That concludes our live coverage for today, thanks for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more updates and analysis of the news as it unfolds. Goodnight.
An Israeli drone launched two missiles at the town of Deir Mimas, in Marjayoun district, and the Tallet al-Azbeh region south of the Litani, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah.
In addition, the Israeli army fired artillery shells at the village of Kfar Kila, in Marjayoun district, and these strikes were heard in several villages in the Nabatieh region.
Israeli drones were spotted over the towns of Zawtar and Shukin (Nabatieh), Khiam (Marjayoun), and over the Litani River.
Israeli delegation reportedly in Cairo to push for return to last hostage
Haaretz is reporting that an Israeli delegation of negotiators is in Cairo to discuss the 'immediate return' of the last hostage in Gaza, citing the Prime Minister's Office.
This morning, the body returned to Israel last night was confirmed to belong to the second-last remaining hostage in the enclave.
With the return of the last body, the first phase of the cease-fire will be complete. However, there has been no progress on the details of the second phase, which Hamas said, when it agreed to the truce, would require further discussions with a broader range of Palestinian groups.
The outskirts of the village of Yaroun (Bint Jbeil district) have been subjected to Israeli artillery shelling with heavy-caliber shells, the sound of which was heard in several areas of the South, our correspondent reports.
Simultaneously, Israeli drones are flying over the town of Bint Jbeil at a medium altitude.
Israeli soldiers shoot 12-year-old boy in West Bank, wounding him critically
Israeli soldiers shot a 12-year-old boy in the head, critically wounding him, in the city of Qalqilya, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, earlier today, according to reports in Palestinian media and a statement from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
The boy was injured near the northern checkpoint of the city and was taken to hospital, according to WAFA news agency.
Israeli forces targeted several neighbourhoods, particularly Kafr Saba, firing live rounds and rubber-coated bullets. They also imposed a curfew on the city, forcing residents to stay in their homes.
Israeli warplanes are flying over Baalbeck at a low altitude, according to the state-run National News Agency.
Israeli army claims it struck Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon
The Israeli army announced in a statement that it had "struck several weapons depots belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon" after carrying out strikes on four villages following orders to residents to evacuate the targeted buildings.
These last bombings are part of a long stream of Israeli attacks on the country despite a cease-fire in place since last November. Israel has killed more than 350 people in these aggressions.
"Prior to the strike, measures were taken to limit damage to civilians, including advance warnings, the use of precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence," the Israeli army said, in an attempt to justify post-truce bombardment.
"The presence of these weapons depots constitutes a violation of the agreements between Israel and Lebanon," the statement continued, in reference to Hezbollah's agreement that it would disarm south of the Litani. However, the Lebanese Army has nearly completed the total dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure in this area.
The army also requested that Israel file its complaints or suspicions through the cease-fire monitoring committee so that UNIFIL can investigate possible weapons depots and the army can dismantle them without the need for bombardment.
"The Israeli army will continue its operations to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel," the Israeli army statement concludes.
Israeli-backed Gaza gang leader Abou Shabab killed in clashes
Yasser Abou Shabab, who led a militia backed by Israel and rivaling Hamas, died of wounds obtained during clashes between militias, a security source told Haaretz.
Reports indicated that Abou Shabab had been taken to a hospital in Israel, where he died of his wounds; however the hospital in question, Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, denied these reports.
Abou Shabab's gang had been operating inside Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. Before the cease-fire came into effect, Hamas, as well as humanitarian organizations and the truck drivers working for them, accused his gang of looting humanitarian aid convoys and stealing desperately needed supplies.
Read the full report here. 👈
Two missiles hit house in Majdal
The house targeted in Majdal was struck by two missiles fired from an Israeli fighter jet, according to local sources.
The first missile initially failed to explode on impact, but detonated during the second strike, shaking nearby homes. The three-story building was completely destroyed.
Israel strikes Majdal in southern Lebanon shortly after evacuation warning
The Israeli army struck Majdal, where a building had been threatened with an attack about 45 minutes earlier.
Fire breaks out at Jbaa strike site
A fire erupted at the site of the Israeli strike in Jbaa (Nabatieh), and firefighters are working to control the flames.
Israeli drone drops sound grenade near fishermen in Naqoura
An Israeli army drone dropped a sound grenade near fishermen on the beach in Naqoura, according to local reports.
Israel issues new evacuation call in southern Lebanon
The Israeli army has issued a second evacuation warning for residents of Majdal (Sour district) and Braasheet (Bint Jbeil district) ahead of strikes on what it says are Hezbollah military sites.
Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee identified two buildings in these villages and urged people nearby to move at least 300 meters away.
Israeli military launches strike on building in Jbaa and Mahrouna in southern Lebanon
An Israeli fighter jet bombed the outskirts of Mahrouna (Sour district), just an hour after the army warned residents to evacuate the area.
Israeli military launches strike on building in Jbaa, Israeli strike hits Mahrouna in southern Lebanon, one hour after evacuation warning
Israeli military hits building in Jbaa
“The army is currently bombing a Hezbollah terrorist target in southern Lebanon,” spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X.
The Israeli army also carried out a strike on the building in Jbaa, Nabatieh district, that had earlier been identified as a potential target, local sources report.
Israeli aircraft fly at low altitude over villages in Sour district
Israeli jets have been flying at low altitude over several villages in the Sour district. No strikes have been reported so far.
Rescue workers block road to building threatened by Israeli strike in Jbaa
(Credit: Photo obtained by our correspondent)
Rescue workers and paramedics from the “Scouts of the Islamic Mission,” affiliated with the Amal movement, blocked the road to a building in Jbaa (Nabatieh) threatened by an Israeli strike using one of their vehicles, according to our correspondent.
Suspicious phone called received shortly after evacuation warning
At least one resident of South Lebanon living near the building under threat by the Israeli army says they received a suspicious phone call shortly after Avichay Adraee issued his warning, according to local reports.
The last evacuation call in southern Lebanon dates back to Nov. 19, 2025
While such calls to evacuate buildings and villages were frequent during the war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army (from October 2023 to November 2024), they have become far rarer since the cease-fire came into effect.
On Nov. 19, the Israeli military issued two rounds of evacuation warnings, telling residents to leave areas in Tiri, Deir Kifa, Shhour, Tayr Filsey and Ainata in South Lebanon that it said housed Hezbollah military infrastructure, before subsequently striking them.
South Lebanon: Jbaa, now under Israeli threat was already heavily damaged during 2024 war
According to our correspondent in South Lebanon, the area now threatened by the Israeli army in Jbaa — a village north of the Litani River in the Nabatieh district — was already severely damaged during last autumn’s war.
Israeli army calls on residents of Jbaa and Mahrouna to evacuate ahead of strikes
The Israeli army has called on residents of two villages in South Lebanon — Jbaa (in Iqlim al-Tuffah) and Mahrouna (in the Sour district) — to evacuate ahead of strikes targeting what it describes as Hezbollah “military infrastructure.”
In a statement accompanied by maps identifying specific buildings in both localities, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, urged anyone located near these sites to move “300 meters away” before future attacks.
Katz says Israeli army will ‘continue to act forcefully’ in Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that the army will “continue to act with force” in the Gaza Strip following a deadly strike carried out yesterday in retaliation for clashes in Rafah, Al Jazeera reports.
Katz made the comments during a visit to soldiers wounded yesterday in eastern Rafah, in what Israel describes as a “Hamas ambush.”
He said Israel would continue targeting Hamas infrastructure “until all the hostages return” and until the movement’s capabilities are “destroyed.”
Israeli army drone drops stun grenade in Adaisseh
An Israeli army drone dropped a stun grenade in the village of Adaisseh, in the Marjayoun district, without causing any injuries, while the municipal president was on site and a Lebanese Army unit was supervising the installation of a solar energy system meant to power the village spring, our South Lebanon correspondent reports.
Netanyahu rejects Palestinian Authority, suggests alternative Gaza leadership
At the NYT DealBook Summit, Netanyahu dismissed the Palestinian Authority as “corrupt” and floated installing a new leadership drawn from Palestinians “fighting Hamas.”
He accused Palestinians of glorifying terrorists while highlighting Israeli “accountability,” despite minimal prosecutions for alleged war crimes that killed over 60,000 Palestinians.
Netanyahu also hinted that Israeli-backed militias, including the Popular Forces led by Yasser Abu Shabab, could form an alternative leadership in Gaza, with reports that Israel is arming at least five of such groups.
Eurovision members debate Israel boycott over Gaza war
Eurovision broadcasters are meeting in Geneva to discuss Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest amid boycott calls over the Gaza war, Al Jazeera reports.
Iceland, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands have threatened to withdraw, while Belgium, Finland, and Sweden are considering it.
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS cited Israel’s press violations in Gaza and alleged interference in the last contest.
The EBU postponed a vote after the October ceasefire and recently updated voting rules to address member concerns. Broadcasters will now decide if the changes are enough or if a vote is needed.
Israel will back Palestinians inside Gaza who oppose Hamas, Netanyahu says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will seek Palestinians willing to take control of the Gaza Strip. "There are Palestinians inside Gaza who are currently fighting Hamas. They say, 'Enough of the dictatorship of terror.' They want to control their own destiny, and I think we should give them a chance," he told New York Times journalist Andrew Sorkin.
Netanyahu added that he does not intend to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, despite pressure from some to do so.
Hamas calls Israel’s bulldozing of Palestinian bodies war crimes
Hamas has condemned Israel for reportedly bulldozing the bodies of Palestinians killed in Gaza into unmarked graves, describing the acts as war crimes, Al Jazeera reports.
In a statement, the group said these “atrocities … are not isolated incidents, but war crimes and systematic assaults carried out before the eyes of the world, in complete disregard for international law.”
Hamas called on the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and other legal bodies to document the crimes and prosecute those responsible.
Living conditions in Gaza deteriorate to levels not seen in over 20 years, says UNRWA
Living conditions in Gaza are estimated to have regressed more than two decades, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian support. The U.N. requires all available resources and capacity to meet the immense needs of the population.
Next 'mechanism' meeting could take place on Dec. 19
Several Israeli media outlets, including The Jerusalem Post and i24NEWS, reported that the next meeting of the cease-fire monitoring committee between Israel and Hezbollah (“the mechanism”), bringing together Israeli and Lebanese civilian officials, could take place on Dec. 19.
The “mechanism” was established alongside the truce that came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024, following the last war between the two belligerents that began on Oct. 8, 2023.
Until Wednesday’s meeting — which included U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus — the body consisted solely of military representatives from Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Wednesday’s session marked the first participation of civilians, including one appointed by the Israeli side.
Israeli army conducts raids in occupied West Bank
Al Jazeera reports that the Israeli military has raided the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, for the third consecutive day, carrying out arrests and displacing residents. A curfew was imposed, restricting Palestinian movement while homes were searched. Videos show several Palestinians being arrested during the raids.
Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces also raided multiple homes in Qalqilya and closed all access points to the city. A curfew was imposed on the Kafr Saba neighborhood, with residents ordered to remain indoors.
Protests in southern Beirut against civilian appointment to cease-fire 'mechanism'
Convoys of dozens of motorcycles carrying Hezbollah and Amal supporters circulated last night through several neighborhoods in southern Beirut to protest Lebanon’s decision to appoint a civilian to its delegation for the cease-fire monitoring committee between Israel and Hezbollah ('the mechanism').
Some protesters waved Hezbollah flags or, more rarely, Amal flags, according to videos shared on social media.
Earlier in the day, Lebanese civilian representatives — former ambassador Simon Karam — and Israeli officials participated in a mechanism meeting in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, marking the first direct talks between the two countries in over 40 years.
Gaza: At least five Palestinians killed in Israeli raid in Khan Younis
At least five Palestinians, including two children, were killed last night in the al-Mawassi neighborhood of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, during an Israeli raid, according to a local hospital cited by AFP.
Palestinian ambulances recovered five bodies — including those of children aged 8 and 10 — and several injured, the Kuwait Field Hospital in Khan Younis said in a statement. Other victims were aged 30, 36, and 46. Gaza Civil Defense reported that Israel “targeted displaced persons’ tents with multiple missiles,” and local sources told Haaretz that a drone fired four missiles at a tent.
The Israeli army stated that it “struck a senior Hamas official” in response to “clashes that wounded five of its soldiers” earlier in Rafah with fighters believed to be from Hamas emerging from a tunnel. The identity and condition of the targeted individual have not yet been confirmed.
Trump says Gaza cease-fire 'going well, phase 2 moving forward'
U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday afternoon that the Gaza cease-fire “is going well,” despite ongoing Israeli strikes in the enclave.
“They had an incident today, from what I understand, with a bomb that exploded,” Trump said to reporters at the White House. “It injured people seriously, and probably killed some. But we have peace in the Middle East. Phase two is moving forward, it will happen soon.”
ICC arrest warrant: Netanyahu to travel to New York despite threats
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he still plans to travel to New York despite threats from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to arrest him under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, AFP reported.
“Yes, I will go to New York,” Netanyahu said in a video interview with the New York Times DealBook forum, without specifying a date. Asked if he would meet Mamdani, he replied: “If he changes his mind and recognizes our right to exist, it will be a good opportunity to start dialogue.”
The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants a year ago against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Neither the U.S. nor Israel recognizes the ICC.
Israeli army identifies second-to-last hostage held in Gaza
The Israeli army announced it has identified the body of the second-to-last hostage held in Gaza, a Thai national.
“Following the completion of the identification process, representatives of the Israeli army and Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Sudthisak Rinthalak’s family that his body has been repatriated for burial,” the army said in a Telegram statement cited by AFP.
Rinthalak had been kidnapped in the orchards of Kibbutz Be’eri and held by the Islamic Jihad, according to Haaretz. His death was officially confirmed on May 16, 2024. Only the body of Israeli Ran Gvili remains in Gaza.
Welcome to our live coverage of Middle East news.
We are following developments in Lebanon, which for the first time has held direct talks with Israel — still technically at war — including a civilian in meetings of the cease-fire monitoring committee.
We will also cover events in Gaza, which continues to face Israeli bombardment despite the cease-fire, as well as news from the occupied West Bank, Syria, and other regional countries.
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