Latest developments in southern Lebanon
Israeli strikes hit multiple locations in south Lebanon, including Rashaf (Bint Jbeil) and Dallafeh (Hasbaya), according to our correspondent. Israeli air raids also targeted Jeb Sheet (Nabatieh) and Srifa (Sour), while Qabriqha (Marjayoun) was struck and a drone hit Burj Qalawieh. Bombardments cut the road connecting Ahmadieh (Hasbaya) to Ebel Saqi (Marjayoun) via Wadi Borghoz.
Hezbollah reports targeting Israeli forces in Aïnata
Hezbollah said its fighters struck two Merkava tanks in Ainata and Qouzah (Bint Jbeil). Between 17:00 and 19:00, repeated rocket and artillery fire targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers across multiple areas in Ainata.
The group also reported hitting an Israeli force entrenched in a house with a “precision” missile, causing “confirmed losses,” and noted that the Israeli army dispatched evacuation teams in response.
UN envoy warns Lebanon is 'a shadow of its former self,' calls for immediate truce
The U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said the country “is now only a shadow of its former self,” describing the situation as “extremely concerning.”
In a statement, she noted that “three peacekeepers have lost their lives in the past 24 hours in southern Lebanon” and that parts of the country “have been reduced to ruins, turned into ghost towns.”
Hennis-Plasschaert also warned against rising rhetoric undermining sectarian coexistence, stressing that “the longer this situation continues, the harder it will be to reverse.”
“We have to start somewhere,” she said, calling for “an immediate truce to end the destruction,” confidence-building measures, a stronger role for the Lebanese state in decisions of war and peace, and the launch of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. “These are the first, interdependent steps needed to break the recurring cycles of violence,” she concluded.
Israel strikes key roads in West Bekaa, cutting off several routes
The Israeli army bombed several road axes in the western Bekaa Valley, notably severing routes linking Sohmor to Yohmor, Yohmor to Labaya, Qlayaa to Dellafi, and Qlayaa to Ahmadieh.
UN humanitarian chief visits Beirut amid rising tensions
The U.N.’s top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, arrived in Beirut on Monday, announcing a busy schedule during his visit.
“I’ve just landed in Beirut. A packed program awaits,” he said, adding that after years of working in Lebanon, including during difficult periods, he has developed a “Lebanon radar” to gauge levels of anxiety and tension.
“My antennas are a bit rusty, but the situation feels extremely tense — and understandably so,” he continued. “We are here to do our best to help,” he concluded.
West Bekaa comes under Israeli fire after evacuation threats
After warning it would strike six localities in the western Bekaa Valley, the Israeli army carried out several airstrikes targeting Sohmor and its surrounding heights, as well as Labaya and Yohmor.
One of the strikes reportedly cut off the road linking two of the villages.
Hezbollah reports attacks on Israeli positions in Naqoura and Bayada
Hezbollah said it carried out several operations against Israeli positions in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
According to the party, at 18:55 it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers near the port of Naqoura, claiming “direct hits,” while Israeli forces were evacuating the wounded under a heavy smoke screen. Shortly after, Hezbollah said it fired rocket barrages and artillery shells at Israeli troops and vehicles in the Bayada area, also claiming “direct hits.”
The group added that it launched a salvo of rockets at 19:00 toward Nahariya in northern Israel, and at 20:00 deployed a drone targeting the Filon base south of Rosh Pina.
White House: Trump wants to see a deal with Iran before April 6 deadline
The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump is aiming for a negotiated agreement with Iran before an April 6 deadline that he has tied to paused military action against Iranian energy infrastructure.
France calls emergency UN Security Council meeting after peacekeeper killed in Lebanon
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced on Monday that he has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council following “the extremely serious incidents” targeting U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, which killed an Indonesian national.
“Such attacks near U.N. peacekeeping positions are unacceptable and unjustifiable,” Barrot said, calling for “a full investigation into the circumstances of these tragedies.”
The Indonesian peacekeeper was the first from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be killed since the war between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on March 2, highlighting the growing risks to international personnel in the conflict.
US secretary of state Rubio sees potential for private talks with Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States has received positive private messages from elements within Iran’s government.
“There are clearly people there talking to us in ways that previous people in charge in Iran have not spoken to us,” he told ABC, noting internal “fractures” in the Islamic Republic.
Rubio also called Iran’s leadership “lunatics… religious zealots who can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.”
In an Al Jazeera interview, he confirmed some direct talks are happening “primarily through intermediaries” and emphasized, “I think the president always prefers diplomacy.”
Trump interested in asking Arab states to help fund Iran war, White House says
U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering asking Arab countries to help cover the costs of a potential war with Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that the Republican president “would be quite interested in calling them to do” so, adding that the idea is one Trump has been considering.
When asked if Arab countries might step up financially, Leavitt said she would not get ahead of the president but confirmed that it is an idea Trump has and that more details may be forthcoming.
White House: Talks with Iran continuing despite public posturing
The White House said on Monday that negotiations with Iran are ongoing and progressing positively, despite public statements by Tehran that differ from private communications with U.S. officials.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “despite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks are continuing and going well. What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what's being communicated to us privately.”
Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon kill 4; artillery and air raids hit multiple areas
Four people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a building in Shehabieh (Sour district). Meanwhile, Israeli artillery fire across the Khiam – Marjayoun – Ebel Saqi triangle caused power outages in Hasbaya, Arqoub, and Shebaa.
The Israeli air force also carried out a raid on Kfour (Nabatieh district), while artillery targeted Debbin (Marjayoun) and Braasheet (Bint Jbeil).
An explosion hit residential areas in Naqoura (Sour district), and additional airstrikes struck Sawaneh and Majdel Selm (Marjayoun).
The Israeli army reportedly fired white phosphorus shells and deployed a smoke screen near Bayada and Wadi Hamoul following an explosion in an area occupied by Israeli forces.
These attacks come amid continued heavy clashes in southern Lebanon, escalating the humanitarian and security situation in the region.
Israel issues urgent warning to residents of several villages in eastern Lebanon
The Israeli military has issued an urgent alert to residents of multiple villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley, including Zalaya, Labaya, Yahmar, Sahmar, Qalaya, and Dalafi.
According to the warning, Hezbollah’s activities in the area “compel the Israeli Defense Forces to act strongly against them,” but the army stressed that it “does not intend to harm civilians.”
Residents were instructed to move immediately to the northern part of Qaraoun to ensure their safety. The statement also cautioned that any movement southward could put lives at serious risk.
This alert comes amid intensified Israeli operations against Hezbollah in southern and eastern Lebanon, reflecting rising tensions and the escalating humanitarian risk for civilians in the conflict zones.
Thousands of US army paratroopers arrive in Middle East as buildup intensifies
Thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, as President Donald Trump weighs his next steps in the war against Iran.
Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East, a move that would expand options to include the deployment of forces inside Iranian territory.
The paratroopers, based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, add to the thousands of additional sailors, Marines and Special Operations forces sent to the region. Over the weekend, about 2,500 Marines arrived in the Middle East.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say specifically where the soldiers were deploying to, but the move was expected.
The additional army soldiers include elements of the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, some logistics and other support, and one brigade combat team. No decision has been made to send troops into Iran, but they will build up capacity for potential future operations in the region, one of the sources said.
Israel says it has killed 3 Hezbollah commanders in Beirut
The Israeli army reported that a strike in Beirut killed Hamza Ibrahim Rakin, described as the deputy commander of Unit 1800, along with the unit’s operations officer and another member.
According to the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, Unit 1800 is “responsible for coordinating between Hezbollah and Palestinian organizations in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and the West Bank.” The statement added that Hamza Rakin “also oversaw the transfer of fighters from these groups to participate in combat against Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon.” The operations officer and another member of the unit were also killed in the strike.
UN condemns 'unacceptable incidents' after peacekeepers killed in south Lebanon
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, spoke Monday at a press briefing at U.N. headquarters in New York, following the deaths of three U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon over the past 24 hours.
He condemned the “unacceptable incidents,” emphasizing that “peacekeepers must never be targeted.” Lacroix noted that UNIFIL is investigating the events to determine the circumstances of these tragic deaths.
He also expressed concern over multiple recent acts of aggression against U.N. personnel. “All actions endangering peacekeepers must stop, and all parties must uphold their obligations to ensure their safety at all times,” he said.
Lacroix highlighted the challenges faced by UNIFIL troops, noting that “our peacekeepers remain on the ground, carrying out Security Council-mandated missions under extremely dangerous conditions. Their actions are limited, but they continue to do everything possible.”
He concluded by stressing that “only the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 by both parties will allow for a sustainable solution to the conflict.”
Israeli says it has destroyed over 100 Hezbollah-linked towers in central Beirut
The Arabic-language spokesperson of the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, stated that “the air force continues its strikes against Hezbollah and has destroyed more than 100 towers in central Beirut” believed to be linked to Hezbollah.
In a statement, Adraee said the operations were carried out as part of “joint efforts by the air force, the northern command, and intelligence services.”
He added that Hezbollah “used these buildings for command and control purposes, as well as to plan operations against Israeli civilians and the Israeli military.”
Israel also accused the group of placing these structures “in the heart of civilian areas,” denouncing what it called “an exploitation of the population in Lebanon.”
Hezbollah reports clashes with Israeli forces in Ainata
Hezbollah has announced several new operations targeting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon as well as positions in northern Israel.
In multiple statements, the group said it has been engaged since noon in heavy fighting with an Israeli force in Ainata (Bint Jbeil), using light and medium weapons as well as anti-tank projectiles.
Hezbollah claimed to have destroyed a Merkava tank, noting it was seen in flames, and to have blown up another tank of the same type at 16:50 in the same area.
In Ainata, the group also reported firing repeated barrages of rockets and artillery shells between 10:30 and 11:30 at gatherings of Israeli soldiers on Tallet al-Friz hill.
Additionally, Hezbollah said it fired at 17:00 on a Merkava tank in Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil district), claiming to have “hit the target directly.” The group also stated that the previous day at 15:00 it targeted an Israeli D9 bulldozer at Tallet al-Salaa in Qantara (Marjayoun).
Finally, the movement reported firing a salvo of rockets at 13:15 toward Yir’on, after issuing warnings to several northern Israeli villages, before striking the Hadab Yaroun site 45 minutes later.
UNIFIL: 2 peacekeepers killed, 2 injured in south Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) released a statement on 30 March 2026 reporting that two peacekeepers were tragically killed in south Lebanon when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan.
A third peacekeeper was severely injured, and a fourth also sustained injuries. This marks the second fatal incident involving UNIFIL personnel in the last 24 hours.
“We reiterate that no one should ever have to die serving the cause of peace,” the statement said, extending condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the fallen peacekeepers. UNIFIL also expressed thoughts and hopes for a full and speedy recovery for the injured.
An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the explosion. UNIFIL emphasized the urgent need for all parties to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety of UN personnel and property at all times.
The statement warned that deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are serious violations of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701, and may constitute war crimes.
“The human cost of this conflict is far too high. The violence, as we have said before, must end,” UNIFIL concluded.
UNIFIL: Blue Helmets still trapped in south Lebanon as 2 remain inaccessible ‘due to lack of security guarantees’
Two U.N. peacekeepers could not be evacuated after an explosion damaged a UNIFIL vehicle in an area between Bani Hayan and Tallousa (Marjayoun district), the U.N. mission said, noting that other injured personnel were able to be extracted but access to the site remains impossible without security guarantees.
Earlier, an Israeli strike in the area had seriously injured several peacekeepers. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said, “this morning, an explosion severely damaged a UNIFIL vehicle and several peacekeepers were injured.
Some of the injured were evacuated, but we were unable to access the site to extract two others due to the lack of security guarantees.”
She added, “Following coordination with Lebanese and Israeli authorities, a team is currently en route to the site.”
Death toll in South Lebanon rises, Israeli strikes continue
Four people have been killed in the Israeli airstrike that targeted the market of the town of Bint Jbeil this afternoon. Meanwhile, the Israeli airstrikes on the village of Haniyeh (Sour) earlier today killed three people.
An Israeli airstrike has targeted the neighborhood of Marj al-Safa in Shuqin (Nabatieh district). Israeli warplanes have also carried out airstrikes on the villages of Hanine and Yater (Bint Jbeil), as well as an area between Yater and Kafra (Bint Jbeil).
Furthermore, Israeli artillery shelling has targeted Hanine, Khiam, Touline (Marjayoun), and Srifa (Sour).
Meanwhile, rockets have been fired from Lebanon toward Israel.
Hezbollah's most recent attacks against Israel and its forces in Lebanon
Hezbollah announced several new operations against Israeli forces in south Lebanon and positions in Northern Israel.
Hezbollah said in a statement published at around 5:40 pm that it has been been engaged since 12 p.m. in intense clashes with an Israeli force in the village of Ainata (Bint Jbeil district), using light and medium weapons as well as direct rocket-propelled projectiles.
The group noted that an Israeli Merkava tank was destroyed in the al-Sidr area and was seen burning, adding that it detonated explosive devices at 4:50 p.m. against another Merkava tank in the same area, leading to its destruction.
According to another statement released by the group, Hezbollah had also fired repeated volleys of rockets and artillery shells at gatherings of Israeli soldiers at Tallet al-Friz in the same village between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.
The group also said that it fired Tandem shells at an Israeli Merkava tank in Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil) at 5 pm, "achieving a direct hit."
Moreover, in a statement published this afternoon, the group noted that it fired an attack drone, yesterday at 3 pm, at an Israeli D9 bulldozer at Talat al-Salaa in the village of al-Qantara (Marjeyoun), "achieving a direct hit."
Furthermore, Hezbollah said that following its warning to several northern Israeli villages, it fired a rocket barrage at the village of Yiron at 1:15 pm. The party added that 45 minutes later, it fired a rocket barrage at the site of Hadab Yaroun.
Netanyahu’s dream thwarted by Hezbollah and Houthis, says Qaani
Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani IRGC Quds Force commander," head of the Iranian elite Al-Quds Force, said that “Benjamin Netanyahu dreamed of expanding a security belt in the region, but the intelligent and courageous fire of our brothers in Hezbollah in the north and Ansar Allah [the Houthis] in the south exposed the regime’s false promises to the settlers.”
He also called on Israel to adapt to a “new regional order,” stating that coordinated actions by Iran’s allies have undermined Israeli security ambitions.
“The aspiration of the martyred commanders of the resistance has been realized: the war room of the resistance front is unified,” the senior commander added. “Get used to the new regional order,” he told Israel.
Israeli attacks since March 2 leave 1,247 killed and 3,680 injured
The Health Ministry reported in its daily update that Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 1,247 people and injured 3,680 across the country.
IRGC Quds Force Commander Qaani urges Israel to adapt to 'new regional order'
Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, called on the Zionist regime to adapt to a “new regional order,” saying that coordinated actions by regional allies have undermined Israeli security ambitions, according to Tasnim.
“Benjamin Netanyahu dreamed of expanding a security belt in the region, but the intelligent and courageous fire of our brothers in Hezbollah in the north and Ansarullah in the south exposed the regime’s false promises to the settlers,” the senior commander said.
“The aspiration of the martyred commanders of the resistance has been realized: the war room of the resistance front is one,” he underlined.
“Get used to the new regional order,” he told the Israeli enemy.
Lebanon requests that Ukraine hand over a man suspected of links to Mossad
Lebanon has asked Ukraine to hand over one of its citizens who sought refuge in the Ukrainian embassy after fleeing the southern suburbs of Beirut, where he had been in the custody of Hezbollah, a senior security official and a source from the pro-Iranian party told AFP on Monday.
The man, a Syrian-Palestinian who also holds Ukrainian nationality, was apprehended in September by Hezbollah, which accuses him of ties to the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, according to the Hezbollah source. He was reportedly spotted by the Shiite Islamist group after allegedly “hiding a powerful explosive device …in a motorcycle parked on the road leading to Beirut airport,” the source added.
'The Litani must become our new border with Lebanon, says Smotrich'
Israel should move its border with Lebanon up to the Litani River, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday, according to the Times of Israel.
“The current war in Lebanon must end with a fundamental change, beyond simply neutralizing the terrorist group Hezbollah,” Smotrich said. “The Litani must become our new border with Lebanon, just like the ‘yellow line’ in Gaza and the buffer zone and the summit of Mount Hermon in Syria.”
“We must not return to the situation of October 6, when the enemy was at our fences,” he continued, referring to the eve of the Hamas-led offensive in 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza. “We will push [the enemy] back on all fronts and create a security cordon that will separate the enemy from our citizens.”
Sisi calls on Trump: ‘Help us stop the war’
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on U.S. President Donald Trump to “stop the war” in the Middle East during a speech in Cairo.
“I am addressing President Trump to say: no one but you can stop the war in the Gulf. Please, help us stop the war—you are capable of it,” he said at a conference dedicated to energy, alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
“No one else will be able to stop the war,” he added, emphasizing the “serious consequences” of a continued conflict. “I am speaking to you in the name of humanity, and in the name of all those who love peace — and you, Mr. President, are among those who love peace,” he said.
Ahmad al-Sharaa rejects any attempt to turn the region into a ‘battleground for settling scores’
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said he “firmly rejects any attempt to turn our region into a battleground for settling scores” during a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
During the meeting, which focused on the reconstruction of his country, Berlin’s efforts to organize the return of Syrian refugees, as well as the war in the Middle East, al-Sharaa stated that Damascus was “closely monitoring developments in the region.”
He also condemned Israeli strikes and “aggressions” on Syrian territory, denouncing violations of the 1974 disengagement agreement and calling on the international community to “assume its responsibilities.”
Bint Jbeil market, rebuilt after the 66-day war, bombed again
Also in South Lebanon, artillery fire targeted Srifa and Deir Kifa (Sour).
Meanwhile, an airstrike hit the Bint Jbeil market, wounding several people and causing significant damage, with a large portion of shops destroyed. The market had been rebuilt after the 66-day war, according to our correspondent in the region.
Another airstrike also targeted Ainata (Bint Jbeil), where heavy fighting is ongoing between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, while Israeli aircraft carried out a raid on Zebdin (Nabatieh).
Israeli strike on Rihab, in southern suburbs of Beirut, kills 1 and injures 17
The Israeli strike on the densely populated neighborhood of Rihab, which was not included in the Israeli army’s warnings, killed one person and injured 17 others, according to the Health Ministry.
Among the injured are 10 Lebanese, six Syrians nationals, including 4 children, and one Guinean woman.
Heavy fighting in Ainata between Hezbollah and Israeli army
Heavy fighting is happening between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Ainata (Bint Jbeil), our correspondent reported. The sound of light machine-gun fire and rocket explosions can be heard in the area.
Israel says it struck a university in Tehran
The Israeli military announced on Monday that it had struck a university in Tehran "run by the Revolutionary Guards," claiming that “research and development activities on advanced weapons” were being conducted there.
“In recent days, one of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) main military infrastructure sites was struck. It is located within the grounds of Imam Hossein University, the IRGC’s primary military academic institution, which also serves as an emergency resource for the regime’s military bodies,” it stated in a press release.
Belgium donates humanitarian aid to Lebanon
Belgian humanitarian aid for people displaced by Israeli attacks in Lebanon arrived Friday at Beirut's airport, according to a statement from the Belgian Embassy. The aid consists of hygiene kits, mattresses and food rations.
An official handover ceremony for the supplies was held on Friday at the ministry’s warehouses in the presence of Social Development Minister Haneen Sayed. She thanked Belgium for its contribution, the statement said.
Israeli army strikes several towns in southern Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes hit near a Husseinieh in Mansouri (Sour), as well as the towns of Haris, Yater and Kafra (Bint Jbeil district).
Artillery fire also targeted Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. A large explosion caused by the Israeli army was also reported in Taybeh (Marjayoun).
Rockets were also launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel, while others targeted Israeli soldiers stationed inside Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah strikes Israeli soldiers twice in Deir Siryan
Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli soldiers twice in the Lebanese town of Deir Siryan (Marjayoun), about 10 minutes apart.
Artillery fire at 2 p.m. hit soldiers and military vehicles in the town, followed at 2:10 p.m. by kamikaze drones targeting the same area.
Aoun: The hand that threatens civil peace will be cut off
President Joseph Aoun stated that “the hand that threatens civil peace will be cut off,” adding that “security forces are taking firm measures to prevent any security breaches through arrests and the confiscation of weapons.”
Aoun also stated that “no one in Lebanon wants a civil war to break out.” He noted that “the situation in the South is tragic due to the serious violations committed by Israel,” emphasizing “ongoing international efforts to bring about negotiations with the Israeli side.”
Israel confirms killing a second journalist in Lebanon on Saturday
The Israeli military confirmed on Monday that it had killed a second journalist in a strike over the weekend, describing him as a member of Hezbollah, though it provided no evidence to support this claim.
An Israeli strike on Saturday killed Ali Choeib, from the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar, Fatima Ftouni, from Al-Mayadeen, and her brother Mohammad Ftouni, a cameraman, near Jezzine.
The Israeli army subsequently stated that it had killed Choeib “in a targeted strike,” describing him as a “terrorist from the intelligence unit of the al-Radwan force” operating “under the guise of a journalist.” Today, it confirmed Mohmmad Ftouni's killing.
Israeli strike kills 3 Hezbollah members
Three Hezbollah members were killed and three others seriously wounded in an Israeli strike on Monday morning that targeted a residential building near the southern suburbs of Beirut, a security source told AFP.
The AFP team saw a third-floor apartment blown up by the strike, while armed Hezbollah members set up a security cordon around the targeted building in the Bir Hasan neighborhood.
Strikes and rocket fire in southern Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes targeted Yohmor al-Shaqif (Nabatieh) and Ainata (Bint Jbeil), while artillery fire hit the town of Bint Jbeil.
A barrage of rockets was also fired from southern Lebanon toward Israeli soldiers stationed in the eastern sector, according to our correspondent. Additional rocket launches targeting Israeli positions were reported, without further information.
UNIFIL Indonesian soldiers targeted again in southern Lebanon
Indonesian soldiers serving with UNIFIL were seriously wounded in Israeli strikes on an area between Beni Hayan and Tallousa (Marjayoun), our correspondent in southern Lebanon reported.
Earlier in the day, UNIFIL said one Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and another seriously wounded by the explosion of a projectile of unknown origin near Adsheet al-Qoussiar (Marjayoun), with sources indicating the attack had been launched by the Israeli army.
Israeli strike targets medics in Mansouri
An Israeli strike hit a Civil Defense center affiliated with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Committee in Mansouri (Sour), lightly wounding several medics, according to our correspondent. A helicopter was dispatched from Naqoura to evacuate the wounded.
Hezbollah targets Israeli army in Beit Lif and Taybeh
Hezbollah said it struck Israeli soldiers at noon with a guided missile while they were inside a house in Khallet al-Jwar, in the village of Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil). The party said the attack caused deaths and injuries among Israeli troops.
At 12:05 p.m., Hezbollah said it fired another guided missile that hit an Israeli Merkava tank in the Baidar al-Fakhani area, in Taybeh (Marjayoun).
Salam commends south Lebanon residents who refused to leave despite Israeli evacuation orders
While receiving a delegation from the village of Borgholieh (Sour district), Prime Minister Nawaf Salam commended them for their steadfastness, as well as that of all southern residents who refused to leave despite Israeli evacuation orders and threats.
According to a statement released by the Grand Serail, Salam affirmed that the "state stands by them and is continuously working to secure aid convoys."
He stressed that the "resilience of these southern villages represents the resilience of all Lebanese, and that it stands in the face of displacement plans and the establishment of so-called buffer zones."
"The fate of the Lebanese people must not remain subject to calculations that go beyond the interests of Lebanon and its people," he added.
Israeli strike on Nabatieh district
An Israeli strike targeted an area between the towns of Breikeh and Qseibeh in the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent.
Hezbollah attacks Israeli military bases
Hezbollah said it fired a barrage of rockets at 11 a.m. at the Israeli Glilot base, which belongs to Unit 8200 of military intelligence and is located about 110 kilometers from the Lebanese border, in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
At noon, the group said it fired rockets at the Haifa naval base.
Israeli soldier killed by Hezbollah fire in southern Lebanon
The Israeli army said a soldier from the 9th Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade was killed in fighting with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, according to Haaretz.
The incident occurred overnight on Monday when an anti-tank missile struck a tank operating in southern Lebanon. Another soldier was “seriously wounded,” the report said.
Two additional anti-tank missiles were later fired at the area, causing no further casualties.
Six Israeli soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon since March 2, Haaretz reported.
Lebanese Army confirms Israeli strike killed 1 soldier, wounded several others
The Lebanese Army confirmed that one soldier was killed and others were wounded by an Israeli strike on its checkpoint near Qleileh (Sour).
Israeli strike on Lebanese Army post kills 1, injures 2
The Israeli strike on a Lebanese Army post near Mansouri killed one soldier and injured two others, according to our correspondent, citing medical sources.
Israeli strike on Lebanese Army post near Mansouri
An Israeli airstrike hit a Lebanese Army post in Amrieh, near Mansouri (Sour), injuring several people, including soldiers, according to our correspondent.
Israeli army claims it attacked 'Hezbollah terrorists disguised as paramedics'
The Israeli military claimed it attacked on Saturday evening, “a Hezbollah cell dressed as paramedics and operating near an ambulance in southern Lebanon,” after killing nine paramedics.
According to Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the party “systematically transported weapons in ambulances from northern to southern Lebanon as part of ongoing terrorist activities.”
According to the Health Ministry, Israeli attacks have killed over 52 rescue workers and healthcare personnel since the start of the war.
Since the war began, Israel has struck medics and medical facilities, forcing the evacuation of a hospital staff and its patients in southern Lebanon. In its war on Gaza, Israel fired airstrikes on hospitals, raided the facilities, detained medical staff and withered the sector by cutting off fuel and vital supplies.
Israeli strike kills at least 1, injures another in Hezbollah-affiliated health committee center in Hanawieh
Four Israeli airstrikes targeted Hanawieh (Sour). One of the strikes targeted a center belonging to the Islamic Health Committee, affiliated with Hezbollah.
At least one person was killed and another wounded, according to our correspondent. A house was also destroyed, and the Islamic Health Committee's ambulances caught fire.
Update on south Lebanon
Israeli artillery fire targeted Mansouri (Sour), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Israeli warplanes targeted the area around the Summaqieh school (Sour).
Updates from south Lebanon
Israeli artillery fire targeted Mansouri (Sour), according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes hit Sammaaiyeh (Sour), near the town's public school.
Israeli strike on Islamic Health Committee center, in Hanawi kills at least 1
Four Israeli airstrikes hit Hanawi (Sour). One of the strikes hit an Islamic Health Committee center, a rescue association affiliated with Hezbollah.
At least one person was killed and another wounded, according to our correspondent. A house was also destroyed, and ambulances belonging to the Islamic Health Committee caught fire.
Iran: Petrochemical company targeted in Tabriz
The Tabriz Petrochemical Company, in northwestern Iran, announced that "part of the company's facilities were attacked and damaged this morning [Monday]," according to a statement reported by the Persian-language edition of the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television network.
"The situation is now under control, and the fire is completely extinguished," the statement said.
Saar: Hezbollah has launched 5,000 rockets toward Israel since start of war
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar revealed that "approximately 5,000 rockets have been fired toward Israel since the start of the conflict" with Hezbollah on March 2.
"The majority of rocket fire toward Israel originates from south of the Litani River, the same area where the Lebanese government declared in early January that it had established 'operational control,'" he added on Sunday in a post on X.
Israeli military claims attacks on southern suburbs of Beirut
The Israeli military claimed to have hit “Hezbollah infrastructure” in the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to a statement posted by its Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Ella Waweya.
Iran confirms killing of Guards navy commander Alireza Tangsiri
Iran confirmed on Monday that Revolutionary Guards commander Alireza Tangsiri had been killed, days after Israel said it targeted him in an air strike.
A statement carried by the Guards' Sepah News website said Tangsiri "succumbed to severe injuries" from the attack.
5 Israeli soldiers wounded in southern Lebanon
Two Israeli soldiers were severely wounded by an anti-tank missile fired toward them in southern Lebanon on Sunday afternoon, according to an Israeli army statement, cited in Haaretz.
In a separate incident, an Israeli soldier was severely wounded, and two soldiers were moderately wounded when a drone fell near them.
Another Israeli soldier was moderately wounded in an operational accident.
The second Israeli strike this morning on Beirut's southern suburbs hit the Rihab area, near Ghobeiri, according to Al Jadeed.
Make sure to read today's Morning Brief to catch up on yesterday's key events and today's upcoming ones.
A new Israeli strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs.
Israeli parliament approves massive defense budget increase
The Israeli parliament approved the 2026 budget early Monday, which massively increases resources allocated to defense.
"As part of the budget update, and taking into account Operation Roaring Lion, more than 30 billion shekels [approximately 8.3 billion euros] have been added to the Defense Ministry's budget, bringing it to over 142 billion shekels," the parliament said in a statement. Knesset members approved the budget by a vote of 62 to 55.
The total proposed spending budget for 2026 amounts to approximately 850 billion Israeli shekels, or about 235 billion euros.
Heavy water reactor out of service after Israeli strikes
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated on Sunday that the Khondab heavy water reactor complex in Iran is no longer operational following an Israeli military strike last week.
After an independent analysis of satellite imagery, the IAEA concluded that the Khondab site (the new name for the Arak reactor) “has sustained severe damage and is no longer operational,” adding that “the facility contains no declared nuclear material.”
The Israeli military announced on Friday that it had carried out a strike against a heavy water reactor complex in Arak, in central Iran, describing the site as “a key plutonium production site for nuclear weapons.”
New aid convoy from Catholic Church is headed to Sour in south Lebanon
The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, during an aid distribution in Sour, southern Lebanon, on March 30, 2023. (Credit: Stephanie Khouri/L'Orient-Le Jour)
A new convoy of humanitarian aid has been delivered to Christian villages in the border region of southern Lebanon, at the initiative of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paolo Borgia.
The Vatican representative made his first stop at the Melkite Church of St. Thomas in the old city of Tyre [Sour].
"The Pope is thinking of you and praying for you," the nuncio told the assembled faithful. The church delegation then unloaded a truckload of aid for the local population, our correspondent reports on the ground.
"Nothing is happening here. This time, no one has left the neighborhood because we received assurances from the Americans that the Israelis will not harm the Christians of Tyre," said Nawal, a resident. Classes in schools were also suspended throughout the city today.
Iran strikes desalination plant in Kuwait, 1 killed
Iran attacked a desalination plant in Kuwait, which also generates electricity, killing an Indian national, the Kuwaiti government announced early Monday.
"A service building at a desalination plant that generates electricity was attacked as part of the Iranian aggression against the State of Kuwait, resulting in the death of an Indian worker and significant material damage," the Kuwaiti Electricity and Water Ministry wrote on X.
Hezbollah claims series of attacks on Monday on Israeli towns, soldiers
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Monday against Israeli towns and soldiers.
At dawn on Monday, at 2 a.m., Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israeli soldiers east of Khiam Prison (Marjayoun district). At the same time, it also attacked Metula and Dovev with rocket attacks.
At 2:50 a.m., the militia launched a rocket attack on the disputed town of Ghajar. It then attacked the Shomera base at 3:50 a.m., followed by a rocket attack at 4:30 a.m. on the Mishmar HaCarmel military site south of Haifa.
Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers in Avivim with rocket fire at 6 a.m., then soldiers stationed in Kiryat Shmona at 6:30 a.m., before attacking soldiers and military vehicles at 6:40 a.m. at the Israeli site of Malikiya.
Two successive attacks, at 8:15 a.m. and 8:20 a.m., targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the Khanouq area of the Lebanese town of Odaisseh (Marjayoun).
Israel again orders evacuation of Beirut's southern suburbs
The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, once again ordered the evacuation of several neighborhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs in a message posted on X.
"Urgent and immediate warning to all residents of the southern suburbs, especially those residing in the neighborhoods of Haret Hreik, Ghobeiri, Laylaki, Hadath, Burj al-Barajneh, Tahwitat al-Ghadir and Chiyah: You must evacuate the area immediately," said Adraee in a message posted on X.
Israeli strike on southern Beirut suburbs
An Israeli strike targeted Msharrafieh, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, less than an hour after the Israeli army issued an evacuation order.
Update on south Lebanon, Sunday night into Monday:
The Israeli military escalation in southern Lebanon was less intense than on previous nights, according to our correspondent.
Throughout yesterday and until midnight, Israeli aircraft struck 26 locations in the South. Drone strikes targeted four villages, while 18 locations were subjected to artillery fire, some of which were shelled with phosphorus. The Israeli army also detonated several houses in three locations.
Hezbollah, for its part, carried out 70 attacks. At 11 p.m., an airstrike targeted the towns of Kafra and Kounin in the Bint Jbeil district.
At midnight, an Israeli strike targeted houses in the town of Deir Aames in the Sour district. An Israeli force entered the town of Halta, in the Hasbaya district, and searched several areas. The force was accompanied by dogs and lighting equipment.
After 1 a.m., an Israeli airstrike targeted the town of Arnoun, in the Nabatieh district.
After 4 a.m., Israeli aircraft carried out a raid on the town of Braasheet, in the Bint Jbeil district.
Iran, Israel clash, Trump says sees deal with Tehran
Iran and Israel launched a series of attacks on Monday morning, despite assurances from U.S. President Donald Trump of an imminent "deal" with the new Iranian regime and the looming possibility of a U.S. ground intervention.
On Monday morning, the Israeli army announced it was responding to a missile attack from Iran, shortly after reporting on Telegram that it had struck military sites in Tehran.
The previous evening, the Iranian Energy Ministry reported power outages in the capital and surrounding areas following "attacks" on electrical facilities. Power was restored across the country on Monday morning, according to Iranian media.
In Tehran, "regime change" has taken place, according to the U.S. president, who highlighted the successive assassinations of the Islamic Republic's top leaders. "We are dealing with different people," he told reporters, describing them as "far more reasonable" than their predecessors.
Trump said he "sees a deal" with these new Iranian leaders, whom he did not name, "perhaps soon."
He stated that Iran, "out of respect," was about to authorize, for the next few days, the passage of 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's hydrocarbons normally transit, and whose blockade has caused prices to skyrocket.
Israeli projectile kills UNIFIL peacekeeper in south Lebanon
The U.N. announced Monday that an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed by a projectile of unknown origin in southern Lebanon.
"A peacekeeper was tragically killed last night [Sunday] when a projectile exploded at a UNIFIL position near Adsheet " in the Marjayoun district, a village around which the Israeli army has advanced in recent days, and "another was seriously wounded," the U.N. force said in a statement early Monday.
UNIFIL indicated that the origin of the projectile is unknown but that an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres subsequently "strongly condemned the incident on Sunday in which an Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeeper was killed during hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah," he wrote on Monday on X. "Another Indonesian peacekeeper was seriously wounded in the same incident," he added.
Jakarta announced on Monday that the victim was an Indonesian national and reported three wounded.
UNIFIL reported that its positions had been hit several times during the fighting. On March 7, three Ghanaian soldiers were wounded by Israeli gunfire in a border town in southern Lebanon.
Good morning. We are now launching our LIVE coverage of the Middle East war.
We are now starting our LIVE coverage of the Middle East war, specifically the escalation on the Lebanese front, where clashes continue to intensify between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in the South.
We will also report on developments across the rest of the Middle East, where airstrikes continue to be exchanged between Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv, continuing to impact the entire region.
➡️ For all the updates since Friday, check out our live coverage from yesterday here.
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