Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs
Following evacuation orders for buildings in Ghobeiri, Haret Hreik, and Hadath, Israeli strikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hezbollah-launched drones toward northern Israel intercepted.
The Israeli army said that drones launched by Hezbollah toward Ramat David were intercepted.
In a brief statement, it said that two drones coming from Lebanon had been intercepted, following warning sirens triggered in Metula and Zar'it.
Hezbollah claims drone attack on Ramat David airbase
In a statement released early Tuesday, Hezbollah announced that at 5 a.m. it targeted “radar sites and control rooms at the Ramat David air base, in northern occupied Palestine, using a swarm of attack drones.”
Hezbollah claims it is acting “in response to the criminal Israeli aggression” that struck “dozens of Lebanese localities, including Beirut’s southern suburbs,” resulting in “dozens of martyrs.”
The Shiite group asserts that “its retaliation targeted military sites, unlike the enemy, which targets civilians,” adding that this represents “the minimum required to deter it and prevent it from pursuing its dangerous objectives against Lebanon.”
The Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli army issued an urgent warning to residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs, this time targeting a building in the Hadath neighborhood, marked in red on a map attached to his message.
He called on everyone in that building, as well as in nearby structures, to evacuate immediately and move at least 300 meters away, stating that they are close to “Hezbollah installations.”
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army issued an urgent warning to residents of 50 villages in south Lebanon, saying that “Hezbollah’s activities are forcing the Israeli army to act against it with force, without intending to harm civilians.” He called on residents of these villages to evacuate their homes immediately.
According to our correspondent in South Lebanon, the Israeli army carried out 76 airstrikes in the area on Monday, as well as three drone strikes.
The Israeli army said it had “intercepted two drones after they crossed the border from Lebanon.”
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it had intercepted eight drones near the capital, Riyadh, and the city of al-Kharj in central Saudi Arabia.
“Eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and al-Kharj,” Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the ministry, wrote on X.
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army issued a warning to residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs regarding two buildings identified on maps attached to his message.
The buildings are located in Ghobeiri and Haret Hreik. Avichay Adraee called on residents of those buildings, as well as those nearby, to evacuate the area, saying they are “located near facilities and interests belonging to Hezbollah.”
Shortly afterward, gunfire was heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs, intended to alert and wake residents.
Netanyahu says offensive against Iran will not become a 'war without end'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday in an interview with Fox News that the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran will not turn into an “endless war.”
“You are not going to have a war without end,” he insisted, saying instead that it would be a “quick and decisive action.”
Trump says US will respond 'soon' to attack on its embassy in Riyadh
Donald Trump said the United States would respond “soon” to the drone attack on its embassy in Riyadh overnight Monday to Tuesday, in an interview with NewsNation.
Asked about the response to the attack, the U.S. president said: “You will find out soon.”
Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said a “limited” fire had broken out overnight at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh following an attack by two drones.
Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah command centers and weapons depots in Beirut
The Israeli army says it is targeting Hezbollah command centers and weapons depots in Beirut.
The Israeli army struck Beirut’s southern suburbs, one hour after issuing an evacuation warning.
Explosions near Iran’s national TV headquarters, says it continues broadcasting
Iran’s national broadcaster (IRIB) reported on Tuesday that two explosions occurred near its headquarters in Tehran but said it is continuing its broadcasts amid the ongoing Israeli-American airstrikes.
“Smoke from two explosions around IRIB premises / No disruption to IRIB operations,” the agency wrote on Telegram.
Kuwait: US Embassy hit by drones
The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait was struck by drones on Monday, three diplomatic sources told AFP, after smoke was seen rising from the mission earlier in the day.
A Kuwait-based diplomat and a Western diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said the building was damaged by multiple drones. A second diplomat based in Kuwait said the embassy building was directly hit during the attack.
Earlier in the morning, an AFP correspondent had observed smoke rising from the embassy, on the third day of Iranian reprisals in the Gulf against the U.S.-Israeli campaign targeting it.
The U.S. Embassy had warned the public not to enter its compound, citing “a persistent threat of missiles and drone attacks over Kuwait.”
In a statement, Hezbollah said that "For the past fifteen months, Israeli aggression against Lebanon has continued through murder, destruction, and devastation."
The party said that "all political and diplomatic efforts have failed to contain this aggression or to enforce a cease-fire." It argued that "unanswered aggression cannot continue" and described its strike on "a military barracks in the usurping entity" as a "defensive act" and a "legitimate right," calling on "those responsible" to end the "aggression," which it presents as the direct cause of the ongoing developments in Lebanon.
Israel: the army says it is working to intercept new missiles fired from Iran.
Iran: Israeli army says it 'struck and dismantled' Tehran’s public radio-TV headquarters
The Israeli army announced Monday night that it had “struck and dismantled” the headquarters of Iran’s public radio and television network (IRIB) in northern Tehran.
“A short time ago, the Air Force struck and dismantled the communications center of the Iranian terrorist regime,” the military said in a statement, accompanied by an infographic of the building.
Earlier, it had called for the area to be evacuated.
After Israeli threats, residents of Alma al-Shaab refuse to evacuate
Despite Israeli threats targeting the village of Alma al-Shaab, residents have refused to leave their homes and their village, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.
They gathered in the church square at the center of the village and rang the church bells to demonstrate their attachment to their land and their refusal to flee. They also called on the Lebanese army to support them.
Iranian media report 2 explosions near the IRIB public radio and television headquarters
Iranian media report two explosions near the IRIB public radio and television headquarters.
Israel calls for evacuation around Tehran’s public television headquarters ahead of strikes
Israel calls for evacuation around Tehran’s public television headquarters ahead of strikes
Israeli army confirms killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad military leader in Lebanon
The Israeli army confirmed that it killed the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military branch in Lebanon.
Earlier, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad had announced that Adham Adnan al-Othman was killed in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday morning.
The Israeli army accused him of having “continued to plan numerous terrorist operations from Lebanon” and said that “his elimination represents a major blow to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s ability to carry out terrorist operations against Israel and its citizens.”
Iraq: Clashes near US Embassy in Baghdad for second consecutive day
Dozens of protesters clashed Monday, for the second day in a row, with security forces near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, an AFP journalist reported.
Iraqis protesting the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran threw stones at the security forces guarding access to the ultra-secure Green Zone housing the embassy, prompting authorities to respond with tear gas.
The U.S. Embassy reiterated Monday that demonstrations “can turn violent” and urged its citizens to avoid crowds.
On Sunday, authorities accused protesters of firing live rounds, injuring members of the security forces, when an angry crowd tried to storm the Green Zone following the announcement of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
Rubio says US struck Iran 'preemptively' after learning of Israeli plans
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the United States launched its strikes against Iran “preemptively” after Israel attacked first and Iran was preparing to retaliate.
“We knew that if we did not strike them preemptively before they launched these attacks, we would suffer greater losses,” Rubio told reporters.
He also reiterated at length that the U.S. “would like” to see the Iranian people overthrow their government, but stressed that this is not the objective of the war.
Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged by Israeli-American strikes
Golestan Palace in Tehran, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, was hit during U.S- Israeli strikes on the Iranian capital, Iranian media reported Monday.
“Following the joint U.S.-Israeli attack ... in southern Tehran on Sunday night, Golestan Palace ... was partially damaged,” reported the ISNA news agency, noting that windows, doors, and mirrors were affected by the blast waves.
The Mehr news agency reported similar information.
According to a statement Monday from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, the palace “appears to have been damaged by debris and the shockwave from an airstrike on Arag Square” in the capital.
UNESCO said it had “shared the geographic coordinates of World Heritage sites with all relevant parties ... to prevent potential damage” and expressed “concern for the protection of cultural heritage sites amid the escalation of violence in the Middle East.”
US embassy in Amman says staff temporarily evacuated due to threat
The U.S. embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman said it had temporarily evacuated its staff due to an unspecified threat on Monday.
"Out of an abundance of caution, all personnel at the US Embassy have temporarily departed the embassy compound due to a threat," it said in a security alert posted on social media.
New series of powerful explosions heard in Tehran: AFP
New series of powerful explosions heard in Tehran: AFP
Israel to reopen Kerem Shalom crossing to allow gradual entry of aid into Gaza
Israeli government agency COGAT said it would reopen the Kerem Shalom crossing starting on Tuesday for the gradual entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
Israeli army calls on residents of a building in Haret Hreik to evacuate
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, called on “all residents present in the southern suburbs [Beirut] area, particularly in the building marked” on a map attached to his message on X, as well as “in neighboring buildings in the Haret Hreik neighborhood,” to evacuate these buildings immediately.
“You are located near facilities and infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, against which the Israel Defense Forces will act forcefully in the near future,” he added.
Israel Defense Forces orders immediate evacuation of 30 villages in south Lebanon
The Arabic-language spokesperson of the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, has called on residents of thirty villages in south Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately. The localities concerned are: Dhaira, Taybeh, Naqoura, Jibbayn, Matmoura, Odaisseh, Beit Lif, Blida, Beni Hayan, Bint Jbeil, Houla, Hanine, Tayr Harfa, Yaroun, Yarin, Kfar Kila, Mohaibib, Mais al-Jabal , Marwahine, Maroun al-Ras, Markaba, Ainata, Aita al-Shaab, Aitaroun, Alma al-Shaab, Robb Thalathin, Ramiyeh, Shihine, Tallousa and Khiam.
Earlier, Adraee stated on his X account that “forces of the 91st and 210th Divisions are deploying along advanced defensive lines, along the border and in the forward defensive zone in southern Lebanon and Syria.”
“Defensive and offensive measures have been reinforced, and troops remain on operational readiness for all scenarios,” he added.
'God damn them': Hezbollah faces the wrath of its own community
In a Beirut still reeling from the night’s explosions, reporters from L’Orient-Le Jour met with displaced families who fled by the thousands following the renewed Israeli strikes of Beirut's southern suburbs, south Lebanon and the Bekaa.
Many of them expressed anger over what they described as a “suicidal” decision by Hezbollah to launch rockets overnight from Sunday to Monday toward northern Israel. Read the article here.
Kuwait: Army says navy sergeant killed on duty
The Kuwaiti army announced that a navy sergeant was killed Monday while on a mission, without providing further details about the circumstances of his death.
“The General Staff of the Army mourns … Sergeant Walid Majid Sulaiman,” the statement said, adding that he was killed “while carrying out his duty as part of the national missions entrusted to the armed forces,” as Iran continues carrying out strikes on Gulf countries.
Israel carried out 68 strikes on south Lebanon since this morning
Since dawn, Israel launched at least 68 airstrikes on towns and villages in southern Lebanon, some of them carried out by drones, according to a tally by our correspondent.
'Hezbollah has made a grave mistake for which residents have paid the price,' says French foreign minister
France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, said Monday during a press briefing that “the military escalation” in Lebanon and with Iran “must be brought to an end as quickly as possible.”
“Hezbollah has made a grave mistake for which residents paid the price this morning, with dozens killed and tens of thousands displaced, by joining a conflict that the Lebanese authorities and people refuse to take responsibility for,” he said, while calling on Hezbollah to “immediately cease these operations.”
The French foreign minister also stressed that “the continuation of military operations with no time limit and no clear objective carries the risk of sliding into a spiral that could drag Iran and the region into a long period of instability,” at a time when American and Israeli war aims vis-à-vis Iran are not clearly defined.
He further stated that France was “fully prepared to participate in the defense” of its “friendly countries” in the region that had been “deliberately targeted by missiles and drones from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and drawn into a war they did not choose,” citing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan.
Israel army says struck Iran military, intelligence offices in Tehran
The Israeli military said it struck Iranian intelligence offices and other command centers in attacks on the Islamic republic today.
Rocket fire toward Israel: Did Hezbollah launch its rockets from the South of the Litani River?
A branch of Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah's microfinance institution, destroyed by an Israeli strike in Sour, southern Lebanon, on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Kawnat Haju/AFP)
The damage is done. By launching an attack against Israel — the first since November 2024 — Hezbollah has incurred the wrath of the Israeli army, dragging the entire country of Lebanon and its authorities into a state of embarrassment.
A fundamental question that arises is: From where, geographically, did the party launch its operation — south or north of the Litani River?
171 reception centers opened, 29,000 displaced people housed
Social Development Minister Haneen Sayed announced at a press conference the opening of "171 reception centers in various regions of Lebanon." "
29,000 displaced persons are currently being housed there," she added.
Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon killed at least 52, injured 154, according to a new official toll
Israeli airstrikes carried out in Lebanon since Sunday night have killed at least 52 and injured 154, according to a new official toll released Monday by the Health Ministry.
A previous toll reported 31 killed and 149 injured.
Iran accuses Israel, US of attacking nuclear site in Natanz
Iran has accused Israel and the United States of attacking the Natanz nuclear site again on Sunday, a site already targeted by bombings in June during the 12-day war triggered by an Israeli attack.
"The criminal regimes of the United States and Israel, continuing their aggression, again targeted the Natanz nuclear site on Sunday afternoon in two brutal attacks," wrote Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, in a letter quoted by the IRNA.
His counterpart at the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, stated on Monday that there was "no indication" that Iranian nuclear facilities had been hit since the launch of the Israeli-American strikes against Iran on Saturday.
Raad criticizes government's 'impractical decisions,' accusing it of 'powerlessness'
(Credit: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament)
The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, issued a statement Monday criticizing the government’s decision to ban all Hezbollah “military and security operations.”
Hours after rumors surfaced that he had been targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs at dawn, Raad attacked remarks made by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam following the Cabinet meeting held Monday morning at the Baabda Presidential Palace.
“We understand the Lebanese government’s powerlessness in the face of the Zionist enemy, which violates national sovereignty, occupies the territory, and poses a constant threat to the country’s security and stability. We also understand its right to decide on war and peace, as well as its inability to implement this decision and impose it on an enemy that tramples on national peace and continues its aggression against Lebanon and its people,” Raad said.
Trump says he is ready to send ground troops to Iran 'if necessary'
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he would send U.S. ground troops to Iran “if necessary,” and asserted that the United States had the “capabilities” for a war lasting longer than the four to five weeks mentioned the previous day.
He also asserted that the “big wave” of the U.S. offensive was yet to come. Attempting to justify the military operation launched Saturday, he declared during a ceremony at the White House that he had seized the “last and best opportunity” to strike Iran.
“An Iranian regime with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would pose an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people,” he added.
171 reception centers open and 29,000 displaced people housed
Social Development Minister, Haneen Sayed, announced at a press briefing that “171 reception centers have been opened across different regions of Lebanon.” She added that “29,000 displaced people are currently housed” in these centers.
Israeli army reports 'hostile aircraft intrusion from Lebanon'
The Israeli army said that alerts were triggered across several areas in northern Israel following the “intrusion of a hostile aircraft from Lebanon,” adding that the details are still under investigation.
US Embassy in Lebanon to close on Tuesday
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon announced that it would be closed on Tuesday, March 3, without specifying how long the suspension of operations would last.
Earlier in the day, the embassy urged American citizens in Lebanon to depart immediately while commercial flights are still available.
New Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon
Israeli aircraft targeted the village of Sammaaiyeh (Sour district), according to our correspondent in the region.
Hundreds of displaced families from the south remain stranded on the roads in Saida and Zahrani, where traffic is at a standstill. Many roads in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley have been blocked due to debris from buildings hit by the Israeli strikes, according to our correspondent.
Our reporting and analysis bring a perspective few others can: that of women and men rooted here — people who know the region, its history, its nuances and its divisions inside out. For you, our journalists verify, cross-check and explain.
To truly understand what’s happening on the ground, you need them.
And to remain fully independent, we need you.
Israel says it targeted 'another senior terrorist in Beirut'
The Israeli army said it had “recently carried out a targeted strike against another senior terrorist in Beirut,” without specifying the individual’s identity, just minutes after its latest airstrikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Commander in Lebanon killed Monday morning in Israeli strikes on southern Beirut
The head of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Lebanon was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday morning, the group – allied with Hamas and Hezbollah – announced in a statement.
“The commander of the al-Quds Brigades, Adham Adnan al-Othman, 41, fell as a martyr following a treacherous Zionist attack targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut at dawn on Monday,” the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing said in its statement.
New Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs
Israeli Air Force carried out a fresh wave of strikes on the Beirut's southern suburbs. At least five explosions were heard across the capital and surrounding areas.
The latest strikes occurred with no prior warning.
Qatar says it shot down 2 Iranian aircraft
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense announced in a statement that its air forces shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft on Monday.
The statement added that Doha also successfully intercepted seven ballistic missiles using its air defenses and shot down five drones that were targeting multiple areas of the country.
Israeli army says it carried out strikes on 'more than 70 Hezbollah targets' in Lebanon
The Israeli army announced that it struck at least 70 Hezbollah targets in a “large-scale attack” across Lebanon.
“The Israeli army attacked more than 70 weapons depots, launch sites, and missile launchers belonging to Hezbollah in multiple regions of Lebanon,” the statement reads.
“The targeted sites were intended to enable the organization to plan and carry out various terrorist plots against Israeli military forces and civilians.”
In a separate statement, the military said it had issued 18 warning messages in total to targets located in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Most of the buildings struck were in areas where branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah’s financial arm, had already been targeted.
French consulate urges its citizens in Lebanon to move to 'safe zones'
The French consulate has called on French nationals living in Lebanon to leave areas affected in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa and move toward safer locations.
New salvo of Iranian missiles fired toward Israel
The Israeli army reported triggering air-raid sirens across the country after detecting a new salvo of missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory.
“The Israeli army has identified that missiles were recently fired from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defense systems are working to intercept the threat,” the army wrote on X.
Iran: loud explosions heard near a nuclear site in Isfahan
Loud explosions were heard near Iran’s nuclear site and airbase in Isfahan in central Iran, according to several Iranian news outlets cited by Reuters.
So far, the cause of the explosions and any resulting damage or injuries have not been independently verified.
A dozen Hezbollah economic offices bombed across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa
Israeli warplanes targeted around a dozen local branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah’s financial arm, across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa in less than an hour.
The latest strikes hit buildings in the villages of Habboush, Toul and Deir Zahrani (Nabatieh district) in the South, as well as Ain Bourday and Labweh (Baalbek) in the Bekaa, according to our correspondents.
Earlier, branches in Sour, al-Boss, Qana and Nabatieh were targeted.
Israel army chief vows to strike 'all terrorist leaders and factions' across Middle East
Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir on Monday warned that his country would strike "all terrorist leaders and factions" across the Middle East, vowing to deal a severe blow to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
"We will end this campaign with not just Iran being struck but with Hezbollah suffering a devastating blow," Zamir said in a military statement.
"Our message is clear and resonates throughout the Middle East: We will strike all terrorist leaders and factions who rise to harm us. We have proven this and will continue to prove it," he added.
Sirens and alerts at the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon were part of a drill
A video widely shared on social media showing sirens and loudspeaker warnings at the U.S. Embassy in Awkar, near Beirut — instructing staff to take shelter and stay away from windows — was part of a security exercise conducted by the embassy, according to local media reports.
Latest wave of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon
Shortly after issuing evacuation warnings, Israeli aircraft struck four branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, the financial institution affiliated with Hezbollah, in southern Lebanon.
The targets were located in al-Boss at the city’s northeastern entrance (in central Sour), in Qana (Sour district), and in Nabatieh, according to our correspondent in the South.
There is no immediate word on casualties.
Hezbollah launched drones at British bases in Cyprus, anonymous source tells Reuters
Cyprus source tells Reuters all indications suggest that the drones targeting British bases in Cyprus were launched by Hezbollah.
Escalation in Lebanon: Education Ministry orders universities to close
Lebanon’s Minister of Education, Rima Karameh, said that she ordered the closure of all private universities as well as the Lebanese University on Tuesday, amid the ongoing military escalation in the country.
The decision was made in coordination with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The ministry will issue daily circulars regarding class arrangements to ensure the smooth continuation of higher education.
⚡ Israel strikes southern suburbs of Beirut
Israel has carried out a new strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, just minutes after targeting the same location with an initial strike.
Lebanese Army reinforcements deployed to the capital Beirut
A security decision has been taken to deploy Lebanese Army reinforcements to the capital Beirut and to take certain precautionary measures in line with developments on the ground and government decisions, according to local television channel Al Jadeed.
Earlier in the day, the Cabinet announced a "total ban on all military activity" by Hezbollah and any attacks launched from Lebanese territory, reaffirming that decisions relating to war and peace were the sole responsibility of the government.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing rockets into northern Israel on Sunday night, triggering a violent Israeli response.
Israeli strikes on Lebanon since Sunday night
Washington calls on US citizens to leave Lebanon 'immediately'
The U.S. State Department, through its Bureau of Consular Affairs, issued a statement on Monday at 3 p.m. (Beirut time) urging U.S. citizens "not to travel to Lebanon" or to leave the country "immediately while commercial flights are still available."
"We urge U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon. If you are already there, leave Lebanon IMMEDIATELY while commercial flights are still available," it warned.
It added: "The security situation in Lebanon is unstable and unpredictable. Air strikes have taken place throughout the country, particularly in the south, the Bekaa Valley and certain neighbourhoods of Beirut."
This alert was issued today. The previous warning was issued on Saturday, the day the strikes against Iran began.
Airlines call for civil aviation not to be targeted
The world's leading airline organization, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has urged warring parties in the Middle East not to target aircraft and airports, after infrastructure in the region was hit, reports AFP.
"It is essential that countries respect their obligations to spare civilians and civil aviation," said Willie Walsh, Director General of the IATA, quoted in a press release.
"We all hope for a swift and peaceful end to the current hostilities," added Walsh, whose organization represents more than 360 airlines accounting for 85 percent of global commercial traffic.
Israeli strike on targeted building in Sour and on Qana
The Israeli army carried out a strike on a building in Sour, one of the sites ordered for evacuation over an hour ago. According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, the building houses a branch of al-Qard al-Hassan.
The media also filmed a strike on Qana.
Prior to these strikes, Israeli drones continued to fly intensively over southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Military escalation in Lebanon: Quintet ambassadors to visit Baabda Presidential Palace on Tuesday
L'Orient Today has learned that the ambassadors of the Quintet member countries — the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt — will visit the Baabda Presidential Palace on Tuesday for talks with President Joseph Aoun to discuss efforts to achieve a cease-fire.
Israeli drones flying over southern Lebanon and southern Beirut
Israeli drones continue to fly low and intensively over southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent, as well as over the southern suburbs of Beirut.
⚡ Israel strikes southern suburbs of Beirut
Smoke rises from the southern suburbs of Beirut after an Israeli strike on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Ghadir Hamadi/L'Orient Today)
⚡ Israel strikes southern suburbs of Beirut
Israel carried out several major strikes on the same target in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a few seconds apart and a few minutes after a warning strike, according to live footage filmed by local media. At least six strikes were confirmed.
⚡ Israel strikes southern suburbs of Beirut
(Credit: Tasnim Chaaban/L'Orient Today)
Arabic-language spokesperon Avichay Adraee announced that Israel has begun striking its targets in areas across Lebanon.
US Chief of Staff: United States has 'air superiority' over Iran
U.S. Chief of Staff Dan Caine said that the United States had gained control of the skies over Iran thanks to U.S.-Israeli strikes carried out since Saturday, reports AFP.
"The combined impact of these strikes — swift, precise, and overwhelming — has resulted in the establishment of local air superiority. This air superiority will not only enhance the protection of our forces, but also enable them to continue their operations over Iran," Caine said at a press conference.
⚡Khamenei's wife succumbs to injuries, according to Iranian media
Strikes against Iran: Khamenei's wife succumbs to her injuries, according to Iranian media, reports AFP.
Warning strike on Burj al-Barajneh, southern suburbs of Beirut
An Israeli warning strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to local media.
A target located in the Burj al-Brajneh neighborhood is included in the latest series of evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army about an hour ago.
Top U.S. General: It would take time to achieve military objectives in Iran
U.S. General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would take time to achieve military objectives in Iran and additional U.S. casualties were expected, according to Reuters.
He added that the United States continued to send additional troops to Middle East even after a massive military buildup.
Israel expects Hezbollah to intensify its attacks
The Israeli army says it believes Hezbollah will intensify its attacks on Israel, reports the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz.
International Air Transport Association: Do not target civil aviation
War in the Middle East: Global airlines call for civil aviation not to be targeted, according to a statement from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Powerful explosions heard in western Tehran
Powerful explosions were heard in western Tehran, Iran, according to an AFP reporter.
For his part, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, said his country was "ready for a long war."
South Lebanon, Bekaa updates
An Israeli airstrike targeted Yohmor in the Western Bekaa at around 1:30 pm, according to our correspondent in the region.
Following the Israeli army's evacuation orders in several areas of southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, the Civil Defense has closed the road leading to the al-Qard al-Hassan's Baalbeck branch in Ain Bourday.
Moreover, the Banks Street in the city of Saida, where one of the al-Qard al-Hassan branches is located, was evacuated as a precaution, even though the Israeli army did not mention Saida in its evacuation orders.
Furthermore, the al-Qard al-Hassan street in al-Bass, Sour, was evacuated, according to our correspondent in the south.
Gas distributors in Lebanon assure that stocks are sufficient
The gas distributors' union said in a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA) that gas stocks in Lebanon were sufficient for one month and that three ships carrying gas were expected to arrive in the country this week.
It acknowledged that demand was "exceptionally high," particularly due to the intense cold spell affecting mountainous and coastal areas, as well as the movement of many families to these regions during the winter, prompting many households to fill their gas cylinders at home.
The union also called on "all import companies and gas filling plants to increase daily deliveries beyond the usual winter level, extend working hours and temporarily and exceptionally intensify the pace of production and distribution in order to avoid any pressure on the market or artificial shortages in certain areas."
Finally, it urged "the competent authorities" to monitor the market in order to track down abuses and fraud.
'I hope they thought to remove the gold before they struck Israel last night’
“Did Hezbollah know that Qard al-Hassan would be targeted?” 28-year old Dana* from Sour told L’Orient Today.
She had put her gold jewelry in one of Sour's branch of the institution and took a small loan with the value of her gold to help pay for her wedding in March 2025.
“My gold is there..I hope they thought to remove the gold before they struck Israel last night,” she concluded anxiously.
Iran announces 11th wave of missiles against Israel
Iranian state television has announced further Iranian missile strikes against Israel in retaliation for Israeli-U.S. bombing of Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes on Saturday.
"The 11th wave of Operation Honest Promise-4 is underway, with missiles and drones being fired at targets in Beersheba," Iranian television reported at around 3 p.m. local time, citing a brief statement from the Revolutionary Guards.
A source close to Saudi intelligence raises the possibility of retaliation for Iranian strikes
Saudi Arabia: a "concerted" Iranian attack on oil infrastructure could lead to a military response, according to a source close to the government quoted by AFP.
Saudi Arabia's military has raised its readiness levels following multiple attacks by Iran targeting its territory, a source close to the army told AFP on Monday.
"The Saudi army has raised its readiness to full alert," the source told AFP.
New evacuation orders for buildings marked in red in Sour, southern Lebanon
Evacuation orders for residents of eleven localities in southern Lebanon concern the following towns and villages: Bint Jbeil, Qana, Maaroub, Nabatieh al-Tahta, a building in the centre of Sour, Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, Deir Zahrani, al-Sultanieh, Toul, and Haboush.
In the Bekaa Valley, six other orders have been issued for: Bednayel, Hermel, Laboue, Ain Bourdai, Hous Ghanam, and Mashghara.
A similar notice has also been issued for Burj al-Barajneh, in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israeli army says it killed head of Hezbollah Intelligence in overight strike on southern suburbs of Beirut
Israel announced that "Hezbollah's Intelligence Chief Hussein Moukalled was killed" in a strike that targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut last night.
Israel killed twenty people and injured 91 in its strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut last night.
Israel issues twelve evacuation threats, particularly near branches of al-Qard al-Hassan
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, whose accounts on X remain active, issued twelve evacuation notices to residents of several areas of Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa, ordering them to leave the area before strikes.
In particular, it ordered the evacuation of a building located in the Burj al-Barajneh neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut, attaching a map to its statement.
In another post on X, Avichay Adraee announced that the Israeli army would soon carry out "attacks on infrastructure belonging to the Al-Qard al-Hassan association, affiliated with Hezbollah, in various regions of Lebanon."
In a video attached to his message, more than a dozen maps were presented, showing buildings marked in red, particularly in the Bekaa Valley, Bednayel, Ain Bourday, Hermel, and Laboue. Residents of the buildings concerned are being ordered to move at least 300 metres away.
Three U.S. aircraft 'shot down by Kuwait by mistake'
The three U.S. fighter jets that crashed in Kuwait were shot down by the Gulf country at a time when Iran was striking the region, according to Centcom, the U.S. military command for the Middle East.
"During an intense confrontation, including attacks by Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones," the aircraft "were shot down by mistake by Kuwaiti air defences," Centcom said in a statement, adding that the six crew members had ejected and were safe and sound.
"Kuwait has acknowledged this incident and we are grateful for the efforts of its defence forces and their support in the ongoing operation" against Iran, it added.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz: Naim Kassem will 'end up like Ali Khamenei'
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said, according to comments reported by Haaretz, that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Kassem will "end up like Ali Khamenei," Iran's supreme leader who was killed on Saturday in massive Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran.
Terminal at Paphos Airport in Cyprus evacuated
An air terminal at Paphos Airport on the island of Cyprus was evacuated after a suspicious object was detected by radar, according to the Cypriot public television channel, as reported by Reuters.
Paphos Airport, located on the west coast of the island, is in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. It is located about 60 kilometres from the British RAF Akrotiri base, which was hit by an unmanned drone during the night.
Shortly after noon local time on Monday, sirens sounded at the British base and aircraft took off.
Lebanese government 'willing to resume negotiations with Israel'
The Cabinet is still willing to resume negotiations under international guarantees and is asking the countries that guaranteed the November 2024 cease-fire, namely France and the United States, to exert pressure on Israel to cease its attacks on Lebanon.
The government has also asked the Social Affairs Ministry to take the necessary steps to provide shelter for those displaced by Israeli bombing.
Israel extends school and workplace closure until Wednesday at 8 p.m. local time
The closure of schools and workplaces and the ban on gatherings have been extended in Israel until Wednesday at 8 p.m. (local time, 6 p.m. GMT), the army announced on the third day of the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran.
"Following a new assessment in the context of the conflict with Iran," the army "indicates that the restrictions imposed nationwide will remain unchanged until Wednesday evening. All gatherings, educational activities and workplaces, with the exception of essential sectors, will remain prohibited," according to a statement.
Lebanese government 'willing to resume negotiations with Israel'
The Israeli army announced that it had launched "a new large-scale strike" in the "heart" of Tehran on the third day of the Israeli-U.S. war against Iran.
"The Israeli Air Force, under the guidance of Israeli intelligence, has launched a new major strike against targets of the Iranian terrorist regime in the heart of Tehran," the army said in a statement.
Israeli strikes: Updates between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa
— The Israeli strike reported earlier on the village of Housh al-Rafiqa, near Baalbeck, killed at least one person and wounded five, according to information from our correspondent in the region.
— In southern Lebanon, Israel targeted the village of Sultanieh (Bint Jbeil), before carrying out a strike on the border village of Houla (Marjayoun). Israel also carried out a strike on the town of Bint Jbeil (Bint Jbeil).
— The Scouts of the Islamic Mission (a relief organization affiliated with the Amal movement) announced the death of one of its members, Hussein Fares, who was killed in an Israeli attack on Wadi Jilo (Sour).
Lebanese government announces 'total ban on all military activity' by Hezbollah
After lengthy discussions at the presidential palace, Lebanon's cabinet decided to announce a "total ban on all military activity" by Hezbollah and on any attacks launched from Lebanese territory, reiterating that decisions on war and peace rest solely with the government.
"Hezbollah must surrender its illegal weapons and remain a political party," Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said after the meeting, calling on the security forces to prevent any military action by the party-militia and to arrest violators.
"The army must continue to implement its plan" to disarm armed groups "by all means possible," he added.
Iran: Revolutionary Guards announce Netanyahu's offices targeted
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have announced that their missile strikes targeted the offices of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the headquarters of the air force commander.
"The offices of the criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime [Israel] and the headquarters of the regime's air force commander were targeted," the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement relayed by the Fars news agency, specifying that Kheibar missiles had been used in the attack.
Gulf: 1 killed in strike on oil tanker off the coast of Oman, missiles intercepted near Riyadh
Iran continued its strikes on the Gulf and Israel throughout the day. Here are the latest developments:
— One person was killed in a strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, according to maritime authorities.
— Iranian missiles targeting the Prince Sultan Air Base near the Saudi capital Riyadh, which houses U.S. military personnel, were intercepted, a Gulf source told AFP. Two witnesses also reported hearing explosions on Monday above the town of Kharj, southeast of Riyadh, near the base.
— In Bahrain, a ship was targeted by "projectiles of unknown origin" in a port, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
New explosions heard over Jerusalem
A series of explosions were heard over Jerusalem on Monday, AFP journalists reported, after the Israeli army announced it had detected new Iranian missile launches.
"A short while ago, the army identified missiles fired from Iran towards Israeli territory. Defense systems are in action to intercept the threat," the army said in a statement.
Two unidentified projectiles strike port of Bahrain
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an incident in the port of Bahrain where a vessel was struck by two unknown projectiles, igniting a fire, Reuters reports.
The fire was extinguished, the vessel remained in the port, and the crew were evacuated and were safe, UKMTO added.
Analysis: How the ‘Axis of Resistance’ hastened its downfall
Since Oct. 7, 2023, a series of miscalculations and ill-judged retaliatory moves has laid bare the vulnerabilities of a system meant to protect Tehran.
Read Dany Moudallal's article here.
Nuclear power: IAEA chief calls for 'extreme restraint' following escalation
The head of the United Nations nuclear agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, described the situation in the Middle East as "very worrying" and called for "the utmost restraint" following Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran and Tehran's retaliatory missile attacks, reports AFP.
"I reiterate my call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation," Grossi said at the opening of an extraordinary meeting on Iran in Vienna.
"Efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities are continuing, with no response at this stage," he added, saying he had "no indication" that Iranian nuclear facilities had been hit or damaged.
Israel continues its strikes on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley
Israeli strike on Housh al-Rafiqa, near Baalbeck. (Photo shared by our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah)
According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, an Israeli strike targeted the village of Arab Salim in Iqlim al-Touffah (Nabatieh), at around 11:30 a.m. He reports that a paramedic, Ibrahim Fares, was killed in a previous strike on Wadi Jilo, (Sour).
Israel also targeted the village of Arzoun in the Sour district at around 11:40 a.m., as well as the villages of Deebal and Maarakeh at around the same time. Shortly after, the village of Mansouri, also in Sour, was targeted.
In the northern Bekaa, our correspondent reported several strikes. One of them targeted the village of Douris, in the district of Baalbeck, behind the well-known local restaurant of Lakkis.
Another was heard in the village of Housh al-Rafiqa, also in Baalbeck, where ambulances were dispatched to a targeted house. Three people were reportedly injured in this strike, according to our correspondent.
Three Revolutionary Guards and five Iranian soldiers killed in strikes on Iran
Three members of the Revolutionary Guards and five Iranian soldiers were killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, according to statements released by Iranian news agencies.
"Three members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed" in a strike on the western province of Lorestan, according to a statement from the Guards, Iran's ideological army, quoted by the Isna news agency.
In another strike on the city of Khorramabad [west], "five members of the Iranian army were killed," according to the Tasnim agency, citing an army statement.
New Israeli airstrikes in the Bekaa and southern Lebanon
An Israeli airstrike has targeted the village of Douris (Baalbeck) near the restaurant of Lakkis, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli warplanes have targeted the village of Arab Salim in Iqlim al-Tuffah (Nabatieh) and the outskirts of Debaal and Maaraka (Sour).
Moreover, an Israeli drone has targeted the village of Arzoun (Sour).
Israeli strike on southern suburbs of Beirut: Senior official' targeted
The Israeli army has claimed to have targeted a "senior official" of Hezbollah in a recent "precision" strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israel bombing Iran and Lebanon simultaneously
Hundreds of Israeli aircraft are carrying out strikes "right now" simultaneously on Lebanon and Iran, Israeli army spokesperson Effie Defrin told reporters, according to AFP.
The spokesman warned that Hezbollah would pay "a heavy price" after firing on Israel, in response to a question about a possible ground offensive in Lebanon.
"Hezbollah opened fire tonight. They knew exactly what they were doing. We warned them and they will pay a heavy price," he added.
"Right now, hundreds of Israeli aircraft are striking simultaneously in Lebanon and Iran," he said, adding that Israel "is fighting on multiple fronts at the same time, in Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere."
Saudi oil refinery located on the Gulf coast targeted
A Saudi oil refinery located on the Gulf coast was targeted by an attack, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on condition of anonymity, as Iran launched a new barrage of fire in the region.
The attack caused a fire at the Ras Tanur site, operated by the national oil company Saudi Aramco, but the fire has already been brought under control, the same source said.
According to a spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defense, quoted by the Saudi Press Agency on X, two drones targeted the refinery and were intercepted.
Iranian army claims to have targeted US Ali Al-Salem air base in Kuwait
The Iranian army has claimed to have targeted the U.S. Ali Al-Salem air base in Kuwait and ships in the Indian Ocean in retaliation for the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday in an Israeli-U.S. attack, reports AFP.
Missiles "from the army's ground and naval forces, operating from several sites, targeted the U.S. Ali Al-Salem air base in Kuwait and enemy ships in the northern Indian Ocean in the last few hours," according to a statement, which added that "15 cruise missiles" were used in the attacks.
South Lebanon: Update on the situation in the South
At around 10:15 a.m., our correspondent in southern Lebanon reported strikes on the villages of Kfar Shuba and Kfar Hammam (Hasbaya).
Later, at around 10:40 a.m., the Israeli air force carried out a strike on the village of Deir Amess (Sour).
'No immediate plans to invade Lebanon,' according to an Israeli army spokesperson
Israel has reinforced its military presence on its side of the border with Lebanon, but there are no immediate plans for a ground invasion, Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said, according to Reuters.
"We have not expanded our presence on the ground inside Lebanon," he said during an online press briefing, even though Israeli soldiers have occupied at least six positions on Lebanese territory for months.
Earlier, another Israeli army spokesperson, Effie Defrin, told reporters that all options remained on the table when asked about the prospects of a ground invasion of Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel.
Meis al-Jabal government hospital evacuated after telephone threats
The government hospital in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), was completely evacuated after employees and doctors received Israeli threats via their mobile phones, the village council president confirmed to our correspondent.
He added that all village residents had already left for fear of Israeli bombing.
South Lebanon does not seem to be the only target of the Israelis: in Koura in North Lebanon, residents of the villages of Bziza and Rasmiska received calls from people who appeared to be Israeli, asking them to evacuate their homes, our correspondent in the region reports.
Lebanese security forces are following up with these people.
No abnormal radiological impact in Iran's neighbouring countries, according to IAEA chief
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has stated that at this stage no increase in radiation levels above normal background levels has been detected in countries bordering Iran, reports Reuters.
The agency is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and remains in constant contact with countries in the region, while urging restraint to avoid any risk to the nuclear safety of the population.
Lebanese supermarkets and importers have about three months' worth of stock, according to Fahed and Bohsali
Contacted by L'Orient Today, Nabil Fahed, president of the supermarket owners' union, said that pressure is particularly high in supermarkets located in the suburbs of Beirut, even on the north side (Dikwane, Jal al-Dib, Zalka).
Footfall is more or less normal further north. "Supermarkets have about a month's worth of stock and food importers have about three to four months' worth of stock, and fresh produce — fruit, vegetables, meat — is mainly sourced from the local market. For the moment, the news we are receiving suggests that the country's main ports will not be targeted by the Israeli army," he said.
Also contacted, the president of the food importers' union, Hani Bohsali, agreed on the issue of stocks, but said he could not comment on the security issue.
"I don't have any information that would allow me to give any assurances one way or the other," he insisted.
"Our main concern is the availability of diesel and fuel oil, which supermarkets use to power generators and which they absolutely cannot do without to keep their products refrigerated. With the crisis unit set up on Sunday during a meeting between industrialists and the Minister of Industry, Joe Issa al-Khoury, the government has shown that it has taken these concerns seriously and is taking steps to address them."
Editorial | The nightmare repeats itself in Lebanon
"It became a general consensus that Hezbollah would not engage. That would be madness, even for the party's standards. But Hezbollah always has its reasons that reason itself ignores."
Read Anthony Samrani's editorial here.
Israel is targeting Lebanon and Iran simultaneously with hundreds of strikes, says Israeli army
Israel is targeting Lebanon and Iran simultaneously with hundreds of strikes "at this very moment," according to the Israeli army, quoted by AFP.
It warned that Hezbollah would "pay a heavy price" after firing on Israel.
Iran: 555 people killed since the start of the war, including 35 in the south of the country
The Red Crescent has announced that 555 people have died in Iran since the start of Israeli-U.S. strikes on Saturday.
Among them, thirty-five people have been killed in the province of Fars, in southern Iran, since the start of the war on Saturday, the Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, according to AFP.
This toll "could rise" due to "the enemy's continued air strikes," Tasnim warned.
Words from displaced persons: "I would have preferred Lebanon to stay out of all this," says a resident of Bir el-Abed
A resident of Bir al-Abed, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a woman who prefers to remain anonymous recounts the night of her departure. "We woke up for suhoor [the meal eaten before dawn during Ramadan] at 1:30 a.m. and learned that Hezbollah had struck. We were surprised. The windows of our building were broken after the Israeli retaliation. As soon as we heard the strike, we left," she says.
"We didn't take anything with us. I've just come back from the house to fetch some mattresses," adds the woman, who explains that this is the second time they have been displaced by Israeli attacks.
"What can we do? We put our trust in God. I would have preferred Lebanon to stay out of all this. I would have preferred him not to launch rockets," continues the woman, who says she is with "no one."
In tears, she remains where she is with her family, looking for a flat to rent.
Saudi Arabia: One of the largest refineries shut down after drone strike
The Saudi Arabian refinery in Ras Tanura, operated by the national oil company Saudi Aramco, has been shut down after a drone strike in the area, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing sources close to the matter, as reported by AFP.
According to these sources, Saudi Aramco wants to take time to assess the damage after the strike. A fire at the site has been brought under control.
The Ras Tanura refinery, located on the Gulf, is one of the largest in the region, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Words from displaced persons: 'We trust our men,' says Hala, 17, a resident of Ghobeiri
Near Martyrs' Square, 17-year-old Hala sits with several members of her family and her aunts. Originally from Touline (Marjayoun), she lives in Ghobeiry, in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
"We were asleep. It was 3:30 a.m. when we heard the strikes. There were huge explosions," she says.
The family left their home and arrived at the park an hour later, at 4:30 a.m. "There was a lot of traffic. We came by motorbike, then continued on foot towards Tayouneh." This is the second time they have moved.
When asked by our journalist about the rocket attacks carried out by Hezbollah on Haifa, she simply replied: "They know better than we do." And what about the future? "We're waiting. We're going to wait. We trust our men."
The family is now trying to find a flat to stay in temporarily, says the young woman, who is still wearing her slippers.
Naim Qassem is now 'a target to be eliminated,' threatens Israeli Defense Minister
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on his X account that Hezbollah "will pay dearly for its attacks on Israel" and that its secretary-general, Naim Qassem, "who decided to attack under pressure from Iran, is now a target to be eliminated".
"We will not return to the rules of engagement that were in place before Oct. 7 [2023] and we will protect the residents of the north and all citizens of the State of Israel with all necessary force," he continued.
He added that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked the Israeli army to take strong action against Hezbollah.
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Words from displaced people in the south: Joumana, mother of six, took several hours to travel from southern suburbs to the city
Joumana, originally from Syria, arrived at Martyrs' Square in Beirut at around 4 a.m. after a journey of several hours on foot and by van from southern Lebanon.
"We heard gunfire, and people started screaming," said Joumana, who did not have time to gather belongings for herself and her six children, one of whom has a disability. "Where are we going to go now? We have no one," she told our reporter on the scene.
A return to Syria seems out of reach for the family for the moment. They paid thirty dollars to travel from the southern suburbs of Beirut to the city center and know that the cost of a journey to Syria will be much higher.
For a displaced family in downtown Beirut, Hezbollah's attack causes division
Near Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, a family displaced from the southern suburbs, bombed overnight by Israel, does not know where to go, reports our reporter on the ground, Lyana Alameddine.
Discussions are heated. "I'm with the resistance. I support what happened," says one woman. Her sister turns to her and says, "How can you be with them?"
Tension mounts.
The first sister and their brother try to silence her. "Are you in favor of what we're going through? Are you happy with what's happening?" insists the opposing sister.
The brother intervenes, more firmly: "We don't want to live in humiliation," before refusing to continue the conversation.
Akkar prepares for a possible influx of refugees
The governor of Akkar, Imad Labaki, told our correspondent in the north that the province's disaster management unit was ready in case of an influx of displaced persons to this district in the far north of Lebanon.
"We have begun contacting school principals in accordance with the list drawn up by the Cabinet, which lists the establishments that can accommodate displaced persons, and we have contacted the municipalities and federations of municipalities for this purpose. The internal security forces have been informed of the measures taken," the governor said.
He said that preparations were being stepped up to deal with this emergency situation and that contacts had been made with associations and donors to ensure that emergency needs were met in the event of a worsening of the situation in the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon.
According to a Telegram account linked to the Syrian security forces, "thousands of Lebanese" have sought refuge in Syria in recent hours to escape Israeli bombing.
Dozens of Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon since this morning
Israel been continuing its airstrikes on southern Lebanon since this morning. These strikes have targeted the village of Qana and a supermarket in Shaaitieh (Sour).
The villages of Debaal and Befley, in the same district, have also been bombed, according to our correspondent, as have Kounin, (Bint Jbeil), Majdel Selm (Marjayoun), and Majdelzoun and Hanin.
Several U.S. fighter jets crash in Kuwait, crews survive
Several U.S. fighter jets crashed in Kuwait this morning, but the crews survived, announced the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense on the third day of Iranian strikes against Gulf countries, reports AFP.
"The relevant authorities immediately launched search and rescue operations and evacuated the crews and transferred them to hospital," the ministry spokesman said, adding that the personnel on board were in a "stable" condition.
The cause of the incident has not been specified.
Cypriot president claims Iranian drone crashed on British base on the island
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said an Iranian drone crashed on a British base on the Mediterranean island as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran spreads across the region, AFP reports.
A few minutes after midnight (22:00 GMT), "a Shahed drone crashed into British military installations at Akrotiri, causing minor material damage," he said.
"We are in a region of particular geopolitical instability, facing many challenges and problems, which is going through an unprecedented crisis. Our country is not involved in any way and has no intention of taking part in any military operation," he said.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed damage to the runway at Akrotiri base. "This was an unmanned drone attack, specifically targeting the runway" at the base, the foreign secretary said on Sky News.
"All precautionary measures are being taken around the base," she added.
Iran announces missile attack targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and East Jerusalem
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have claimed to have launched a barrage of missiles targeting the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well as East Jerusalem.
"Among the targets of this tenth salvo are a targeted strike against the Zionist regime's [Israeli] government complex in Tel Aviv, attacks on military and security centers in Haifa and a strike against East Jerusalem," a sector occupied and annexed by Israel, the Iranian ideological army said in a statement broadcast on state television.
Iran: Central province of Yazd hit by Israeli-U.S. strikes
The province of Yazd, in central Iran, was hit on Monday by Israeli and U.S. strikes on the third day of the war, according to an Iranian official quoted by AFP.
Several sites "in the cities of Ardakan and Yazd, as well as a site on the Yazd-Mehriz road, were attacked during U.S. and Israeli strikes," said the province's deputy governor, Esmail Dehestani, quoted by the official Irna news agency.
11 centers made available for displaced persons in Mount Lebanon
The Prime Minister has drawn up a list of 11 reception centers in Mount Lebanon in several areas of Mount Lebanon: public establishments will open their doors to displaced persons in Keyfoun, Choueifat, Joun, Aitat, Bechtefine, Bater, Bsatin, Dimas, Daroun, Abadieh, and Hadath.
The Prime Minister has also made toll-free numbers available to citizens to help them find reception centers:
- Beirut: 01-987001-2 and 71-028975
- Sour: 07-740017 and 81-134460
- Saida: 81-072619 and 07-720018
- Mount Lebanon: 05-924225 and 81-033910
- Nabatieh: 76-873806
- Baalbeck-Hermel: 71-017261
- Bekaa: 08-808211 and 81-479342
Shortly after 9:15 a.m., an Israeli drone strike hit the neighborhood of Khreibeh in Qana (Sour).
An Israeli air strike hit a supermarket in Shaaitieh (Sour).
The villages of Debaal and Bafley, in the same district, were also hit, according to our correspondent.
Israeli strikes also hit Kounin (Bint Jbeil) and Majdal Selm (Marjayoun).
'No argument justifies gambling the country’s stability and future,' urges UN coordinator in Lebanon
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert wrote on X, “Restraint is not weakness. It is wisdom. No argument justifies gambling the country’s stability and future,” in an implicit message to Hezbollah.
Hundreds of displaced families flee to Saida
Around 800 displaced families from various areas of southern Lebanon, hit by major Israel strikes overnight, have already registered with the Saida municipality for places in the city’s schools, Jamal Sheaib of the Solidarity and Development Association told our correspondent.
Other families are heading directly to shelters. At Hikmat Sabbagh High School, there are already nearly 800 families, even though the building can only accommodate 300.
According to the same association, 15 schools have been opened in Saida and Jezzine, with more to follow if the influx of displaced people continues. Some displaced families are heading to Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
The prime minister's office designated reception centers in Mount Lebanon in an initial list of 10 public facilities
- Keyfoun, Choueifat, Aitat, Bsatin in the Aley district
- Joun, Bater, Bshetfine in the Chouf district
- Daroun in the Kesrouan district
- Abadieh and Hadath, in the Baabda district
Nassar entrusts security forces with arresting those who launched rockets at Israel
Justice Minister Adel Nassar contacted the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Jamal Hajjar, and the government commissioner at the Military Court, asking them to assign the security forces with immediately arresting those involved in launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel, as well as those who ordered the attacks, so that they may be brought to justice, the National News Agency reported.
Hezbollah claimed overnight that it had fired rockets toward Haifa, in northern Israel, in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Israeli strikes on Tehran on Saturday.
At around 9 a.m., an Israeli strike hit Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).
Israeli strikes target houses in Sour district
Shortly before 8:30 a.m., Israeli drone strikes targeted houses in Srifa and Aitit (Sour), according to our correspondent.
Shortly before that, the villages of Siddiqine and Bazourieh (Sour), Haddatha (Bint Jbeil) and Qantara (Marjayoun) were hit.
Iran: Residential buildings hit by missile attack in the west; Larijani rules out any negotiations with Washington
In Iran, missile attacks struck residential buildings in western Iran on Monday, local media reported.
“The city of Sanandaj was targeted by enemy missile fire and several residential buildings near the Sanandaj police station were destroyed,” the Fars news agency reported, cited by AFP. The Tasnim news agency published a similar report without mentioning casualties.
The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, for his part, ruled out any negotiations with the United States, accusing President Donald Trump of having sown “chaos” in the Middle East with the offensive launched alongside Israel.
“We will not negotiate with the United States,” Larijani said on X. “Trump has plunged the region into chaos with his ‘illusory dreams’ and is now worried about further losses among American forces.”
Israel: Explosions heard in Jerusalem after alert over Iranian missiles
Several explosions were heard this morning in Jerusalem, where sirens sounded after the army announced that Iranian missiles had been fired toward Israel, AFP journalists reported. Explosions were also heard in the Tel Aviv area, in central Israel.
“A short while ago, the Israeli armed forces identified missiles launched from Iran,” the army said, adding that air defenses had been activated to intercept them and urging the population to take shelter.
Israeli army preparing for “several days of fighting” against Hezbollah
The Israeli army announced that it has shifted to an “offensive” against Hezbollah and is preparing for several days of “fighting.”
According to General Eyal Zamir, during a situation assessment with the chiefs of staff, the army is “not only on the defensive, but also on the offensive. We must prepare for many days of fighting.”
Situation in the Middle East: Bahrain announces one death; new explosions heard in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Manama
- Bahrain announced Monday that one person was killed by Iranian strikes. This is the first death in the Gulf countries since Iran began its retaliatory attacks against the U.S.-Israel military offensive on Saturday.
- “A fire broke out aboard a foreign vessel in the Salman Industrial City following the fall of debris from an intercepted missile. The fire caused the death of an Asian worker and seriously injured two others,” the Interior Ministry said, adding that the blaze had been “contained and extinguished.”
- AFP journalists and witnesses said Monday they heard loud explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as in Doha and Manama.
- Kuwait said its air defenses had intercepted an unspecified number of drones targeting the country, but that no injuries were reported, according to the official news agency.
- In Iraq, the pro-Iranian armed group Kataeb Hezbollah announced that new strikes had hit a military base. “Three strikes hit Jurf al-Nasr,” a source from Kataeb Hezbollah told AFP, referring to the group’s main stronghold.
- Saraya Awliyaa al-Dam (Guardians of the Blood), which claims to be part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq alongside Kataeb Hezbollah, said on Telegram that it was behind the drone attacks carried out early Monday morning on Baghdad airport.
- At least two drones were shot down early near a base at Erbil airport (north), an AFP photographer reported.
Cabinet meeting begins at Baabda Presidential Palace with a minute of silence held for "last night's martyrs," killed by Israeli strikes, MTV reported.
Schools closed on Monday
The Education Ministry announced the closure of all public and private schools and all technical education establishments today.
The same public high schools that hosted those displaced by the 2024 Israeli war will open their doors again for the same purpose.
Israeli attacks kill 31, injure 149 overnight
The Health Ministry said that overnight Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed over 31 and injured 149 others.
- 20 people were killed and 91 others were wounded in Beirut's southern suburbs
- 11 people were killed and 58 others were wounded in southern Lebanon.
Welcome to our live coverage of the Middle East, amid escalating regional tensions following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation against Israel and Gulf countries.
Overnight, Hezbollah launched rockets toward Haifa, in northern Israel, as a series of major Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs, the Bekaa and south Lebanon.
Israeli army warns it will intensify strikes on Lebanon
The Israeli military warned Monday morning that it intends to “intensify” its strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah in retaliation for the group’s rocket fire toward Israeli territory.
“The strikes are continuing and their intensity will increase,” Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, head of the Northern Command, wrote in a military statement on Telegram, saying the group would “pay a heavy price” for its support of Tehran.
Hezbollah fires rockets toward Haifa, Israel strikes southern suburbs, Bekaa and South
On the third day of the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran, Hezbollah launched “a volley of missiles and a swarm of drones” toward Israel shortly before 1 a.m., in response to the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday in Tehran.
The Israeli military then carried out heavy airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon. According to a preliminary toll released overnight, the attacks killed at least 14 people.
Residents of more than 50 villages in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley were also ordered to evacuate immediately, triggering the displacement of thousands of residents from those regions as well as from Beirut’s southern suburbs. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both condemned the party’s rocket fire.
Israel claims it targeted senior Hezbollah officials in Beirut overnight
The Israeli military claimed it carried out “precise and targeted” strikes against “senior terrorist elements of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Beirut area.”
At the same time, it said it targeted “a central terrorist element of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in southern Lebanon.”
No information has so far been released about the individuals targeted by the Israeli military.
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