Raouche strike: New toll reports 5 killed and 10 injured
Raouche strike: New toll reports 4 killed and 10 injured according to Health Ministry.
3 killed and 6 injured in Ramada Plaza hotel Raouche Israeli drone strike
The Israeli army carried out a targeted drone strike on a room at the Ramada hotel in Raouche. Local media report that three people were killed and six injured in the strike, according to preliminary tolls. Footage circulating on social media shows damage to part of the building’s facade.
This is the first Israeli strike on central Beirut since Nov. 26, 2024, one day before the cease-fire, when strikes hit the neighborhoods of Noueiry, Zoqaq el-Blat, and Mazraa.
Trump says he doesn't want Kurds to launch offensive against Iran
Larijani claims US soldiers taken prisoner
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said in a post on X that several American soldiers had been taken prisoner, contradicting U.S. claims they were killed in action. “Despite their futile efforts, the truth is not something they can hide for too long,” he wrote.
Shortly afterward, the spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command said that Iran had not captured or held any U.S. military personnel as hostages or prisoners.
Israeli army says it destroyed Hezbollah rocket launchers that fired missiles at northern Israel
The Israeli army announced, on Saturday, in a statement cited by Haaretz, that shortly after rockets were launched from Lebanon to Israel's northern communities, "the IDF struck and dismantled the rocket launcher from which the rockets were fired."
Israeli army launches ‘new wave of strikes’ on Beirut’s southern suburbs
In a message posted on X, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the military has launched a “new wave of strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.”
Israeli army strikes southern Beirut’s southern suburbs suburbs
Shortly after a warning strike, the Israeli army carried out a strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. The raid targeted the Haret Hreik neighborhood, according to local media.
Warning strike on southern Beirut’s southern suburbs
More than five hours after issuing an evacuation order for neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Israeli army carried out a warning strike in the area, local media report.
Trump tells UK's Starmer he doesn't need aircraft carrier help in Iran war
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Britain is giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East but that he does not need them in the Iran war.
"That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember," he said on Truth Social. "We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!"
Hezbollah announces multiple attacks on Israeli forces and positions
- An Israeli army force attempting to advance from Avivim barracks toward the plain of Maroun el-Ras village was targeted at 8:50 p.m. with artillery fire.
- Another Israeli force trying to move toward the Khanouk area in Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) was hit at 8:40 p.m., also with artillery fire.
- As part of a warning to the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, Hezbollah said it targeted the city at 10:40 p.m. with a salvo of rockets.
At least 5 dead in new Israeli strikes in south Lebanon
The Israeli air force carried out multiple strikes in south Lebanon, including targeting a vehicle in Charkieh (Nabatieh), killing its driver.
Other raids hit the area between Kawthariyet el-Siyad (Saida) and Charkieh, leaving two dead.
An Israeli strike also hit the town of Jmeijmeh (Bint Jbeil), while another targeted Nabatieh el-Fawqa. A strike on a building at the Zaoutar el-Charkieh crossroads caused no injuries.
Ambulances transported several wounded after a strike on Zibdin. An Israeli army drone also targeted Kfar Remmane (Nabatieh), hitting a motorcycle with two people on board, both killed in the attack.
The Israeli army also struck Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), and Debbine (Marjeyoun). Another airstrike hit Jebchit (Nabatieh), as Israeli artillery shelled the Wadi Slouki valley (Marjeyoun). Qoussair, in the same district, was also bombarded.
A drone strike hit the Abbassieh area near Sour, injuring one person who was taken to hospital. Additionally, an Israeli airstrike targeted Aita el-Chaab (Bint Jbeil).
Over the past two hours, at least seven rocket salvos were fired toward Israel.
Iran urges neighboring Azerbaijan to expel Israelis from its territory
On Saturday, the Iranian military called on its neighbor, Azerbaijan, to expel Israelis from the country to safeguard its own security. Tehran has long accused Israel of using Azerbaijani territory to conduct intelligence operations, with Israel being a close ally and major arms supplier to Baku.
“We call on Iran’s neighboring country, the Republic of Azerbaijan, as a Muslim nation, to expel the Zionists (Israelis) from this country to prevent the spread of insecurity in the region and avoid endangering the security of its people and Islamic Iran,” a military spokesperson said in a statement.
On Friday, Azerbaijan announced it had foiled a series of planned terrorist attacks allegedly orchestrated by Iran, targeting a major pipeline, a synagogue, and Jewish community officials. Iran has not responded to these accusations.
On Thursday, at least four drones crashed in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan region, including near an airport and a school. Baku blamed Tehran, which denied responsibility and instead pointed the finger at Israel.
Israeli strike near Baalbeck
The Israeli air force carried out a raid on the outskirts of Baalbeck, targeting the town of Chaat. According to our correspondent in the region, the strike hit the plain north of the main road leading to the town, while Israeli fighter jets flew over northern areas at medium altitude toward the Bekaa Valley.
Saudi Arabia warns Tehran: continued attacks could force Riyadh to allow U.S. strikes, as Iran apologizes to Gulf neighbors amid ongoing tensions.
More details here.
Netanyahu: Israel to continue war with Iran with full force to ‘eradicate the Iranian regime’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel would continue its war with Iran "with all our force", and alongside the United States had gained near-total control of the skies over Tehran after a week of strikes.
"We have a systematic plan to eradicate the Iranian regime and achieve many other objectives," Netanyahu said in a televised address.
"Citizens, you are telling me, the government and our heroic soldiers to continue until victory, and I thank you. I can assure you that we will continue with all our force," Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader said that thanks to the bombing campaign by Israeli and American pilots "we have gained almost complete control of the airspace" over Iran's capital.
Speaking to the Iranian people, he said the "moment of truth" was coming as Israel was seeking to help liberate them from the "yoke of tyranny".
He said that Israel had managed to "transform the Middle East" and shift the balance of power in the region.
Netanyahu also addressed the Lebanese government, calling it to enforce the cease-fire and disarm Hezbollah.
“Your responsibility is to enforce the cease-fire. Your responsibility is to disarm Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said, warning that if this does not happen, Hezbollah’s actions “will bring disastrous consequences to Lebanon.”
Iran: Larijani warns the US will pay a heavy price for its actions
Iran's security chief Ali Larijani said on Saturday that the U.S. and Israel were seeking to break the Islamic republic apart.
"Their issue was... the fundamental disintegration of Iran," said Larijani in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on state TV.
He said the U.S. was seeking to replicate in Iran a scenario similar to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with him under threat of violence after Washington ousted her boss, Nicolas Maduro.
"I think the most important problem the Americans have is that they do not understand the context of West Asia, especially Iran," said Larijani.
"Their perception was that it would be like Venezuela — they would strike, take control, and it would be over — but now they are trapped."
Hezbollah announces multiple attacks on Israeli positions and cities
- Branit barracks, home to the Israeli army’s 91st division headquarters, was hit by a salvo of rockets.
- The Israeli naval base in Haifa was targeted with precision missiles.
- The “Stella Maris” Israeli base, described as a strategic maritime surveillance site along the entire northern coast, was struck by precision missiles.
- Radar systems of the Iron Dome air defense at Kiryat Eliezer, Haifa’s main air defense base, were targeted by a salvo of precision missiles.
- The northern city of Nahariya was hit a second time by rocket salvos.
- Kiryat Shmona, also in northern Israel, was targeted with a swarm of explosive drones.
Netanyahu to Lebanese Government: It’s your responsibility to enforce ceasef-ire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called on Lebanon’s government to enforce the cease-fire and disarm Hezbollah.
“Your responsibility is to enforce the cease-fire. Your responsibility is to disarm Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said, warning that if this does not happen, Hezbollah’s actions “will bring disastrous consequences to Lebanon.”
Israeli strikes continue across multiple towns in south Lebanon
Israeli strikes in Doueir (Nabatieh) destroyed an uninhabited building and injured four people in a neighboring building from flying glass.
Bombardments between Qantara and Deir Seryane (Marjeyoun killed three.
Heavy strikes also targeted Khiam (Marjeyoun), while other raids hit Bint Jbeil district, including Kounine, Tiri, and the city of Bint Jbeil. An airstrike targeted Aadchit el-Qoseir (Marjeyoun), near a UNIFIL post, and an Israeli army drone struck Kawthariyet el-Siyad (Saida).
In Khiam, artillery fire hit several neighborhoods. In Nabatieh, the Israeli air force also bombed Toul, Jebchit, and Zibdine, and a car was targeted in Khartoum (Saida.
Shots were reported in Aitaroun, including the Khanouk and Zkak areas, while an Israeli Merkava tank at Malkiya fired multiple shells toward the town.
At the same time, a large salvo of rockets was fired toward Israeli territory, triggering alarms in Kiryat Shmona and surrounding areas near the border. A joint missile attack from Lebanon and Iran was also reported toward Israel.
Netanyahu vows “full force” strikes on Iran to eradicate regime
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a televised address on Saturday that Israel would continue its war with Iran "with all our force", and alongside the United States had almost total control of Iranian skies after a week of strikes.
"We have a systematic plan to eradicate the Iranian regime and achieve many other objectives," he added.
US, Israel strikes hit oil depot in Tehran according to Iran state media
U.S. and Israeli strikes hit an oil depot in Tehran on Saturday, Reuters reported citing Iranian state media , marking the first reported attack on the Islamic republic's oil infrastructure.
"An oil depot in southern Tehran was targeted by the U.S. and Zionist regime," the official IRNA news agency said.
The depot was in an area close to a key oil refinery but the ILNA news agency reported that the refinery's facilities "were not damaged in the military attacks".
Strikes hit another oil depot in northwestern Tehran, according to an AFP journalist who saw flames and smoke rising from the site.
Iraq: Rocket attack intercepted over US embassy in Baghdad
Air defence systems intercepted rockets fired at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, security sources told AFP.
“Four rockets were fired (…) toward the embassy,” said a security official, adding that air defenses intercepted three, while one fell in an open area of the embassy’s airbase.
Two other security sources confirmed the attack, with one stating that all rockets were shot down, including the one that landed within the airbase perimeter.
Netanyahu says Iranian Revolutionary Guard members who lay down arms will not be targeted
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard who surrender their weapons would not be harmed, Reuters reports.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted Haifa refinery in retaliation after an attack on a Tehran refinery, Reuters reports citing Iran state media.
UAE: One dead in Dubai from debris of intercepted projectile
Multiple explosions heard in Jerusalem
AFP journalists report that several explosions were heard in Jerusalem.
Israeli army says it struck IRGC air force command center in Tehran
According to the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli army struck the command center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air force in central Tehran.
The attack, carried out overnight from Friday to Saturday, reportedly severely impacted Iran’s air defense capabilities and destroyed the main air defense command center in the capital, the Israeli army said.
The army also claimed to have targeted Iranian air defense systems, command centers, logistical depots, and other regime facilities, all located within the same building.
“This strike on the command center further degrades Iranian command and control capabilities as well as their air defenses,” the Israeli army stated.
Iraq: Explosions heard in Baghdad
Explosions were heard on Saturday night in Iraq's capital Baghdad and in the city of Erbil in the autonomous Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported.
The cause of the loud bangs in Baghdad was still unknown, but a witness near the fortified Green Zone, which houses the U.S. embassy, reported seeing air defences activated over the area.
In parallel, Reuters reported that Katyusha rockets targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, with sirens sounding. It was not immediately clear whether the rockets caused any damage or casualties.
Several drones have been intercepted near Baghdad airport since the start of the war in the Middle East.
In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist reported hearing the sound of a drone followed by at least three loud bangs. Since the start of the war, drones have repeatedly been intercepted over the city, which is also home to a major U.S. consulate complex.
Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli general staff headquarters in Tel Aviv
Hezbollah announced that it struck the Israeli base at Tel Hashomer, which houses the Israeli general staff headquarters southeast of Tel Aviv and is about 120 km from the Lebanese border, using a precision missile.
Warning strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut
Two hours after issuing a mass evacuation order for neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Israeli army carried out a warning strike in the area.
Over 150 Iranian nationals leave Lebanon
More than 150 Iranian nationals, including diplomats and their families, left Lebanon on Saturday, according to Reuters citing a senior Lebanese security source.
The security source said they were being flown to Russia on a Russian plane, and that another 20 Iranians had left on Friday. An Israeli military spokesperson on Tuesday told representatives of the Iranian government "still in Lebanon to leave immediately before they are targeted."
Hezbollah carries out multiple attacks on Israeli positions and sites
Over the past hour, Hezbollah has announced several attacks on Israeli positions and sites:
- A large gathering of Israeli army vehicles at the Hounine gate, opposite the town of Markaba, struck with a salvo of rockets.
- The Israeli defense company Elta, northeast of Haifa, targeted with a swarm of explosive drones.
- The Haifa refinery was also hit by a swarm of explosive drones.
- A gathering of Israeli soldiers at the Tallat el-Hamamess military site, south of Khiam, struck with an explosive drone.
- A gathering of Israeli soldiers on the southern outskirts of Khiam, also targeted with an explosive drone.
More than 450,000 displaced in Lebanon following Israeli strikes
Lebanese authorities reported on Saturday that Israeli strikes have displaced over 450,000 people in Lebanon. “The total number of registered displaced persons has reached 454,000,” including more than 110,000 housed in reception centers, said Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed at a press conference.
South Lebanon: Rescue teams targeted in Israeli attacks
On Saturday, the Israeli army carried out severalstrikes targeting ambulance and civil defense teams under the Islamic Health Authority in multiple locations in southern Lebanon, our correspondent in the region reports.
At the Kawthariyet el-Riz farm in the Saida district, Israeli forces struck civil defense teams affiliated with the Islamic Health Authority, killing three.
In Jebsheet (Nabatieh), civil defense teams from the same organization were also targeted. Four rescuers were injured while trying to recover the dead and wounded after strikes hit the area.
In Arnoun, in the same district, a vehicle was targeted, injuring several rescuers. During a second attempt to evacuate the wounded, a drone struck civil defense teams from the Islamic Health Authority as well as Red Cross personnel, in what appears to be a deliberate effort to hinder evacuation and rescue operations.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts to meet within 24 hours: AFP
According to AFP, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, Hossein Mozafari, said Saturday that the body plans to convene within the next 24 hours to choose the country’s next supreme leader, Iranian media reported.
Mozafari, cited by Fars news agency, urged Iranians to “refrain from any speculation and the spreading of rumors” as the assembly has not yet formally met.
Bahrain: fire and property damage in Manama following ‘Iranian agression’
Authorities in Bahrain reported on Saturday a fire and property damage in the capital, Manama, following an Iranian attack. AFP journalists on the scene heard loud explosions.
“The Iranian aggression caused a fire and damage to a house and several nearby buildings in Manama,” said the Interior Ministry, adding that civil defense was taking “the necessary measures to put out the fire.”
Iraq: Hachd al-Chaabi militia base hit near Mosul
On Saturday, a military base belonging to the former paramilitary coalition Hachd al-Chaabi near Mosul in northern Iraq was struck, according to two sources from the group speaking to AFP.
"An airstrike, likely carried out by the U.S., hit a Hachd base south of Mosul," said one official, with another source confirming the strike.
Hachd al-Chaabi, or the Popular Mobilization Forces, is an alliance of factions now integrated into Iraq's regular army, which also includes powerful Iran-backed groups.
Israeli army says it targeted over 300 sites in Iran and 170 in Lebanon in 48 hours
The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said that over the past 48 hours, more than 300 “terrorist targets” were struck in Iran and more than 170 in Lebanon.
He stated that dozens of large-scale waves of airstrikes were carried out in Beirut and other regions of Lebanon, targeting what he described as Hezbollah “terror infrastructure.” The strikes reportedly hit a site used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards aviation, as well as other facilities used by various Hezbollah units, rocket launch sites, and weapons depots in southern Lebanon, along with Hezbollah military sites in the Bekaa region.
The Israeli army also claims to have eliminated Hezbollah commanders in Beirut and a Hamas commander in the Tripoli area.
According to Adraee, dozens of large-scale airstrike waves were also carried out over the weekend in Tehran and other parts of Iran. Targets included missile storage sites, an underground shelter attributed to Ali Khamenei, dozens of ballistic missile launch platforms, and “a large number” of Iranian regime soldiers, who were reportedly killed. Sixteen aircraft belonging to a Quds Force unit, carrying military equipment destined for Hezbollah, were also targeted.
Saudi Arabia: Riyadh says missile targeting military base landed in ‘uninhabited area’
Saudi authorities said Saturday that a missile aimed at a base hosting U.S. troops landed in an uninhabited area. “A ballistic missile fell in an uninhabited area after being launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base,” the Defense Ministry said on X, according to AFP.
South Lebanon: At least 2 killed and 4 injured in Israeli strike on Srifa
The Israeli strike on Srifa, in the Sour district, killed at least two and injured four, reports our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Disarmament: Israeli attacks are hindering the army’s plan, Haykal says
Lebanese Army commander-in-chief Gen. Rodolph Haykal said Saturday that “Israeli attacks targeting Lebanon and its citizens are hindering the implementation of the army’s plan” to disarm militias following the government’s decision to restore the state’s monopoly on weapons.
UAE will emerge ‘stronger’ from the war, Emirati president says
The president of the United Arab Emirates said Saturday that his country would emerge “stronger” from the war, as Iran continues retaliatory attacks in Gulf countries.
The UAE is “in a state of war,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said in a rare televised address on Abu Dhabi TV.
“But we will emerge stronger,” he added.
Latest developments in south Lebanon
- All the Israeli strikes targeted homes and residential buildings, our correspondent in the region reported.
- The death toll from the Israeli strike on Maydfoun (Nabatieh district) has risen to at least five, after an apartment building was targeted.
- Israeli strikes also hit Khirbit Selem (Bint Jbeil district) and Arnoun (Nabatieh district), where two strikes targeted centers belonging to the Islamic Health Authority.
- Israeli warplanes continue their bombardment of Braikaa, Arnoun, Jibsheet, Ansar and Breikaa (Nabatieh district), the area between Qantara and Deir Seriane, Khiam (Marjayoun district), Zrarieh (Saida district), Srifa (Sour district), and Beit Lif, Kafram and Serbine (Bint Jbeil district).
- Artillery shelling also targeted the town of Beit Lif.
Israeli army issues new evacuation warning for Beirut’s southern suburbs
The Israeli army’s spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, issued a new evacuation warning on X for parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, calling on residents of the area to “save your lives” and leave your homes “immediately.”
Hundreds of thousands of residents fled the area in panic Thursday following a mass evacuation warning covering the southern suburbs.
Adraee said the Israeli army would inform residents when it is safe to return to their homes.
The neighborhoods of Chiyah, Haret Hreik, Hadath and Burj el-Barajneh were marked on the map accompanying the warning. Residents of Hadath and Burj el-Barajneh were urged to evacuate eastward toward the Damascus road, while those in Chiyah and Haret Hreik were instructed to head north toward the Metn highway.
Kuwait: National oil company announces reduction in oil production
Kuwait’s national oil company said Saturday it had reduced its oil production as a “preventive measure” due to Iranian attacks and threats to the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for Gulf hydrocarbons.
“In light of the continued aggression by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the State of Kuwait, including Iranian threats to the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) has implemented a preventive reduction in crude oil production and refining throughput,” the company said in a statement.
The measure will be “reviewed depending on developments in the situation,” it added.
Qatar says it intercepted missile after explosions heard in Doha
Qatar said it intercepted a missile after explosions were heard in the capital Doha.
Bahrain: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards target US forces at Juffair base
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted U.S. forces at the Juffair base in Bahrain, in retaliation for a U.S. strike on a desalination plant on the Iranian island of Qeshm.
Qatar: Explosions heard in Doha
Explosions were heard in Doha, Qatar, according to AFP.
UAE reports new ‘drone and missile attacks from Iran’
The United Arab Emirates reported new “drone and missile attacks from Iran,” according to AFP.
Trump describes war against Iran as ‘a service to the Middle East and the world’
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday, according to Reuters, that the United States had sunk 42 vessels of Iran’s navy in three days.
“That’s the end of their navy,” Trump said, adding that the United States had also “disabled” Iran’s air force and cut its communications. “I don’t know how they’re communicating, but I imagine they’ll find a way,” he added.
Trump justified the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran, saying the country was close to acquiring nuclear weapons.
“Look at Oct. 7 and all the massacres they have carried out for 47 years. It had to be done,” he said.
The U.S. president also described the war as “a service we are doing not only for the Middle East, but for the entire world.”
President Aoun receives calls from Macron and Spain’s king
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received phone calls this afternoon from French President Emmanuel Macron and Spain’s King Felipe VI.
The Spanish king expressed Madrid’s support for Lebanon in the difficult circumstances it is facing, highlighting the solidarity of the Spanish people with the Lebanese people.
Aoun thanked the Spanish monarch for his position and expressed appreciation for the role played by the Spanish contingent deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as well as its presence in south Lebanon and its contribution to the security and stability of residents in the region.
Aoun also spoke with Macron as part of ongoing consultations between the two leaders to follow developments and diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the military escalation.
US begins using British military bases in operations against Iran
The U.S. military has begun using British bases to carry out “defensive operations” in the Middle East conflict, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Saturday.
“The United States has begun using British bases for specific defensive operations to prevent Iran from launching missiles in the region that threaten British lives,” the ministry said on X.
U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers have notably landed at RAF Fairford in southwest England, AFP reported.
London gave approval Sunday for the United States to use some British military bases, including Fairford and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, to strike Iranian missile sites, after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the United Kingdom for initially refusing their use for the first U.S.-Israeli strikes.
“What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was bring the United Kingdom into the war without a legal basis and without a viable, well-considered plan,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday.
Bahrain: Loud explosions heard in Manama
Loud explosions were heard Saturday in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, according to two AFP journalists.
Salam: Government will not allow displaced people to remain without shelter
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Saturday after a meeting at the Grand Serail that his government “will not accept that any individual or family remains without shelter,” adding that efforts are underway to “provide dignified accommodation for all.”
More information here.
Israeli strikes in the Nabatieh and Marjayoun districts
Israeli strikes targeted Zebdine, Zawtar al-Gharbieh and Mayfoun in the Nabatieh district. In Mayfoun, ambulances responded to the scene and transported at least one dead and one wounded, according to our correspondent.
Strikes also targeted Mais al-Jabal in the Marjayoun district.
Israeli strikes target Yater and Zebdine in south Lebanon
The Israeli army carried out strikes on Yater (Bint Jbeil district) and Zebdine (Nabatieh district), according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Israel says 16 Quds Force aircraft used to transfer weapons to Hezbollah struck at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport
The Israeli military said in a post on X that it had “carried out a series of precise strikes in Tehran targeting military infrastructure at Mehrabad Airport,” which it described as a hub used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to arm and fund its proxies, including Hezbollah.
The army said 16 aircraft used to transport weapons to Hezbollah were hit in the strikes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in Persian Gulf
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its forces targeted a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.
“A tanker named ‘Louise P,’ flying the flag of the Marshall Islands and considered one of the assets of ‘terrorist America,’ was struck by a drone in the middle of the Persian Gulf,” the IRGC said on its website, Sepah News.
Lebanon condemns attack on UN peacekeepers
Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attack on a United Nations peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the ministry said the headquarters of the Ghanaian battalion serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the town of Qouzah was bombed overnight.
Three peacekeepers were wounded in the attack, including one seriously, and were transferred to a hospital in Beirut for treatment, the ministry said.
While the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation by UNIFIL, the ministry “strongly condemned” the attack, saying it constitutes a serious violation of international law.
Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed nearly 300 people since Monday
In its latest official toll, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 294 people have been killed and 1,023 wounded in Israeli strikes since the start of the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In its previous estimate, released last evening, the ministry reported 217 dead and 798 wounded.
Israel says missiles launched from Iran toward its territory
The Israeli army said missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel.
In a statement posted on X, the military said it had identified missiles heading toward Israeli territory and had activated its interception systems.
Two killed in Israeli strike on Taybeh as bombardments continue in southern Lebanon
- Two people were killed in an Israeli strike on the village of Taybeh (Marjayoun district), our correspondent in south Lebanon reported.
- An Israeli drone strike also targeted a car traveling in the village of Kfar Tebnit (Nabatieh district).
- Israeli fighter jets carried out two strikes around the city of Tyre and near the village of Maarakeh.
- Israeli strikes also targeted the towns of Arab Salim, Arnoun (both in the Nabatieh district) and Bint Jbeil.
The United States will strike Iran ‘very hard,’ as Tehran vows it will not surrender
U.S. President Donald Trump again threatened today to intensify strikes on Iran, which has vowed it will never surrender despite a new wave of airstrikes that set fire to an airport in Tehran, according to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
“Today Iran will be hit very hard!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, threatening to expand the strikes to “areas and groups of people that had never before been considered targets.”
Earlier, Pezeshkian said Iran “will not surrender” in a speech broadcast on state television, responding to Trump’s call the day before for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
“The enemies [Israel and the United States] can take to their graves their wish to see the Iranian people surrender,” he said in the televised address, also apologizing to neighboring countries targeted by Iranian strikes since the start of the conflict, which continued today.
Massive bombardments carried out by Israeli warplanes alongside the commando operation targeting Nabi Sheet (Baalbeck district) in the Bekaa Valley caused extensive damage in the village.
Large craters were formed in some streets, and numerous buildings were destroyed or damaged.
According to the latest preliminary toll from Lebanon’s Health Ministry, at least 41 people were killed and more than 40 others wounded.
Read here our summary of the key developments surrounding this Israeli attack, one of the deadliest since the start of the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Aoun discusses Israeli commando operation in Nabi Sheet with army chief Haykal
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he was closely monitoring the security situation amid continuing Israeli attacks on several areas of Lebanon.
Aoun was also briefed by Lebanese Army commander Rodolph Haykal on the available information regarding the Israeli operation that followed the massive bombardment of Nabi Sheet in the Bekaa Valley, which caused multiple casualties and significant material damage.
He was also informed about strikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs and several villages in southern Lebanon.
Israeli army again orders evacuation south of the Litani River
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee again called on residents south of the Litani River to evacuate.
“For your safety and that of your families, you must move immediately north of the Litani. Remaining south of the river may endanger your lives and those of your families,” Adraee wrote on X.
The Israeli army launched a ground incursion this week south of the Litani, saying it aims to establish a “buffer zone.”
US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush crossing Atlantic for Middle East deployment
The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush is currently crossing the Atlantic Ocean for a deployment to the Middle East, pro-Trump U.S. network Fox News reported today.
It would be the third U.S. aircraft carrier deployed by Washington as part of its war against Iran, after the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln, which are currently positioned in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Oman, respectively.
According to GPS tracking websites, the USS George H.W. Bush left its base in Norfolk, Virginia, on the U.S. East Coast and is now heading toward Europe.
Death toll from strikes on Nabi Sheet and surrounding areas rises to 41
The death toll from Israeli strikes on Nabi Sheet and nearby areas has risen again, reaching 41 killed and 40 wounded, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
6 killed, including four children and a woman, in strike on Shmustar in Baalbeck
Six people, including four children and a woman, were killed in Shmustar (Baalbek district) after an Israeli airstrike hit the town at dawn, according to a statement from the Health Ministry.
Situation update in south Lebanon
According to our correspondent, Israeli artillery fired several shells at Khiam and Taybeh (Marjayoun district).
The Israeli army also carried out strikes on Jibsheet, Kfar Sir and Arabsalim in the Nabatieh district.
Lebanese Army confirms death of three soldiers in Nabi Sheet
The Lebanese Army confirmed today that three of its soldiers were killed during the Israeli commando operation carried out overnight in Nabi Sheet, in the Bekaa Valley, adding that gunfire exchanges also took place between the Israeli commandos and “local residents.”
In a statement, the army said its units detected four Israeli helicopters flying over the Khreibeh area (Baalbek district) around 10:50 p.m., near the Syrian border.
According to the statement, two of the helicopters landed an enemy force, while intense and widespread airstrikes targeted surrounding villages.
“The army immediately implemented mobilization and defensive measures and fired flares to illuminate the landing zone, while the commando elements had already left the site,” the statement said.
Israeli forces then faced exchanges of fire with residents of the area and carried out intense airstrikes and sweeping operations, which continued until about 3 a.m..
Israeli army calls on residents of Sour area to evacuate
The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, called on residents of Zqouq al-Moufdi in Sour to evacuate quickly.
“The Israeli army will soon strike military infrastructure belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah organization, which is attempting to rebuild its activities in the area,” he wrote on X.
Hezbollah calls on residents of Nahariya and Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel to evacuate
In two posts published by its “war media” on Telegram and social media, Hezbollah called on residents of Nahariya and Kiryat Shmona, two towns in northern Israel, to evacuate immediately ahead of possible strikes. The calls echo similar warnings issued by the Israeli army.
Nahariya lies on the coast about 10 kilometers south of the Lebanon-Israel border, while Kiryat Shmona is located in the Galilee panhandle, about three kilometers from the border, opposite the Lebanese village of Houla.
Overnight Thursday into Friday, a few hours after Israeli army threats targeting entire neighborhoods of Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah issued similar warnings concerning all Israeli villages located within five kilometers of the border.
South Lebanon: Two killed in Israeli strike on Ansar, including Lebanese soldier
An Israeli strike carried out this morning in Ansar (Saida district) in south Lebanon killed two people, according to our correspondent.
The strike targeted the Kawthariyet al-Riz farm on the main road in Ansar. The victims were identified as Abdel Salam Adel Turki, a sergeant in the Lebanese army, and his brother.
Israeli aircraft also carried out a raid shortly afterward on the village of Taybeh (Marjayoun district).
Katz warns Lebanese government: Disarm Hezbollah or ‘pay a very heavy price’
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the Lebanese government it must disarm Hezbollah or risk “paying a very heavy price.”
“We [Israel] have no territorial claims against Lebanon, but we will not accept the situation that prevailed for many years, namely, fire launched from Lebanese territory toward the State of Israel,” Katz said in a statement cited by Reuters.
“That is why we are issuing a warning: act and take measures before we act further,” he added.
After attack on UNIFIL, UN warns of dangerous escalation between Lebanon and Israel
An attack carried out late last night against a position of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which seriously wounded Ghanaian peacekeepers, combined with massive strikes in southern Lebanon, has renewed U.N. fears of a new spiral of violence along the Israeli-Lebanese border.
In New York, the United Nations reacted with concern, warning of the consequences of a military escalation in a region already deeply unstable.
More details from our correspondent at the U.N. are available here.
Iran says it launched new ‘massive wave’ of drone attacks on Israel and U.S. bases
Iran’s military said today it had launched a new “massive wave of drone attacks” targeting Israel and U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, according to state media.
“The Iranian navy targeted American bases and the occupied territories [Israel, which Iran does not recognize] with a massive wave of drone attacks,” the armed forces said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.
Among the targets mentioned were Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts U.S. troops, another base in Kuwait, and a “strategic installation” in Israel, the statement said.
Deadly strike on girls’ school in Iran may have resulted from U.S. bombing targeting nearby Revolutionary Guard naval base, NYT reports
The bombing of a girls’ primary school in Minab, in southern Iran, which killed at least 150 people on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, may have resulted from a U.S. strike targeting a nearby naval base belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to an investigation by The New York Times.
Nighttime commando operation in Nabi Sheet: Remains of pilot Ron Arad not found, Israeli army says
Commenting on the Israeli landing operation in Nabi Sheet, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the remains of missing pilot Ron Arad were not found.
“As part of the Israeli army’s activities in Lebanon, special forces carried out an operation last night to search for clues regarding the missing pilot Ron Arad,” Adraee wrote on X. “No clues related to him were found at the site.”
Adraee also said the operation resulted in no casualties among Israeli forces.
Iran front update: Iran vows not to surrender as Tehran airport hit
You can find the latest developments Saturday morning on the Iran front here.
New update on Israeli strikes in south Lebanon
Several people killed in Majdal Zoun and Jibsheet
- An airstrike targeted the town of Majdal Zoun (Sour district) at 8 a.m., killing two people and wounding one, according to our correspondent.
- The death toll from the airstrike carried out this morning on Jibchit has risen to two. The total number of victims from the two strikes on Jibsheet, one at dawn and another later in the morning, now stands at seven.
- A drone strike also targeted a Rapid-type car in the border town of Odaisseh, our correspondent reported.
Everything you need to know about the Israeli commando operation in Nabi Sheet
Everything you need to know about the Israeli commando operation carried out overnight from yesterday to today in Nabi Sheet, in the Bekaa Valley, is available here.
According to the latest Lebanese tolls, the operation left nearly 30 people dead.
Bahrain says it intercepted 86 missiles and 148 drones since start of Iranian attacks
In a statement, the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force said the country’s air defense systems have intercepted and destroyed 86 missiles and 148 drones launched by Iran since the start of what it described as a “treacherous confrontation” against the Gulf archipelago.
Israeli army says it targeted Hezbollah Radwan Force commanders
“The Israeli military carried out a new wave of airstrikes overnight in several areas of south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, targeting rocket launch platforms, weapons depots and other Hezbollah military sites,” the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X.
“Yesterday, several Radwan Force commanders were also targeted, along with two buildings used by the unit in the village of Majdal Salam in south Lebanon,” he said.
Adraee added that the targeted commanders had recently advanced several operational plans and were preparing to carry them out against Israeli army forces and Israeli civilians.
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran hit at least 6,668 civilian sites, Iranian Red Crescent says
At least 6,668 civilian sites have been targeted by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran since the start of the war on Feb. 28, according to statistics from the Iranian Red Crescent cited by the Fars news agency.
According to the report, the strikes hit:
- 5,535 residential units
- 1,041 commercial units
- 14 medical centers
- 65 schools
- 13 facilities affiliated with the Iranian Red Crescent
Several emergency and humanitarian aid vehicles were also damaged during the attacks, and several Red Crescent members were injured while carrying out rescue operations, the report said.
Lebanese justice minister considering legal action against Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem
A source close to Justice Minister Adel Nassar told L’Orient-Le Jour that the minister is considering the possibility of initiating legal proceedings against Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem.
Death toll from Israeli strikes on Nabi Sheet rises to 26
According to the latest information from our correspondent in the region, at least 26 people were killed in Israeli strikes carried out overnight on Nabi Sheet and nearby villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
According to a medical source, 15 of the victims were from Nabi Sheet, nine from Khreibeh, one from Sariayn and one from Ali Nahri.
Three Lebanese soldiers were among the dead, as well as a member of General Security from the Shukur family.
Situation update in south Lebanon
- According to the mayor of Jibsheet (Nabatieh district), five members of the same family were killed in an Israeli airstrike at dawn that targeted their home in Jibsheet. The victims were the father, mother and their three children.
- Airstrikes targeted homes and buildings in Kfar Sir, Zawtar al-Sharqieh and Jibsheet (all in the Nabatieh district), our correspondent reported.
- Two airstrikes targeted Ansar in the Saida district.
- An airstrike hit homes in Tayr Debba (Sour district).
- Israeli fighter jets also carried out an airstrike on Burj Rahal (Sour district).
Three people killed in Israeli strikes on Nabatieh
- Two people were killed in an airstrike targeting Kfar Tebnit (Nabatieh district), our correspondent reported.
- One person was killed in an airstrike targeting Nabatieh al-Fawqa. The victim was from Kfar Tebnit.
Iran will target neighboring countries only if attacks originate from their territory, Pezeshkian says
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said today that Iran would suspend attacks against neighboring countries, unless strikes against Iran originate from their territory.
The statement came as Iran continued launching attacks across the region in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Iran has carried out attacks against U.S. military bases in several Gulf countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Arab League foreign ministers to hold emergency meeting
Foreign ministers of the Arab League will hold an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss “Iranian attacks against the territories of several Arab countries,” the organization’s deputy secretary-general told AFP.
The meeting will be held by videoconference and was requested by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Egypt, according to Hossam Zaki.
At least 16 killed, 35 wounded in Israeli strikes on Nabi Sheet in the Bekaa
Israeli strikes on Nabi Sheet in the Bekaa Valley killed at least 16 people and wounded 35, according to a new preliminary toll from Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
According to our correspondent, the victims include:
- Nine people from Khreibeh
- Five from Nabi Sheet
- One from Sariayn
- One from Ali Nahri
Three soldiers from the Lebanese Army and one member of the General Security from the Shukur family were also killed.
Israeli landing in Nabi Sheet: Several killed, including three Lebanese soldiers
According to preliminary information from our correspondent, airstrikes carried out during the Israeli landing operation in Nabi Sheet caused casualties from Khreibeh, Nabi Sheet, Sariayn and Ali Nahri.
Three Lebanese Army soldiers were also killed in the airstrikes targeting Nabi Sheet during the landing operation.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted ‘separatist groups’ in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said today they struck “separatist groups” in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on the 10th day of the war against Israel and the United States.
“Three sites belonging to separatist groups in the Iraqi [Kurdistan] region were struck this morning,” the Guards said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency.
“If separatist groups in the [Kurdistan] region take any action against Iran’s territorial integrity, we will crush them,” the statement added.
Israel says it launched new attack on Tehran and central Iran with ‘80 fighter jets’
“More than 80 Air Force fighter jets carried out a new wave of attacks against Iranian regime infrastructure in Tehran and other areas of central Iran,” the Israeli military said in a statement this morning.
Explosions were heard across Iran overnight, as Iran fired salvos of missiles toward Israel.
The Israeli military said it dropped about 230 munitions on several military sites, including:
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Central Military University in Tehran
- A missile unit storage facility
- An underground ballistic missile storage and production site
Saudi forces say they intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting air base
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said today that two ballistic missiles were intercepted and destroyed after being launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base, Reuters reported.
Earlier in the night, the ministry said Saudi forces also destroyed four drones in the south of the country and another ballistic missile targeting the same base.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman called on Iran to show “wisdom” and warned against “any miscalculation,” as the kingdom faces drone and missile attacks from Tehran.
“We stressed that such actions undermine regional security and stability and expressed hope that the Iranian side will act wisely and avoid any miscalculation,” Khalid wrote on X after meeting Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.
New explosions heard in Tehran, state media report
After being targeted overnight, Tehran was hit by a new series of Israeli raids, according to Iranian state television.
Israeli army reportedly searched for remains of pilot Ron Arad in nighttime landing near Nabi Sheet
Israeli troops searched overnight yesterday to today for the remains of Ron Arad, an Israeli pilot missing in Lebanon since 1986, the Lebanese newspaper Annahar reported, citing Hezbollah sources and relayed by Israeli outlet Kan News.
According to the report, four Israeli military helicopters landed troops in eastern Lebanon. Soldiers then moved on foot toward a cemetery near Nabi Sheet.
Situation update in south Lebanon overnight
According to our correspondent:
- Around 1 a.m., intense gunfire exchanges broke out between Hezbollah members and Israeli forces on the outskirts of Khiam.
- At 2 a.m., an Israeli force blew up several houses in Kfar Kila in the Marjayoun district.
- Israeli forces infiltrated Khiam, where heavy gunfire was heard.
- Artillery fire targeted Khiam, Kfar Kila, Odaisseh and Taybeh in the Marjayoun district.
- Israeli warplanes bombed Rihan (Jezzine district), Soultaniyeh (Bint Jbeil district) and Toulin (Marjayoun district).
- After 3 a.m., Israeli vehicles south of Khiam were struck with a guided missile. A new Israeli airstrike targeted Tiri in the Bint Jbeil district.
At least 3 killed, 16 wounded in Israeli strikes on Nabi Sheet
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes yesterday on Nabi Sheet killed three people and wounded more than 16, according to a preliminary toll.
Situation update in south Lebanon
According to our correspondent:
- After 10 p.m., an Israeli strike targeted a house in Jbaa near Marj, wounding two people. Another strike hit a house in Srifa.
- At 11 p.m., an Israeli strike targeted a house in Yater (Bint Jbeil district). Another strike hit Arabsalim in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area. Israeli aircraft also flew at low altitude over Saida.
- A man wounded in a strike on Saida on Thursday morning later died of his injuries.
Feature: Nabi Sheet, Ahmad Shukur and the shadow of the Mossad
Following developments in Nabi Sheet in the Bekaa Valley, we invite you to revisit this report by Stephanie Khouri:
Nabi Sheet, Ahmad Shukur and the Mossad shadow: A very Lebanese drama on the republic’s edge
Gunfire exchanges between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli army in Nabi Sheet
Overnight, our correspondent in the Bekaa and a correspondent for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV said the Israeli army attempted a helicopter landing on the eastern mountain range in the Bekaa, apparently without success.
Gunfire was heard in Nabi Sheet shortly afterward.
The Israeli army also carried out new strikes on Nabi Sheet and Sariayn.
Hezbollah says it repelled Israeli landing in Nabi Sheet
Hezbollah said its fighters confronted an Israeli force in the Nabi Sheet area (Baalbek).
In a statement, the Iran-backed group said its fighters observed at 10:30 p.m. Friday four Israeli military helicopters arriving from the Syrian side and landing an infantry unit near the highlands of Yahfoufa, Khraibeh and Maareboun.
The force then moved toward the eastern neighborhood of Nabi Sheet, home to the Shukur family, Hezbollah said.
“At 11:30 p.m., as it approached the cemetery, the force came under fire from fighters of the Islamic Resistance using light and medium weapons,” the statement said.
Hezbollah added that Israeli forces then launched intense covering fire, deploying fighter jets and helicopters to cover the withdrawal, while resistance artillery targeted the surrounding area and the retreat route.
The statement also said residents of nearby villages joined in providing supporting fire.
Welcome to our live coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of the sixth day of escalation in Lebanon.
We will follow developments across the country, particularly in the Bekaa Valley, where the Israeli army reportedly attempted a helicopter incursion, and in south Lebanon, which continues to be heavily bombarded as Israeli forces advance along the border despite Hezbollah attacks.
We will also cover developments across the Middle East, on the seventh day of the war launched by Israel and the United States last Saturday.
For details on the previous 24 hours, see our live coverage of Friday and the overnight developments.
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