That concludes our live coverage of events in the region for today. Thanks for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more news updates and analysis. Goodnight.
Iran's largest oil trade union goes on strike, joining protests
Workers' strikes in Iran spread to the country’s oil sector today, Wall Street Journal reports.
The largest oil trade union in Kangan, home to a large refining and petrochemical complex, said its members at two refineries went on strike today, joining with anti-government protesters who have been on the streets for 12 days now in a movement that shows no signs of slowing down.
Energy experts remain Iran's largest source of revenue, WSJ pointed out, giving oil sector strikers that extra leverage.
The union said a large number of members were transferred to a local hospital in critical condition after security forces fired at them. Police can be seen firing at protesters in video footage circulated on social media and verified by Storyful, a WSJ sister company.
Shopkeepers in more than 30 cities across Kurdish-dominated areas in west and south Iran also went on strike, according to Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, an Iranian rights group.
Iranians fill major Tehran avenue in massive anti-government protest
Protesters in Tehran massed on a key avenue in the northwest of the Iranian capital this evening in a major protest that is part of a nationwide movement sparked by anger over the cost of living, according to images on social media verified by AFP.
Crowds of people, as well vehicles honking in support, filled a part of the vast Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard, images from Tehran showed, as Persian language TV channels based outside Iran and other social media outlets posted images of significant protests in other cities, including Tabriz in the north and the holy city of Mashhad in the east.
Trump says will hit Iran 'very hard' if protestors killed
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran if its government targets protesters who have taken to the streets in large numbers across the country these last 12 days, amid ever-climbing inflation and persistent economic hardships.
“I have let them know that if they start killing people, which they tend to do during their riots… we’re going to hit them very hard,” Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, quoted by Times of Israel.
Hewitt pointed out that dozens have already been killed, to which Trump responded saying he believed some of those deaths were due to stampedes and not necessarily caused by law enforcement.
“I’m not sure I can necessarily hold somebody responsible for that, but… they’ve been told very strongly — even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now — that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell,” Trump says.
Pressed on whether he’ll meet with Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah of Iran, Trump indicated it wasn't on the table.
“I’ve watched him, and he seems like a nice person, but I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that,” Trump said. “I think that we should let everybody go out there and we see who emerges,” he added.
Syrian authorities announce curfew in six Aleppo districts
Six neighborhoods in Aleppo have been placed under a curfew by the Syrian government, Al Jazeera reports, including two Kurdish-majority districts, on the third day of heavy fighting between government and Kurdish-led forces.
The internal security command in Aleppo province released a statement announcing a “full curfew” in the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts and four nearby neighborhoods, “starting this evening until further notice.”
Israeli army says its attack on south Lebanon's Zaita killed a Hezbollah drone operator
The Israeli army released a statement saying that its drone strike against the southern Lebanese town of Zaita earlier today killed Alaa Hussein Hawrani, who it claimed was a drone operator for Hezbollah.
This attack was the latest in what has been almost non-stop Israeli violations of the truce agreement brought into effect between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024.
According to the army's statement, Hawrani was "involved in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, force activation, and attempts to gather intelligence on [Israeli army] troops in the area," during Israel's war with Hezbollah last year, and later took part in efforts to rebuild the organization's military infrastructure in the area.
There is a cease-fire monitoring committee that was established as part of the cease-fire agreement which Israel is meant to file its complaints through, however a parallel agreement signed with the U.S. at the same time as the truce grants Israel permission to attack Lebanon as it sees fit.
Internet blackout in Tehran and other areas of Iran, president calls for 'restraint'
Tehran and several other parts of Iran experienced a digital blackout today as internet connectivity dropped across multiple service providers, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said, as cited by Reuters, during nationwide protests against economic hardships.
Iranian security forces have killed at least 45 protesters, including eight minors, in a crackdown on demonstrations that began in late December, the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for "utmost restraint" in handling demonstrations against the rising cost of living, AFP reported. The protests have been ongoing now for 12 days, with clashes and state violence reported in several locations nationwide.
"Any violent or coercive behavior should be avoided," said Pezeshkian in a statement on his website, urging "utmost restraint" as well as "dialogue, engagement and listening to the people's demands."
Netanyahu meets with 'Board of Peace' rep in Jerusalem
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with Nickolay Mladenov, a former United Nations envoy to the region who is expected to serve as the on-ground representative for Trump's 'Board of Peace.'
The council of international leaders, which Axios reported is expected to be announced by Trump next week, is part of the second phase of the 20-point plan partially agreed upon by Israel and Hamas and brought into effect in October.
Netanyahu's office said in a statement, cited by Haaretz, that Mladenov is designated for the position of director-general of the 'Board of Peace.'
According to the statement, the prime minister said during the meeting that Hamas must disarm and that the Gaza Strip must be demilitarized.
Aleppo death toll rises as clashes continue between Syrian army and SDF
The number of people killed in SDF attacks has risen from five to nine, with 55 also injured, according to the Syrian Health Ministry, cited by the state’s Sana news agency.
According to Al Jazeera, the Aleppo Health Directorate has said seven civilians are among those killed in the fighting, while the SDF has said that at least eight civilians were killed in the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods.
The director of the Aleppo municipality's media department told Al Jazeera that more than 100,000 civilians have fled the the city's Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods since fighting broke out two days ago.
Israeli drone strike kills one in southern Lebanon’s Saida district
The strike targeted a vehicle traveling between the towns of Bnaafoul and Qanarit, in the Saida district of southern Lebanon.
Our correspondent in the area reports that the individual initially injured in the strike has now succumbed to their wounds.
Aleppo clashes: Syrian army issues 8 evacuation notices ahead of strikes 'against the SDF'
Around 1 p.m. local time, Syria’s defense ministry published warning messages via the state-run channel al-Ekhbariya announcing upcoming airstrikes on at least eight targets it says are used by Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The sites are located in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in northern Aleppo.
“Warning from the Syrian Arab Army to the residents of Sheikh Maqsoud, asking them to evacuate the area surrounding the site that will be targeted, which the SDF organization uses as a military position to shell Aleppo’s neighborhoods and residents,” one of the notices read.
This marks the first time the Syrian army has used this method of communication in its operations — a practice notably employed by the Israeli army — and comes on the third day of clashes with the SDF in Syria’s northern city.
Meanwhile, multiple artillery barrages fired by the SDF were also reported by al-Ekhbariya correspondents, who said shelling was launched in particular from the “student housing of Aleppo University.”
Hezbollah disarmament south of Litani 'far from sufficient,' says Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Lebanese Army’s announcement of Hezbollah’s disarmament south of the Litani River as an “encouraging beginning, but far from sufficient.”
“The cease-fire agreement brokered by the U.S. between Israel and Lebanon states clearly that Hezbollah must be totally disarmed. This is imperative for Israel’s security and Lebanon’s future,” he said, according to Reuters.
“Efforts made by the Lebanese government and armed forces are an encouraging beginning, but far from sufficient,” he added.
Israel strikes Gaza rocket site amid cease-fire tensions
Israel carried out a targeted strike on a rocket launch site near Gaza City after detecting a failed launch, Reuters reports.
The projectile did not cross into Israeli territory, and the military accused Hamas of violating the cease-fire twice in the past 24 hours.
The next phase of the U.S.-backed cease-fire remains stalled, with Israel insisting it will not proceed until Hamas returns the remains of the last Israeli hostage.
The Rafah crossing with Egypt also remains closed for the same reason.
Despite the truce, Israel continues air strikes and operations across Gaza, while Hamas has refused to disarm and maintains control over parts of the territory. Both sides have accused each other of cease-fire breaches.
Parliament Speaker Berri backs Lebanese Army amid Israeli violations
Following the Lebanese Army’s statement on its disarmament efforts, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expressed his full support, saying the army’s achievements would have been nearly complete “if not for Israel’s occupation in southern Lebanon and the daily cease-fire violations.”
Berry emphasized that the South “has affirmed and continues to affirm its strong desire for the presence and protection of its army” and condemned Israel’s “ambitions” in the region, which hinder the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
He concluded with a firm call to Israel: “Leave our land, clear our skies.”
Aoun backs army’s disarmament efforts in South Lebanon
Shortly after the Cabinet session on disarmament began, President Joseph Aoun issued a statement expressing his “full support” for the Lebanese Army’s announcement.
He emphasized that the deployment of troops south of the Litani River “reflects a national, consensual decision based on the Constitution, state resolutions, and relevant international commitments.”
The deployment, Aoun said, aims to ensure that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the state, affirm that decisions of war and peace rest solely with constitutional institutions, and prevent Lebanese territory from being used as a launch point for hostile actions — “in a definitive and irreversible manner.”
Aoun also stressed that full Israeli withdrawal, adherence to the ceasefire, and the release of prisoners are essential for Lebanon to fully exercise sovereignty, allow the safe return of displaced civilians, and begin organized reconstruction.
He praised the resilience of citizens in southern Lebanon for their commitment to the state and the army as protectors, calling on the international community to uphold the truce and support the army with aid.
Aleppo: Turkey ready to support amid fighting
"Turkey is monitoring developments in Aleppo hour by hour and stands ready to provide support to end the conflict," Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said Thursday.
Intense clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish fighters on Wednesday have displaced thousands of civilians, while the U.S. is reportedly mediating efforts to de-escalate the violence, Reuters reports.
Israel condemns Syrian army 'attacks' against Kurdish minority in Aleppo
Israel condemned the “attacks” by the Syrian army “against the Kurdish minority” in Aleppo, where the predominantly Kurdish neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud is experiencing clashes between forces loyal to the new Damascus regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Nearly 46,000 civilians have been forced to flee the mostly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Achrafieh in Aleppo, according to local NGOs, due to renewed fighting between the Syrian army and the SDF.
This comes as the integration of the northeastern Autonomous Administration of Syria (AANES) institutions into the new Syrian state remains stalled despite the March 2025 agreement.
Yemen: Saudi-led coalition says separatist leader fled to the UAE
The leader of Yemen’s separatists has fled to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the Saudi-led coalition said, according to AFP.
“Reliable information indicates that Aidarous al-Zoubaidi and others fled during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday,” the coalition said in a statement, detailing his journey by boat and plane from Aden to Abu Dhabi via Somaliland and Somalia.
The head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) was scheduled to travel that night to Riyadh for talks aimed at ending the conflict in southern Yemen.
According to the coalition, al-Zoubaidi took a boat from Aden to the port of Berbera in Somaliland, then a plane “under the supervision of UAE officers” which stopped in Mogadishu before arriving at a military airport in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening.
Israeli airstrike kills two in Gaza
An Israeli airstrike killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza yesterday, according to local health authorities. The Israeli army said the strike targeted a Hamas militant in retaliation after its troops came under fire.
Medical officials cited by Reuters did not immediately identify the deceased and said several others were injured when the strike hit a house in Gaza City. Hamas has not responded.
The Israeli army said Hamas militants had fired on its soldiers earlier Wednesday and that the strike targeted a senior Hamas figure responsible for attacks on its troops. Additionally, an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia said it killed two Hamas members in southern Gaza, in Rafah.
Lebanese army says it has achieved 'first phase objectives' of disarmament plan
The Lebanese Army’s plan to regain the monopoly on arms is “in an advanced phase” and the “objectives of the first phase” have been achieved, the military announced in a statement this morning, just hours before a Cabinet meeting where Commander Rodolphe Haykal is to present the monthly status of the plan’s progress.
The army did not mention Hezbollah by name but stressed that it will carry out a “comprehensive assessment of the first phase of the +Shield of the Homeland+ plan,” which will determine “the direction of subsequent phases.”
Operations will continue south of the Litani River “until the clearance of unexploded munitions, tunnels, and other required measures” requested by Israel via the cease-fire monitoring committee against suspected sites.
Hezbollah honors member killed in Jouaya
Hezbollah released a statement honoring one of its members, Hussein Hamza, killed Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a vehicle on the Jouaya road (Sour district) in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah members are regularly targeted by Israeli drones in southern Lebanon, where strikes have occurred almost daily since the cease-fire began on Nov. 27, 2024.
Southern Lebanon: Israeli drone strike on Taybeh construction site
Overnight, an Israeli drone targeted a construction site in the village of Taybeh (Marjayoun), causing no casualties, according to our correspondent.
Israeli artillery also targeted areas near Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya).
Southern Lebanon: Israeli army incursions near Houla, house demolished
An Israeli army unit infiltrated the outskirts of the border village of Houla (Marjayoun district) around 1 a.m., demolishing a house in the eastern part of the village, according to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.
Additionally, two Israeli military bulldozers were observed conducting earthworks between the Israeli town of Metula and the newly developed and occupied Hamames hill inside Lebanese territory.
Welcome to our live coverage of news in the Middle East.
We will follow the situation in Lebanon and Gaza, which continue to be targeted by Israeli strikes despite ongoing cease-fires, as well as developments in Syria, Iran (where protests have lasted over 10 days), and Yemen.
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