Large mobilization in Tehran; protesters set fires in streets | LIVE

Khamenei places Iran’s security forces on maximum alert

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has placed the country’s security forces on maximum alert and ordered the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to take control of the crackdown, fearing defections within the police and army, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported.

At least 50 protesters killed by Iranian security forces

The Telegraph reported that at least 50 protesters have been killed by Iranian security forces during demonstrations across the country, which threaten to topple the regime.

The death toll is expected to rise, as hospitals are overwhelmed. Blood supply units are running low, and residents say some injured people are dying due to a lack of available blood, the newspaper added.

Ursula von der Leyen: Europe fully supports mass protests in Iran

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today that Europe “fully supports” the mass protests in Iran and condemned the “violent repression” of demonstrators.

“The streets of Tehran, and cities around the world, are echoing with the steps of Iranian women and men demanding freedom, the freedom to speak, to gather, to travel, and above all, to live freely. Europe stands fully with them,” von der Leyen said in an online statement.

“We unequivocally condemn the violent repression of these legitimate demonstrations. Those responsible will remain on the wrong side of history,” she added.

Israelis receive warning message sent from UK number

Many Israelis received a warning message sent from a British phone number reading, “We are coming, watch the sky at midnight,” according to Israel’s Channel 12.

Syria: U.S. envoy urges Damascus and Kurds to resume dialogue

The U.S. envoy for Syria on Saturday urged the Syrian government and Kurdish authorities to “resume dialogue” after meeting President Ahmad al-Sharaa, following several days of deadly clashes in Aleppo, northern Syria.

“We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and resume dialogue in line with the March and April 2025 agreements concluded between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),” Tom Barrack wrote on X, referring to the Kurdish-led forces.

Large mobilization in Tehran

A large crowd has gathered in Tehran, according to images circulating on social media, which also show protesters setting fires in the streets.

In a video showing a nighttime demonstration in Tehran’s Saadatabad neighborhood, a man can be heard saying that protesters have taken control of the area, according to Reuters.

Iran maintains internet shutdown for second consecutive day

Iranian authorities maintained an internet shutdown for a second consecutive day on Saturday, as mass protests spread across several cities, according to network observers.

NetBlocks, the global internet monitoring organization, said on X on Saturday morning that “measurements show that the nationwide internet shutdown has now lasted for 36 hours, severely limiting Iranians’ ability to check on the safety of friends and family.”

Iranian security services have completely cut off public access to the internet, with exceptions for security forces and some state media. Observers say the authorities are pursuing two main objectives: hindering the organization of protests and preventing the publication of reports, photos, and videos documenting the unrest and subsequent crackdowns.

“Another night of protests, another night of repression, and Iranians are still cut off from their loved ones because of the internet shutdown,” one user wrote on X.

Rally in support of separatists held in southern Yemen

Thousands of people gathered in Aden, southern Yemen, to show support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), defying a ban imposed by the pro-Saudi governor.

The rally came days after Saudi-backed Yemeni forces retook large swathes of territory from Emirati-backed separatist fighters, who had seized the areas in December.

Syrian authorities evacuate fighters from Kurdish district of Aleppo

Syrian authorities announced this afternoon that they were transferring fighters who had been entrenched in the Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo to the autonomous Kurdish region farther east, after regaining control of the area.

An AFP correspondent stationed at the entrance of the district saw at least four green buses transporting fighters under security escort. Syrian state television reported that “fighters were being transferred by bus” to northeastern Syria.

Israeli drone drops leaflets over Aita al-Shaab

An Israeli drone dropped paper leaflets over the village of Aita al-Shaab, in the Bint Jbeil district, warning that “Hezbollah is once again attempting to rehabilitate positions near your homes. Prevent them from exposing you to danger once again,” according to our correspondent.

New Israeli operation in Lebanon ‘may be necessary’ to disarm Hezbollah: WSJ

Citing Israeli officials, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Israeli army has prepared plans for a new ground operation in areas controlled by Hamas in Gaza, and that a new operation in Lebanon “may be necessary to help the Lebanese Army disarm Hezbollah.”

Israeli fire targets Bastara area from Ramtha

Israeli forces opened heavy automatic gunfire from the Ramtha position, targeting the Bastara area near the town of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya), according to our correspondent.

Syrian Democratic Forces target Aleppo governorate building with drone

The Aleppo Information Directorate said that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) targeted the governorate building with a drone during a press conference attended by Aleppo Governor Azam al-Gharib, Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa, and Minister of Social and Labor Affairs Hind Qabawa, according to the official SANA news agency.

The directorate told SANA that “this attack reflects the criminal behavior of the SDF, which seeks to silence the media and prevent the truth from reaching the public.” They added that the SDF’s targeting of government institutions, media professionals, and medical facilities is a result of their failures, heavy losses, and the collapse of their militia system, which has committed crimes against civilians in Aleppo since the beginning of the liberation.

The directorate also condemned the SDF for targeting media professionals, accusing them of spreading rumors that threaten civil peace in Syrian society.

Israeli drone drops bomb on excavator in Maroun al-Ras

An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on an excavator in Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent.

Israeli drone crashes on Wadi Houjeir road

An Israeli drone crashed on Wadi al-Houjeir road, near the border with Israel, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israeli drone drops sonic bomb near car in Maroun el-Ras

An Israeli drone dropped a sonic bomb near a car in Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil) without causing any injuries, according to our correspondent.

Syrian army to suspend military operations in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud district

The Syrian army announced that it will suspend all military operations in the Sheikh Maqsoud district of Aleppo starting at 3:00 p.m. local time today. The army also stated that it would expel Kurdish fighters to the city of Tabqa, according to the official SANA news agency.

Syrian attacks in Aleppo supported by Turkish drones, Kurdish forces say

Kurdish forces say that Syrian attacks in Aleppo are being supported by Turkish drones, Reuters reports.

Iranian authorities arrest “100 armed rioters” near Tehran

Iranian authorities arrested “100 armed rioters” in Baherestan, near Tehran, Reuters reports, citing the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.

Iranian filmmakers express concern over crackdown amid internet blackout

Iranian filmmakers Jaafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof expressed “deep concern” over the “blatant repression” of protesters in Iran, where internet has been blocked for 36 hours.

“The Iranian regime has cut off communication tools inside the country” and “blocked all means of contact with the outside world,” the two dissidents wrote in a message posted on the Instagram account of Jafar Panahi, the Palme d’Or winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.

“Such measures are being used to conceal the violence inflicted during the repression of protests,” they warned, urging the international community to “establish communication channels to monitor what is happening in the country.”

Is the fall of the Iranian regime underway?

The entire region is watching the uprising in Iran with a mixture of expectation and anxiety. A potential collapse of the regime would definitively close a 47-year chapter that has shaped the Middle East and, of course, Lebanon.

Anti-government protesters arrested outside Israeli minister’s home

Israeli police today arrested anti-government protesters outside the home of an Israeli minister, bypassing a court ruling that confirmed the right to demonstrate at that location, Haaretz reported.

Seven protesters were taken into custody, according to the Legal Support Front for Detainees. The move appears to defy a Lod court ruling, which held that the right to protest outweighs the privacy rights of a public figure.

The demonstration took place outside the home of Education Minister Yoav Kisch, in a Tel Aviv suburb. Footage from the scene shows protesters holding signs calling for an independent investigation into the Oct. 7 attacks.

Protests planned nationwide after fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota

Civil liberties and migrant-rights groups are organizing nationwide protests following the fatal shooting of Minnesota activist Renee Good by a U.S. immigration agent during a large-scale ICE deployment ordered by President Donald Trump. The killing in Minneapolis has prompted sharply conflicting accounts from federal officials and local leaders, with bystander video challenging claims that the officer acted in self-defense. State and county authorities have opened their own investigation alongside a federal probe, heightening tensions between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration. The incident has reignited debate over aggressive immigration enforcement and drawn comparisons to past police violence in the city.

Read more here.

Rubio: The United States “supports the brave Iranian people”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today in a message posted on X that the United States “supports the brave Iranian people.”

An Israeli drone drops a bomb targeting an excavator used by the South Council southwest of Mais al-Jabal


In the morning, an Israeli drone dropped a bomb targeting an excavator used for clearing rubble by the South Council. The excavator was located in the Tarrash neighborhood, southwest of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), according to our correspondent in the region.

An Israeli drone also dropped a sound bomb near a civilian in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun).

Netanyahu says he wants to do without U.S. military aid within 10 years

The Israeli prime minister said he hopes his country will no longer rely on U.S. military aid within ten years, in an interview with the British weekly The Economist published Friday evening.

“During my recent visit to President Donald Trump, I said that we deeply appreciate the military aid the United States has provided us over the years,” he explained. “But we too have reached maturity. We have developed extraordinary capabilities, and our economy will soon reach one trillion dollars within a decade,” he added. “I therefore wish to gradually reduce military aid in the coming years.”

Syria: The army announces it controls the last Kurdish neighborhood of Aleppo; Kurds deny it

The Syrian army announced that it has taken control of the last Aleppo neighborhood held by Kurdish fighters, who have denied the claim and say that fighting is still ongoing.

AFP correspondents on the ground said they could still hear gunfire in the morning and saw a large number of government forces entering the area. The clashes in this major northern Syrian city between the central government and the Kurds, who control part of the country’s northeast, have killed at least 21 civilians since Tuesday. These clashes, the most violent in Aleppo since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, have forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee, with the UN estimating that at least 30,000 families have been displaced.

“We announce the end of a complete security operation in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo,” the army said in a statement relayed by the official Sana news agency, while warning residents to stay indoors.

But Kurdish forces denied what they called “baseless allegations.” “The only option left for armed elements in the Sheikh Maqsoud area of Aleppo is to immediately surrender, weapons in hand, at the nearest military checkpoint, in exchange for a guarantee of their lives and personal safety,” the Ministry of Defense had warned earlier, according to Sana. The Syrian army had already announced it had taken control of Ashrafieh, the other Kurdish-held neighborhood.

“Nationwide internet shutdown” still in place in Iran, according to Netblocks NGO

The internet shutdown imposed Thursday by Iranian authorities due to protests against the government is still in place, according to the cybersecurity monitoring NGO Netblocks.

“Data show that the shutdown has continued for 36 hours, severely limiting Iranians’ ability to check on the safety of their friends and loved ones,” the organization wrote on X.

The son of the deposed shah urges protesters to “prepare to take over” Iran’s city centers

The son of the former shah and a leading Iranian opposition figure in exile in the United States, Reza Pahlavi, called on protesters in Iran on Saturday to “prepare to take over” city centers, on the thirteenth day of a major protest movement against the authorities.

In a message on X, he urged Iranians “to all take to the streets” Saturday and Sunday in the late afternoon, “in order to occupy public space,” stressing that “the objective is no longer merely to demonstrate in the streets” but to take over city centers by “remaining on the ground.”

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of current events in the Near and Middle East.

We will be following the situation in Lebanon and Gaza, which continue to be bombarded by the Israeli army despite cease-fires being in effect, as well as developments in Syria, Iran (where a protest movement has been ongoing for more than ten days) and Yemen.