Israel extends ban on media outlets deemed 'dangerous' until end of 2027 | LIVE

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Israeli gunfire toward Houla

The Israeli army fired automatic weapons from its positions between Houla and Markaba toward the town of Houla in the Marjayoun district.

Israeli boat fires toward Lebanese waters off Naqoura

An Israeli boat fired several bursts of medium-calibre automatic weapons toward Lebanese waters off the coast of Naqoura and launched a flare in the same direction, according to our correspondent.

Palestinian Authority condemns Israel’s plan to approve 19 West Bank settlements

The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday condemned Israel’s plan to approve 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing it of tightening control over Palestinian land, AFP reports.

In a statement, the Ramallah-based foreign ministry called the move a “dangerous step aimed at tightening colonial control over the entirety of Palestinian land,” describing it as a continuation of “apartheid, settlement, and annexation policies that undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”

Israeli army says it intercepted drone carrying weapons

The Israeli army said it intercepted a drone that entered Israeli territory from the east “in an attempt to smuggle 40 firearms.”

It added that the weapons were handed over to Israeli security forces.

While the Israeli army did not mention Jordan in its official statement, the country is the only one located directly to the east of Israel.

Israeli army investigates killing of a teen in West Bank

Israeli military said Tuesday it is investigating the killing of a 16-year-old Palestinian boy by its soldiers in the occupied West Bank. Surveillance footage circulating online appears to show the teenager, later identified as Rayan Mohammed Abu Muala, approaching two Israeli soldiers at an intersection in Qabatiya, south of Jenin, before one soldier stands and shoots him. The boy is seen collapsing.

The army had initially claimed a “terrorist hurled a block” at soldiers, but the footage does not show the boy throwing anything. Asked about the video, an army spokesperson said the incident was under review.

The boy’s father told AFP his son was unarmed and heading to a nearby shop. “He was just 16 and was killed for no reason,” he said.

Violence in the West Bank has surged since the Gaza war began in October 2023. According to AFP tallies, at least 1,027 Palestinians and 44 Israelis have been killed in the territory during this period.

Israel extends possibility of banning media deemed dangerous

The Israeli parliament announced it had passed an amendment allowing authorities to extend the ban on broadcasting foreign media accused of undermining state security until the end of 2027.

The law was initially limited to the duration of the state of emergency declared at the start of the war, which ended on Dec. 1, 2025.

The amendment, passed overnight from Monday to Tuesday, extends the measure.

Adopted in April 2024 during the Gaza War between Israel and Hamas, the legislation primarily targeted the Qatari channel Al Jazeera, which authorities described as a "propaganda organ" of Hamas.

The parliament announced on X that it had approved the bill "allowing, under a temporary provision valid until Dec. 31, 2027, the restriction of broadcasts by foreign media deemed to be undermining state security."

According to the legislation, if the prime minister considers, based on "professional opinions," that a media outlet is in this situation, the communications minister can order the cessation of broadcasts, the closure of offices, the seizure of its broadcasting equipment, as well as the blocking of its website, according to the text published on the Haaretz newspaper website.

MP Fadlallah in Qatar: Israeli threats demand high-level cooperation in region

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah, visiting Doha, stated from Qatar that "the region is facing major challenges in light of the growing threats from [Benjamin] Netanyahu's government," adding that this "requires the highest levels of cooperation and coordination among the states and peoples of the region, as the danger threatens everyone."

Fadlallah and Amal Movement MP Kassem Hashem are participating in the Asian Parliamentary Assembly's Budget and Planning Committee meeting in Doha as representatives of the Lebanese Parliament.

"The tense climate in the region is the result of the constant Israeli threats and warnings of war," Fadlallah added.

Doha was bombed by Israel in September 2025 in strikes that targeted Hamas leaders in exile.

Lebanese Army denies that soldier killed in Israeli airstrike on Monday is affiliated with Hezbollah

The Lebanese Army denied, in a statement on Tuesday to L'Orient-Le Jour, Israeli allegations concerning the alleged Hezbollah affiliation of a soldier killed Monday in a car strike in the Saida region.

The raid killed three men, including soldier Ali Abdallah, whom Israel accuses of also being a member of the party.

"These allegations are false. It is possible that the men accompanying the soldier were relatives or friends from his village," clarified an army source.

The source further specified that the soldier belonged to the anti-tank regiment, and not to army intelligence, as Israel claims.

The troops also confirmed in a statement published on Tuesday the death of soldier Ali Abdallah in the Israeli strike carried out on Monday between Quneitra and Aqtanit, in the Saida region.

Katz pledged to establish Israeli army outposts in north Gaza areas evacuated in 2005

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel will establish communities in northern Gaza to replace those evacuated during the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip, Haaretz reports.

"When the time is right, Israel will establish communities in place of those that were displaced," Katz stated.

"We are deeply rooted in Gaza, and we will never leave the entire territory; that will never happen. We are here to defend and prevent what happened from happening again," he added.

4 killed, 9 injured in clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces

Health services in the Aleppo region announced on Tuesday via their Telegram channel that Monday's clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces resulted in four deaths and nine injuries.

Lebanese Army confirms 1 soldier killed in Israeli strike on Saida

In a statement released Tuesday, the Lebanese Army confirmed the death of one of its soldiers, Ali Abdallah, from the anti-tank regiment, in the Israeli strike on the Saida region on Monday.

Israeli army says killed 3 Hezbollah fighters in strike on Saida

Following yesterday's car strike that killed three men in the Saida region, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, stated on X that the raid had "eliminated three terrorist operatives, one of whom was simultaneously serving in a Lebanese Army intelligence unit, and another was part of an air defense unit in the [Saida] region."

In a message on X, Adraee indicated that these men "were preparing terrorist plots against the Israeli army and were involved in attempts to rebuild military infrastructure in the [Saida] region of southern Lebanon."

The victims had been identified the previous day as Hassan Issa, Ali Abdallah and Mustafa Ballout.

South Lebanon: Israeli army dropped bomb in Wazzani; no casualties reported

A small Israeli army drone dropped a sonic bomb toward farm workers on the outskirts of Wazzani, in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent's sources.

No one was injured.

Dozens of US lawmakers call on Trump to 'hold Israeli government accountable for actions' in Gaza

Nearly 50 Democratic members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, expressing their concerns about Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say threaten the cease-fire.

These representatives specifically pointed to the ongoing bombing of the enclave and the insufficient delivery of humanitarian aid.

The lawmakers justify their letter, sent just days before a scheduled meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the basis of "the longstanding relationship between the United States and Israel."

"It is imperative that we hold the Israeli government accountable for its actions," the letter emphasizes.

The Democratic representatives asserted that while Hamas has also committed ceasefire violations, the Israeli response has been "severe and disproportionate, resulting in massive casualties."

South Lebanon: House blown up by Israeli army in Mais al-Jabal overnight

Between 2 and 3 a.m., an unoccupied three-story house was dynamited by an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated Lebanese territory in Mais al-Jabal, according to sources in southern Lebanon cited by our correspondent.

The explosion completely destroyed the building, located in the eastern part of the border village, and debris is blocking one of the local roads.

A double explosion was heard in the area overnight.

Syria: Government and Kurdish forces order troops to cease hostilities in Aleppo

Syrian authorities and Kurdish forces ordered their troops last night to cease hostilities in Aleppo, northern Syria, where deadly clashes erupted earlier in the day, both sides reported.

"The Syrian Army command ordered them to cease responding to fire coming from the positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF, predominantly Kurdish]," according to the state-run SANA news agency.

The SDF in Aleppo also instructed their troops "not to react to attacks by government factions, following contacts aimed at de-escalating" the situation.

Netanyahu claims to be aware of Iranian 'maneuvers'

Last night, we reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was aware Iran had recently conducted “maneuvers,” adding that Tehran’s nuclear activities would be discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump at a meeting reportedly scheduled for later this month, according to Reuters.

According to three well-informed Israeli and American sources, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration this past weekend that a missile firing exercise conducted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could be a prelude to an attack against Israel, Axios reported earlier on Monday.

Good morning. We are now launching our LIVE coverage of the region.

We are now launching our live coverage of news from the Middle East.

We will be following developments in southern Lebanon, which Israel is bombing relentlessly despite the cease-fire in place since Nov. 27, 2024, as well as in Gaza, which is also under Israeli fire despite a truce declared there last October.