Palestinians begin arriving in Egypt following re-opening of Rafah crossing | LIVE

South Lebanon: US Marines meet with Lebanese Army officials in Florida

The U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT) hosted a bilateral meeting with senior Lebanese Army officials at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on Monday, according to a message posted on X by the US force.

The meeting reaffirmed the "continuation of coordination and dialogue" within the framework of the 'Mechanism.'

Joseph Clearfield, U.S. commander and head of the 'Mechanism,' stressed the importance of "sustained military dialogue and structured engagement between armies to support the cessation of hostilities framework and regional stability."

Army Head Rodolph Haykal is expected to meet with U.S. officials in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday.

Palestinians from Gaza arrive in Egypt, among them wounded from Israel's war

A Palestinian child waves from the window of a bus evacuating people wounded from the war and patients, accompanied by relatives, as they prepare to leave the Gaza Strip for treatment abroad through the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Palestinian patients and wounded from Israel's two-year onslaught on Gaza began arriving in Egypt via the Rafah border crossing on Monday, an Egyptian health official told AFP.

"They have begun arriving in Egyptian ambulances, accompanied by several escorts," the official at the border said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

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South Lebanon: Israeli artillery fire on southern village of Blida

Israeli artillery fire targeted Blida (Marjayoun), according to our correspondent in souhtern Lebanon, who reported that several shells fell between houses. No damage has so far been reported.

Strike on Kfar Tibnit: Municipality 'questions role of the state' in southern Lebanon and calls for solidarity with victims

Following the strike on Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), the municipality issued a statement condemning "the barbaric and savage Zionist aggression that continues to target our fellow citizens, their livelihoods, and our communities in the South."

It also said it was "once again questioning the role of the state in establishing security and protection in this part" of Lebanon, at a time when Israeli strikes are continuing in the south.

The reconstruction of areas destroyed by Israel has not yet begun, with the international community arguing that Hezbollah's disarmament should be a prerequisite for releasing funds.

Due to the number of homes affected by the strike, estimated at "around 35" according to the municipality, the latter is appealing for solidarity to provide shelter for those affected.

"We are launching a fraternal and humanitarian appeal to our fellow citizens who are supportive and generous, and who have apartments or habitable premises, to take the initiative to contribute to the accommodation, even temporary, of the families affected, while waiting for appropriate solutions," the municipality concluded in its statement.

US envoy to meet with Israeli Prime on Tuesday

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, the day after the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, an Israeli official quoted by AFP announced on Monday.

The official did not specify the location of the meeting. According to Israeli media, Witkoff is expected in Israel for the second time in just over a week.

During a previous visit on Jan. 24, Witkoff had pressured Netanyahu to quickly reopen the border crossing as planned in Donald Trump's plan.

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Iran: British government sanctions interior minister and other officials

The British government announced on Monday that it was imposing sanctions on 10 Iranian officials, including the interior minister, following the deadly crackdown on protests in Iran in recent weeks.

The sanctions target Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, as well as "police officials and influential members" of the Revolutionary Guards, "for their role in the recent violence against protesters," the Foreign Office said in a statement quoted by AFP.

"The Iranian people have shown extreme courage in the face of the brutality and repression they have suffered in recent weeks," said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Jordan assures Tehran that it will not allow its territory to be used for an attack on Iran

Jordan's foreign minister assured his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Monday that Amman would not allow its territory to be used for a possible attack on Iran, his ministry said.

"Jordan will not be a battlefield in a regional conflict or a launching pad for military action against Iran," Ayman Safadi said in a telephone conversation with Araghchi, according to a statement from his ministry quoted by AFP.

He also stressed the need for a "diplomatic" settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, on which Iran called on Monday for talks with Washington to begin, following a series of threats of U.S. intervention.

Gaza: 150 people authorized to leave on Monday and 50 to enter via Rafah, according to Egyptian officials

150 people will be allowed to leave the Gaza Strip on Monday via the Rafah crossing, including 50 patients with two accompanying persons each, three official sources at the Egyptian border told AFP.

The same sources said that another 50 people would be allowed to enter the Palestinian territory via the border crossing, which is scheduled to close at 1 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. local time).

Rafah crossing reopening offers 'window of hope' for Gaza residents, says Palestinian official

The head of the Palestinian committee in charge of Gaza’s provisional administration said Monday that the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt represents a “window of hope” for the territory’s residents. The committee was created under Donald Trump’s plan.

“This step is not just an administrative measure; it marks the beginning of a long process to restore what has been broken and to open a true window of hope for our people in the Gaza Strip,” Ali Chaath said in a statement, according to AFP.

Hezbollah confirms identity of driver killed in Israeli strike on Ansarieh road

Hezbollah confirmed the identity of the driver killed Monday morning when his vehicle was struck by an Israeli strike in the area of Ansar, on the highway connecting Saida and Sour.

The victim was identified as Abbas Ahmad Ghadboun, originally from Qana (South Lebanon).

Strike on Ain Qana hits 'residential building in a civilian area,' says local official

The strike on Ain Qana targeted “a residential building in a civilian area,” a member of the village municipal council in the Nabatieh district told our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

The building has two floors and houses shops on the ground floor, including a hair salon and a dried fruit store, he said. “Israeli claims of Hezbollah infrastructure at the site are false,” he added.

The council member said the explosion was so powerful that stones from the building were thrown a great distance.

No casualties have been reported so far, as residents had evacuated the area before the strikes, our correspondent reports.

Israeli army fires artillery near Ramieh and Beit Lif, southern Lebanon

The Israeli army fired several artillery shells on the outskirts of Ramieh and Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil district, our correspondent reports.

Israel strikes Ain Qana

Around 10 buildings damaged in Kfar Tibnit; no casualties reported so far

The mokhtar (local official) of Kfar Tibnit told L’Orient-Le Jour that powerful strikes had completely destroyed the targeted building and damaged around ten nearby structures.

So far, no casualties have been reported, as residents had evacuated their homes prior to the strikes, he added.

The civil defense is now working to extinguish fires caused by the bombings and conducting a search operation to ensure that no one was injured.

Israeli strikes hit Ain Qana, southern Lebanon

Ain Qana, the second village that was threatened by the Israeli army, was hit twice by fighter jets, our correspondent reports.

Israeli army says it killed a 'Hezbollah air defense unit official' in Harouf

The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said on X that Sunday night’s strike in Harouf (Nabatieh district), targeted a Hezbollah air defense unit official. Ali Haqani, who died when his car was struck by a drone, was a “central figure” in the unit and responsible for “attempts to rebuild military infrastructure” linked to the group, Adraee said.

The Israeli army also stated that in the drone strike on Ansarieh/Sarafand, which killed one, the victim was also a Hezbollah member overseeing the reconstruction of the party’s infrastructure.

Aftermath of Israeli strike on Kfar Tibnit

Screenshot from a video provided to our correspondent, Muntasser Abdallah, by village residents.

Second strike hits Kfar Tibnit

A second strike hit Kfar Tibnit, in the Nabatieh district, just minutes after the first, according to local sources cited by our correspondent.

Israeli army bombs Kfar Tibnit

One hour after issuing a warning, Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on the targeted building in Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon, our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah reports.

Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon: 1 killed, 8 injured

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported one person was killed and eight others injured from the Israeli strikes earlier today.

The report says the strikes south of Saida, in Sarafand and Ansarieh killed one injured four, including a motorist who crashed his vehicle as a result of the attack.

Meanwhile, the strike in Qlayleh injured four other people.

Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn rises to 3

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since early Monday has risen to three, following an initial death reported near Jabalia in the north of the enclave.

According to local correspondents for Al Jazeera, the latest fatality occurred in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, where the victim was killed by Israeli fire.

Earlier, a three-year-old child was killed by machine-gun fire from an Israeli naval vessel in the al-Mawassi area, west of Khan Younis, according to a medical source cited by Al Jazeera.

Syria: Government forces enter Hasakeh, a Kurdish-held city

Syrian government forces entered the city of Hasakeh on Monday, a stronghold of Kurdish forces in the country’s northeast, under an agreement between Damascus and the Kurds, an AFP team on the ground reported. An AFP correspondent reported seeing Syrian security forces cross a Kurdish checkpoint to enter the city.

The agreement announced on Friday provides for the deployment of government forces in the Kurdish autonomous zone and the integration of its forces and administration into the Syrian state.

Israeli army threatens imminent strikes on 2 villages in Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon

The Israeli army has called for the evacuation of buildings in two villages in the Nabatieh district, Ain Qana and Kfar Tebnit, ahead of imminent airstrikes. In a post on X, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, urged residents to evacuate within a 300-meter radius of the two buildings, which he said were “Hezbollah military infrastructure.”

In Ain Qana, the identified building is located just 300 meters away from the village mosque, according to maps published by the spokesperson. In Kfar Tebnit, it is located more than 500 meters from a public school and is surrounded by olive groves.

The two villages lie north of the Litani River, an area where Hezbollah’s disarmament is expected to begin under a plan the Lebanese army is due to present to authorities early this month, as Hezbollah continues to refuse to hand over its weapons.

Israeli drone strike targets SUV in Qleileh, southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone struck an SUV in Qleileh, in the Sour district of southern Lebanon, our correspondent reported. According to initial information, the attack left two people injured.

This is the second targeted strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon today, following an earlier raid on the highway between Saida and Sour that killed one person.

Pezeshkian 'orders' start of negotiations with the US

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has called for the start of nuclear talks with the United States, Fars news agency reported, amid tensions with Washington, which has not ruled out military action.

“President Massoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of talks with the United States,” Fars cited a government source as saying. “Iran and the United States will hold discussions on the nuclear issue,” the agency added, without specifying a date. The news was also published in the government newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.

Four foreign nationals arrested in Iran over 'riots participation'

Iranian state television reported that four foreign nationals, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were arrested for “participation in riots” following a deadly wave of protests in January.

“They were detained during a raid in Tehran province,” the source said, without specifying the date. During a search of one suspect’s bag, authorities found four homemade stun grenades, reportedly used in the unrest. Iranian officials have accused Israel and the United States of involvement in the protests.

Israeli strike kills targeted vehicle's driver in Saida

The driver of a vehicle targeted by an Israeli strike south of Saida has died of his injuries, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports.

Iran denies receiving 'ultimatum' from Trump

Iran has denied that it received an “ultimatum” from U.S. President Donald Trump for negotiations with Washington, a government source told AFP. Iran said there was no such ultimatum from Trump and that reports of one were incorrect.

Israeli strike hits van on highway between Saida and Sour

A van was targeted by two shells fired from an Israeli army drone in the Sarafand area, on the highway between Saida and Sour, our correspondent reported.

The Israeli army claimed the strike, saying it targeted “a Hezbollah member” in the Ansarieh area, a locality near Sarafand south of Saida.

Palestinian killed by Israeli fire in northern Gaza

One person was killed and several others injured by Israeli fire east of Jabalia in northern Gaza, a source at al-Shifa Hospital told Al-Jazeera.

The day before, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 26 additional deaths and 68 injuries over the previous 24 hours, following one of the deadliest waves of Israeli strikes since the start of the cease-fire. Since it took effect on Oct. 10, at least 523 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, bringing the total official death toll since October 7, 2023, to 71,795, with 171,551 injured.

Iraq announces investigations into ISIS prisoners transferred from Syria

Iraqi authorities said they have begun investigations into more than 1,300 members of the Islamic State (ISIS) who were transferred from Syria as part of a U.S.-led operation.

“The investigation procedures have begun concerning 1,387 members of the terrorist organization Daesh recently transferred from Syrian territory,” the judicial media office said in a statement, using the group’s Arabic acronym.

Iran summons European ambassadors after Revolutionary Guards labeled 'terrorist group'

Iran has summoned European ambassadors following the designation of its Revolutionary Guards as a “terrorist group,” AFP reports.

Gaza's Rafah border crossing officially reopened in both directions

An Israeli official announced Monday morning that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, closed since May 2024, has reopened in both directions for residents, following a very limited reopening the day before.

“From now on, and following the arrival of the European EUBAM mission, the Rafah crossing is open for residents, for both entry and exit,” the official told AFP.

Rafah crossing reopening: 50 people to cross in each direction during first days

Around 50 people will be able to cross the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt in each direction during the first days of its reopening, Egyptian state-linked media reported, AFP said.

“Fifty people will leave Egypt for Gaza and 50 will come from Gaza,” al-Qahera News, a media outlet linked to intelligence services, quoted an anonymous source as saying.

A source at the border told AFP that a few dozen people had arrived on the Egyptian side on Monday in preparation to enter Gaza.

Tehran says negotiation 'framework' will be finalized in coming days

Tehran says a “framework” for negotiations with the United States will be finalized in the coming days, according to the Iranian government, AFP reports.

South Lebanon: Israeli shelling and explosions

Several attacks were reported overnight, according to our correspondent. The Israeli army carried out three large explosions during the night: one near the village of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil district) and two between the villages of Markaba and Odaisseh (Marjayoun). It was not immediately clear whether the blasts targeted buildings destroyed by soldiers who had infiltrated Lebanese territory.

Israeli forces also fired machine guns toward Yaroun (Bint Jbeil), while a drone dropped a stun grenade on Kfar Kila (Marjayoun). Machine-gun fire was also reported from an Israeli position at Jabal al-Bat, targeting the neighboring village of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil).

In addition, Israeli forces reportedly fired from the occupied part of Ghajar toward shepherds in a nearby plain in Lebanese territory. Shortly before 9 a.m., an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade near Aita al-Shaab.

South Lebanon: 1 killed in Israeli drone strike in Harouf

A Hezbollah member, identified as Abdel Hadi Moustapha al-Haqani, was killed Sunday evening in an Israeli drone strike on his car in Harouf, Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent in the south.

The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the strike, but its Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a post on X that a man killed earlier in the day in Doueir had been identified as a “section chief in Hezbollah’s engineering department.”

Syria: 'Limited internal security force' to enter parts of Hasakeh and Qamishli, says Abdi

After months of deadlock and heavy fighting, Damascus and Kurdish officials announced on Friday that they had reached an agreement for the gradual integration of Kurdish autonomous forces and administration into the Syrian state. The deal marks a setback for Kurdish autonomy aspirations forged during the civil war that ravaged the country from 2011 to 2024, with the Islamist-led government determined to assert control over the entire territory. Under the agreement, government security forces will deploy in the Kurdish autonomous zone in the north and northeast.

The head of Kurdish forces in Syria, Mazloum Abdi, said implementation would begin on Monday. He stated that a “limited internal security force” would enter certain areas of the two main cities, Hasakeh and Qamishli, but that “no military forces will enter any Kurdish town or locality.” A source within the Kurdish security forces added that a delegation from the government security forces visited their headquarters in Qamishli on Sunday.

Syria: Curfew in Kurdish areas ahead of agreement with Damascus

Syrian Kurdish security forces announced yesterday a curfew in two northeastern cities on Monday, the day the agreement with the government is set to take effect.

The curfew will be in place in Hasakeh and Qamishli from 6:00 a.m. (3:00 a.m. GMT) to 6:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, with authorities saying the measure is intended to “ensure the safety of residents.”

Trump hopes for deal with Iran after Khamenei warning

U.S. president Donald Trump said yesterday he hopes to reach a deal with Tehran, after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that a U.S. attack could spark a “regional war.”

Trump added, “If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether he was right.” Khamenei spoke publicly for the first time in two weeks, referring to a brief U.S. strike on Iran during a 12-day conflict in June.

The prospect of a new war appears postponed, thanks to diplomatic efforts by Moscow, Ankara, and Doha.

Israel to begin allowing Gaza residents to cross the Rafah border crossing

Israel is set to begin allowing Gaza residents to cross the Rafah border crossing today under strict conditions. The crossing has been closed since May 2024.

The reopening, part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, marks the first step in what appears, for now, to be a very partial process: according to images and Palestinian sources interviewed by AFP, tanker trucks and ambulances crossed the border on the Egyptian side on Sunday, without entering Gaza itself.

Israeli authorities said movement in both directions could start Monday once preparations are complete. They did not, however, indicate any immediate increase in aid to the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by two years of war.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East. We will be following the evolution of tensions between the United States and Iran, as well as the situation in southern Lebanon and Gaza, which continue to be bombarded by Israel despite cease-fires.

Read our Morning Brief here.