1 killed by Israeli strike on vehicle in Sour, south Lebanon | LIVE

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Israeli bombardments hit Yaroun outskirts

Israeli artillery is shelling the outskirts of the town of Yaroun (Bint Jbeil district), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Syrian govt demands Kurdish fighters leave Aleppo

The Syrian government is demanding that Kurdish fighters leave the neighborhoods they control in Aleppo, reports AFP.

For first time since cease-fire, Israeli army activates heavy artillery in southern Lebanon

For the first time since the cease-fire on Nov. 27, 2024, the area between Kfar Kila and Odaisseh (Marjayoun district) is subjected to Israeli heavy artillery bombardment, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Heavy artillery uses large-caliber guns, such as 155 mm, 130 mm, and 120 mm. It is used to bombard distant targets, and its explosions are very powerful.

Light artillery, such as 105 mm and 106 mm guns or 60 mm and 80 mm mortars, is preferred for close-quarters or direct-fire engagements.

Victim of Israeli shooting on Jwayya road identified as Hussein Hamza

The victim of the Israeli shooting that targeted a vehicle on the Jwayya road is Hussein Hamza, from the village of Jmaijmeh, Bint Jbeil district, reports our correspondent.

Israeli drones flying low over Beirut southern suburbs

An Israeli drone is currently flying low over the Hadath area in Beirut's southern suburbs, while another is flying over the Haret Hreik neighborhood, reports our correspondent.

Israeli army fires at several areas in South

Israeli artillery fired five shells at the Aqabat al-Mdawra area, located on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil district), reports our correspondent.

The Israeli army also fired medium automatic weapons toward Bastra, on the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya district), from the Ramta site.

Israeli forces also fired from the newly established site on the Markaba-Houla road (Marjayoun district) toward the surrounding areas.

Israeli drone strike targets vehicle on the Jwayya road in Sour, southern Lebanon; kills driver

Israeli drone strike targets vehicle on the Jwayya road in Sour, southern Lebanon

An Israeli military drone targeted a car on the road to Jwayya (Sour), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. The vehicle caught fire and the driver was killed in the strike.

In a message on X, the Israeli army claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying it targeted a "Hezbollah member" in the village of Jwayya.

Iran's judiciary chief threatens protesters: 'No mercy'

Iran's judiciary chief has warned protesters that there will be "no mercy for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic," accusing Israel and the United States of using hybrid methods to destabilize the country.

Tehran is under international pressure, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to come to the aid of protesters if security forces open fire, seven months after Israel and the United States carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day war. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed not to "give in to the enemy."

"Following the announcements made by Israel and US President Donald Trump, there is no excuse for those who take to the streets to cause riots and unrest," said Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, quoted by state media. "From now on, there will be no leniency for anyone who helps the enemy against the Islamic Republic and the tranquility of the people," he added.

Syria: Army begins bombing Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo

The Syrian army has begun shelling Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo (northern Syria) after the deadline for residents to evacuate expired, according to an AFP journalist on the ground.

The Syrian armed forces had decreed that these two neighborhoods held by Kurdish forces would be considered a "military zone" as of 3 p.m. (12 p.m. GMT) and had established two "humanitarian corridors" through which thousands of civilians had previously fled, according to AFP journalists.

Syria: Civilians flee Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, declared a 'military zone' by the army

Civilians are fleeing en masse from the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, the largest city in northern Syria, declared a "military zone" by the Syrian army, which has set up "humanitarian corridors" for residents to leave.

AFP correspondents saw large numbers of families, including children, fleeing the Kurdish neighborhoods of Syria's second city, carrying personal belongings, some in tears.

Yemen: Separatist delegation arrives in Riyadh for talks

A senior official from Yemen's main separatist movement said that he and other members of a delegation had arrived in the Saudi capital, where peace talks between the various Yemeni factions are due to begin, a few hours after the group claimed to have lost contact with the delegation, according to Reuters.

"I arrived in Riyadh accompanied by colleagues from Aden, and in a positive atmosphere, we will begin a series of meetings to prepare for a South-South dialogue under the sponsorship of our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Mohammad al-Ghaithi said in a post on X.

Yemen: 'We no longer count on any political initiative from al-Zubaidi,' according to presidential adviser

Thabet al-Ahmadi, advisor to the Yemeni presidency, told Al Jazeera that the thinking of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists, "is based on the agenda of another regional player."

"This was probably his last move, and it now closes all doors," he added, saying that "we no longer expect any political action from al-Zubaidi in the coming hours."

The leader of the southern Yemeni separatists, supported by the United Arab Emirates, is on the run after being ousted from the country's presidency and accused of "high treason" for attempting to secede.

Syria: Army declares Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo 'military zone'

The Syrian army has announced that the Kurdish neighborhoods of Aleppo, in northern Syria, will be considered a "military zone" starting this afternoon and has set up "humanitarian corridors" for civilians to leave, reports AFP.

Sporadic clashes between government and Kurdish forces continue in the city, following violence that left nine people dead.

"The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh will be considered a military zone starting at 3 p.m. local time," the army announced, specifying that two "humanitarian corridors" had been set up for civilians to flee before that time.

Iran: Pezeshkian calls on security forces not to attack protesters

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has called on security forces not to take "any action" against protesters, while making a clear distinction between them and "rioters," according to comments reported by the Mehr news agency and picked up by AFP.

"Today, Pezeshkian ordered that no security measures be taken against protesters and people participating in rallies," Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said in a video broadcast by Mehr after the cabinet meeting.

"Those who carry guns, knives and machetes and attack police stations and military sites are rioters, and a distinction must be made between protesters and rioters," Ghaempanah added.

UN report chronicles intensification of decades of severe racial discrimination by Israel in occupied West Bank

A comprehensive UN Human Rights Office report released today details the asphyxiating impact of Israel’s laws, policies and practices on every aspect of daily life for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The report warns that Israel is violating international law requiring States to prohibit and eradicate racial segregation and apartheid.

Systemic discrimination against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is a long-standing concern, the report notes, adding that the situation has drastically deteriorated since at least December 2022. The report contains numerous illustrative examples of how increasingly constrained and insecure life has become for Palestinians.

“Israeli authorities treat Israeli settlers and Palestinians residing in the West Bank under two distinct bodies of law and policies, resulting in unequal treatment on a range of critical issues, including movement and access to resources such as land and water,” the report finds.

“Palestinians continue to be subjected to large-scale confiscation of land and deprivation of access to resources. This has had the effect of dispossessing them of their lands and homes, alongside other forms of systemic discrimination, including criminal prosecution in military courts during which their due process and fair trial rights are systematically violated.”

The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe the separation, segregation and subordination are intended to be permanent, to maintain oppression and domination of Palestinians. “Acts committed with the intention to maintain such a policy amount to a violation of Article 3 of ICERD (the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), which prohibits racial segregation and apartheid,” it finds.

South Lebanon: Israeli drone drops stun grenade on Khiam

An Israeli military drone dropped a stun grenade near workers laboring in a stone quarry in the Khiam plain in the Marjayoun district, without causing any injuries, according to our correspondent in South Lebanon.

Yemeni separatists claim to have lost contact with their delegation that arrived in Riyadh

Yemeni separatists have claimed to have lost contact with their delegation that traveled to Saudi Arabia for peace talks between the various Yemeni factions, and have called on the Saudi authorities to guarantee its safety, reports AFP.

Southern Transitional Council (STC) spokesman Anwar al-Tamimi told AFP that contact had been lost with the delegation, which left during the night, while the movement issued a statement calling on the kingdom to "guarantee the safety of its delegation currently in Riyadh."

The separatists also claimed that Aidarous al-Zoubaidi, their leader accused of treason, "continues to exercise his functions from Aden" and called on Saudi Arabia to cease its air strikes.

Iran executes man for spying for Mossad

Iranian authorities have executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, AFP reported, citing the Mizan Online agency, as protests sweep the country and tensions remain high between Tehran and Israel.

"The death sentence against Ali Ardestani for spying for Mossad, Israel's intelligence and security service, was carried out this morning [Wednesday]," announced Mizan, the country's judicial body, without specifying the date of his arrest or trial.

Southern Lebanon: Building blown up during Israeli incursion on Khiam

The residential building Israel blew up in Khiam (Photo provided by out south Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

A three-story building located at the southern entrance to Khiam, a border village in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon, was destroyed by explosives at dawn by an Israeli patrol that had infiltrated Lebanese territory, according to information from our correspondent.

This building is located 1,200 meters from the position Israel occupies on Hamames hill in southern Lebanon.

In addition, at around 11 p.m. last night, an Israeli army drone fired several projectiles at a bulldozer northeast of Mais al-Jabal, a border town where the Lebanese Army yesterday set up a military position as part of its deployment south of the Litani River. According to available information, no one was injured in the attack.

Hezbollah announced that Mohammad Faqih, an engineer killed the day before in a strike on Kfar Dounin, was one of its members and that he would be buried in the village in the early afternoon.

The Israeli army has been increasing its military pressure on Lebanon in recent days with several strikes, some deadly, while the committee monitoring the implementation of the cease-fire is due to meet on Wednesday in Naqoura.

Protests in Iran: Hospital in Tehran accidentally targeted with tear gas

A hospital in Tehran was accidentally targeted with tear gas yesterday during clashes between protesters and security forces on the 10th day of protests in Iran, according to the Isna news agency.

"To disperse the crowd, tear gas was used in the alley adjacent to Sina Hospital, located in the center of the Iranian capital," Isna reported, after images went viral on social media.

"The natural reflex of the protesters was to push [the gas] away" and "as a result, some of these substances were unintentionally directed towards the hospital," Isna reported on Tuesday evening, citing a statement from Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Sina Hospital is located about 2 kilometers from Tehran's Grand Bazaar, the country's economic hub and the scene of incidents on Tuesday between protesters and police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

This is the first time since the movement began on Dec. 28 that such clashes have occurred during the day and in the heart of Tehran.

Yemen: Four dead in strikes by Riyadh-led coalition

At least four people were killed this morning in southwestern Yemen in strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition, according to local hospital sources.

The strikes targeted the province of Dhale, a stronghold of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the separatists, who is currently on the run.

According to Al-Nasr and Al-Tadamon hospitals in Dhale, the provisional toll also includes six wounded.

A local official told AFP that more than 15 Saudi strikes had hit the province during the day, targeting officials loyal to al-Zoubaidi.

Aidarous al-Zoubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which aspires to rebuild an independent state in southern Yemen, was declared on the run while he was expected in Riyadh to attend a conference aimed at reviving the peace process between the various Yemeni factions.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of news from Lebanon, Palestine, the region and beyond.

We will be following in particular the situation in Lebanon and Gaza, where Israel continues to violate its respective cease-fires with near-daily attacks, as well as Syria, Yemen and Iran.

Syria: Nine dead in clashes between Kurdish and government forces in Aleppo

At least nine people were killed yesterday in clashes between government and Kurdish forces in Aleppo, among the deadliest in months between the two sides, according to AFP.

With the violence continuing into the evening, the authorities decided to suspend all flights from the airport in this major northern city for 24 hours and to close schools, universities and government services today, Wednesday.

The clashes erupted as talks stalled over the implementation of an agreement signed in March, which was supposed to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF, predominantly Kurdish) into the Syrian state by the end of 2025.

Find more details about these clashes here.