11 years, Hamas is preparing to hand over the remains of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, killed in Gaza in 2014, whose body has been the subject of prolonged negotiations.
On Saturday, a video circulated showing armed Hamas fighters accompanied by Red Cross officials entering a tunnel in Gaza to retrieve a body believed to be Goldin's.
“The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades will hand over the body of Officer Hadar Goldin, who was found yesterday in a tunnel in the city of Rafah, at 2:00 p.m. (12:00 p.m. GMT) Gaza time,” the armed group wrote in a statement on Telegram.
According to the Israeli army, Hadar Goldin, 23, was killed on Aug. 1, 2014, during a mission with his reconnaissance unit in a tunnel near Rafah during a previous Gaza conflict.
Lebanon's Health Ministry confirmed that one person was killed in the Israeli strike on the road between Sawaneh and Khirbet Silm in southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district.
Death toll in Gaza rises above 69,000
Gaza's Health Ministry said Saturday that the official death toll from the Israeli offensive since Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 69,169, after new victims were identified and additional bodies were recovered from under the rubble.
In a statement, the ministry said 284 more people were recently added to the total after their identities were verified. Nearly a month after the cease-fire, authorities in Gaza continue to recover bodies across the devastated territory despite limited equipment and resources.
Over the past three days, 10 new bodies were brought to Gaza hospitals — including nine recovered from beneath rubble — along with one person killed yesterday and six injured, the ministry added.
A large number of Palestinians remain missing amid the scale of destruction, “as ambulances and civil defense teams have not yet been able to reach them,” the statement said.
Sharaa arrives to the US
Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, arrived in the United States on Saturday for an official visit, SANA reported — a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist.
During the visit, Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement to join the U.S.-led international anti-jihadist coalition and to discuss negotiations with Israel in meetings with President Donald Trump.
To find out more about the details of his visit, click here.👈
The vehicle targeted by the Israeli strike in Khirbet Silm (Credit: Mountasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)
Good morning,
Thank you for joining our live coverage of the news in the Middle East.
Today, we will closely follow the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the South and the Bekaa, which continue to be attacked by Israel despite a cease-fire in effect since last November.
We will also cover developments in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Syria and other countries in the region.
One killed in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon
An Israeli army drone fired three missiles at a pickup truck traveling between Sawaneh and Khirbet Silm in the Bint Jbeil district around 9 a.m. Sunday, killing the driver, identified as Hassan Ali Jamil Sultan.
Israeli machine-gun fire also targeted the outskirts of Alma al-Shaab (Sour district).
Yesterday, Israeli strikes on vehicles in southern Lebanon killed three people and wounded 10 others. For the details of yesterday's Israeli attacks on Lebanon, click here.👈
Already have an account? Login here
You have reached your article limit
Iran-US-Lebanon: Everything can change in an instant.
Stay informed for only $6.9/month for 1 year, instead of $12.9.
This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers.
Already have an account? Login here