IOM chief calls prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon 'alarming’ | LIVE

Strikes on bridge in Karaj, Iran kill 8, injure 95

U.S.-Israeli strikes on the B1 bridge in Karaj, west of Tehran, have killed eight people and wounded 95 others, according to Iranian state media.

An initial toll reported two deaths from a first strike on the infrastructure, followed by a second strike that hit “as rescue teams were assisting victims,” state television said.

Drone crashes at key Iraq–Jordan border crossing

A drone crashed inside the main border crossing between Iraq and Jordan at Trebil, damaging customs offices, according to security sources cited by Reuters.

Strikes on Karaj bridge in Iran kill 8, wound 95

U.S.-Israeli strikes on the B1 bridge in Karaj, west of Tehran, have killed eight people and injured 95 others, according to Iranian state media.

An initial strike had reportedly killed two people, while a second hit occurred “as rescue teams were responding to the first attack,” state television said.

Israeli army continues evening shelling of Bint Jbeil district

The Israeli army continued shelling the Bint Jbeil district in the evening, striking Bourj Qalawieh, Jmeijmeh, Hanine, Kounine, Tiri, and the town of Bint Jbeil, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli tank in Qantara with kamikaze drone

Hezbollah said it successfully struck an Israeli army tank in Qantara (Marjayoun) on Thursday afternoon using a kamikaze drone.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim strike on Oracle data center in Dubai

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted a data center belonging to U.S. tech giant Oracle in Dubai, according to state media cited by Reuters.

Araghchi: Striking civilian infrastructure won’t force Iran to surrender

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that “targeting civilian infrastructure, including unfinished bridges, will not force Iranians to capitulate,” adding that “every bridge and every building will be rebuilt, stronger,” according to Reuters.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the destruction of a bridge in Iran and urged Tehran to strike a deal “before it’s too late,” without specifying the terms.

Houthis claim fourth attack on Israel

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they have carried out a fourth attack against Israel.

Israeli strike on Bint Jbeil, artillery fire on outskirts

Israeli warplanes struck Bint Jbeil, while artillery shelled the outskirts of the town and nearby areas around Ainata, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israeli military carries out powerful explosion near Aita al-Shaab

The Israeli army conducted a powerful explosion near the border village of Aita al-Shaab in Bint Jbeil, according to local reports.

Israel had announced last week its intention to clear villages along the southern Lebanon border.

Meanwhile, artillery strikes targeted the Qleileh plain in the Tyre district.

Hezbollah claims new attacks on Israeli forces in Ainata and Shamaa

Hezbollah said it carried out three new attacks on Israeli soldiers in Ainata, near Bint Jbeil, a key target in Israel’s central border offensive. One of the strikes reportedly targeted a D9 bulldozer.

The group also claimed an attack on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Shamaa, about 10 km south of the city of Sour in the western sector.

In northern Israel, Hezbollah said it targeted Kiryat Shmona, Karmiel, the Amiad base, and Khirbet Maar, near the Lebanese border village of Boustane in the Sour district.

IOM warns of prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon as southern villagers request protection

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned Thursday that the prospect of prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon is “deeply alarming.” Director General Amy Pope told AFP that the scale of current destruction and ongoing threats could force long-term population movements, noting that even if the war ends tomorrow, rebuilding will be necessary.

Meanwhile, residents of 15 villages in southern Lebanon — including several Christian towns such as Rmeish, Ain Ebel, Dibil, and Qlayaa — sent a letter to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam requesting protection and humanitarian corridors to deliver food, medicine, fuel, and other essentials.

“We have chosen to remain in our communities,” the letter states, asking for deployment of Interior Security Forces and army personnel to ensure safety. The mayor of Rmeich said Salam had “given serious attention to the requests and will do his best to address them.”

40 countries call for immediate reopening of Strait of Hormuz

Over 40 countries have called for the “immediate and unconditional reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz, warning of possible new sanctions on Iran, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced Thursday during a virtual meeting she chaired.

“Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage through the Strait of Hormuz. It must not succeed. To this end, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the strait and respect for the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and the law of the sea,” Cooper said in a statement.

The countries agreed “to explore coordinated economic and political measures, such as sanctions, to pressure Iran if the strait remains closed,” she added.

Trump warns Iran: ‘It is time to make a deal before it’s too late’

U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his threats against Iran on Wednesday and Thursday, vowing “extremely hard” strikes over the next two to three weeks and warning that Tehran could face attacks on its energy and oil infrastructure if it does not comply with Washington’s terms.

Trump called on countries reliant on fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to “just grab it” while posting footage on Truth Social of what appeared to be strikes on an Iranian bridge. He said operations would continue with no set timeline for ending hostilities, prompting threats of retaliation from Tehran.

Iran responded with warnings of “more crushing, broader and more destructive” attacks. The Revolutionary Guards claimed to have targeted U.S.-linked steel and aluminum facilities in Gulf states and listed bridges in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Jordan as potential targets. Iran also said it sustained damage to industrial and medical facilities, including steel plants and the Pasteur Institute of Iran, during airstrikes.

The escalating conflict has already sent oil prices higher, rattled markets, and caused concern over regional energy security. Sirens and missile interceptors were reported in Jerusalem after a missile launch from Yemen toward Israel, claimed by Iran-aligned Houthis, showing the widening regional impact.

Iraq: Drone attack targets US logistics center in Baghdad, security sources say

On Thursday, a drone attack struck the U.S. diplomatic and logistics center within Baghdad International Airport, according to two Iraqi security sources.

“Two drones targeted the logistics support center, causing a fire but no injuries,” one source said, adding that one of the drones was shot down “behind the airport.” A second source confirmed the attack.

The airport complex also houses an Iraqi military base alongside the U.S. facility.

Israel says it killed senior Iranian military official

The Israeli army announced that it has killed Jamshid Eshaqi, commander of the Iranian regime’s “Oil HQ,” who was reportedly responsible for financing activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and overseeing ballistic missile production.

According to the statement, Eshaqi also coordinated funding for “Iranian terrorist proxies across the Middle East.”

600 tons of European aid arrive in Beirut for displaced populations

A shipment of 600 tons of humanitarian aid, transported from Turkey aboard the CMA CGM BARRACUDA, arrived Thursday at the port of Beirut in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP).

According to the CMA CGM Foundation, the aid is part of the "Containers of Hope" initiative and supports international efforts for displaced populations.

“This initiative is part of the ongoing emergency response led by the WFP, expanding food assistance for families affected by crises,” the foundation said. The shipment was made possible with support from European humanitarian aid, helping Lebanon’s preparedness and response efforts.

Since 2012, CMA CGM has delivered 120,000 tons of humanitarian aid to 106 countries free of charge through "Containers of Hope." This latest delivery follows two previous operations: 60 tons of emergency aid from France and 1,000 tons from Egypt by sea.

UN concerned about a prolonged conflict between Israel and Hezbollah

The U.N.'s head of humanitarian operations, Tom Fletcher, said Thursday he fears a long-lasting conflict in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

"A rather depressing feeling I had – and I think it is shared by many people in Lebanon – is a sense of despair, dejection and anxiety," Tom Fletcher said by video from Syria after a brief stay in Lebanon.

"There is a feeling that this could become a prolonged conflict, and even if a moment is reached when the United States, Israel and Iran declare some form of victory, it will not necessarily end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah," he continued.

Fletcher also reiterated that there is a "very real risk" of "new territory being occupied in southern Lebanon."

He also expressed his "serious concern about the country's national cohesion," mentioning "the need for all Lebanese actors to come together at this moment of deep fragility, as entire populations are on the move."

Lebanon was drawn into the war between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other after a March 2 Hezbollah attack on Israel, in retaliation for the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed on the conflict's first day.

The death toll from a month of Israeli strikes in the country now exceeds 1,300 according to the government, while growing concerns are being raised around the world about Israeli plans aimed at controlling part of southern Lebanon.

UN chief warns world on 'edge of a wider war' 

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that the Middle East conflict risked spiraling into a wider war, as he called for an immediate halt to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on its neighbors.

"We are on the edge of a wider war that would engulf the Middle East with dramatic impacts around the globe," the secretary-general told reporters in New York.

Death toll: Over 1,345 killed in Lebanon since March 2, announces Health Ministry

Exactly one month after the start of the war, Health Ministry reported that at least 1,345 people have been killed in the country during this period, and more than 4,040 others have been injured.

The ministry also noted that in the past 24 hours, 27 people were killed and 105 others wounded.

Hezbollah claims new attacks on Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah has claimed three new attacks carried out during the day against Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Ainata (Bint Jbeil), targeting the Friz and Ghadmetha hills.

The group also said it struck “significant concentrations of Israeli army vehicles” on the Shmeissat heights in Taybeh, as well as soldiers and vehicles near the town square of Qantara, both in the Marjayoun district.

Additionally, Hezbollah claimed further fire toward northern Israel, hitting gatherings of soldiers in Avivim and Malkia and targeting Naharia.

Houthis say Hezbollah was right to resume war with Israel

Yemen’s Houthis have defended Hezbollah’s decision to resume fighting Israel on March 2, criticizing those in Lebanon who blame the group despite what they see as clear Israeli aggression toward the country, according to a statement summarizing remarks by leader Abdel Malek al-Houthi.

“Despite the clear Israeli aggression against Lebanon, some blame Hezbollah, hold it responsible, and seek to provoke it,” he said. He added that Hezbollah’s decision to reopen the front against Israel was “legitimate, thoughtful, and wise, benefiting from Iran’s significant military support.”

Iran claims drone strike on US fighter jets in Jordan

The Iranian armed forces said they targeted U.S. fighter jets with drones at the Al‑Azraq air base in Jordan as part of the regional escalation, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, cited by Reuters.

Israeli army continues shelling Bint Jbeil district

The Israeli army continued shelling the Bint Jbeil district late Thursday afternoon, hitting Bourj Qalawieh, Jmeijmeh, and the town of Bint Jbeil itself with two missiles, as it attempts to advance after several days of operations, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Earlier strikes on Aita al-Jabal in the same district also hit the village mosque.

In Marjayoun, Taybeh was targeted, destroying the home of the municipality president’s father. Two powerful explosions were also reported in Naqoura (Sour) and Khiam (Marjayoun).

Iran threatens Gulf targets

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that several bridges and infrastructures in Gulf countries — including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Jordan — could be potential targets for Iranian military operations, according to Fars News Agency, cited by Reuters.

Earlier, U.S.-Israeli strikes reportedly hit a bridge near Tehran, state television reported.

Argentina expels Iranian chargé d’affaires

Argentina has declared Iranian chargé d’affaires and adviser Mohsen Soltani Tehrani persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced Thursday.

The measure follows a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry containing “false, offensive, and unfounded accusations” against Argentina and its authorities, the ministry said in a statement. Two days earlier, Argentina had designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “terrorist organization.”

Journalists killed in Lebanon: UN experts call for an international investigation

U.N. experts on Thursday called for an international investigation into the killing of three Lebanese journalists in an Israeli strike, stating that Israel had not provided “credible evidence” of their alleged links to armed groups.

Fatima Ftouni, a journalist for the pro-Hezbollah channel Al-Mayadeen, her brother, cameraman Mohammed Ftouni, and Ali Choueib, a correspondent for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV, were killed on March 28 when a strike targeted their car in the Jezzine area in southern Lebanon.

“We strongly condemn what is becoming a dangerous and recurring practice by Israel of targeting and killing journalists, and then alleging — without providing credible evidence — their links to armed groups,” the experts said in a statement.

The Israeli army had described Choueib as a member of the al-Radwan force, Hezbollah’s elite unit, operating “under the cover of journalism.”

According to the experts, Israel presented as its only evidence a photo of the journalist that had been altered using Photoshop, which they said demonstrates its “disregard for international law.”

UNIFIL fears being targeted after Israeli army plants flag in Kfar Kila near one of its bases

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed concern about being targeted after Israeli army soldiers planted an Israeli flag in Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), near one of its bases.

UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told L’Orient-Le Jour that the flag was raised on March 30 and remains in place despite requests from the U.N. force.

“We have asked [the Israeli army] to remove the flag … Beyond its illegal nature, this flag undermines the perception of UNIFIL’s impartiality and risks exposing peacekeepers to gunfire in the context of the ongoing violence,” she warned.

“We remind all parties of their obligation to refrain from any action that could endanger peacekeepers,” she concluded.

Series of Israeli strikes on villages in Bint Jbeil district; Hezbollah attacks Israeli soldiers in Bayada

Numerous Israeli strikes have targeted villages in the Bint Jbeil district in recent hours, including: Sultanirh, Aita al-Jabal, Khirbet Selm, Tebnin, Kfar Dounin, and Deir Antar.

Artillery shelling also hit Aïta el-Jabal, Haris, Hadatha, Tebnine, Baraasheet, and Beit Yahoun, according to our correspondent in the South.

Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli soldiers “inside a house in Bayada,” south of Sour, using a suicide drone. Israeli forces have controlled this coastal locality for several days and continue to face regular attacks from the group.

Hezbollah also reported targeting “a military installation” in the Krayot area, in the suburbs of Haifa.

Earlier, the Israeli army said it had identified at least five rockets fired toward the area. Additional targets included Israeli soldiers at the Rosh Hanikra site (on Israel’s northern coast) and the village of Shlomi.

Israeli army says it has 'neutralized another Hezbollah operative'

The Israeli army stated in a message on X from its Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, that it had “neutralized a Hezbollah operative during a direct confrontation” in southern Lebanon.

It added that military equipment and weapons were found in the area. According to the army, two soldiers from the Nahal Brigade — active in the central sector of the border — were wounded.

Katz: Hezbollah will pay a 'very heavy price' for 'intensified' rocket fire during Passover

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem after dozens of rockets were fired at northern Israel since the start of Passover on Wednesday evening.

“I have a clear message for Naim Qassem: you and your associates will pay a very heavy price for the escalation of fire targeting Israeli civilians while they were sitting down to celebrate the Seder,” Katz said following a security assessment with military officials. The Seder is the meal marking the start of Passover, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt in the Hebrew Bible.

Katz added that Naim Qassem “will not live to see” Israel’s retaliation, “because you will be plunged into the depths of hell alongside Hassan Nasrallah, Ali Khamenei and Yahya Sinwar,” referring respectively to Hezbollah’s former leader killed on Sept. 27, 2024, Iran’s Supreme Leader killed on Feb. 28, 2026, and the former Hamas military chief killed on Oct. 16, 2024.

Hezbollah has claimed 16 attacks on northern Israel since midnight. On Wednesday, it said it carried out dozens of similar strikes, while the Israeli army reported that at least 50 rockets targeted the north.

5 rockets fired by Hezbollah toward outskirts of Haifa; no injuries, according to the Israeli army

A salvo of around five rockets was fired by Hezbollah toward the Krayot area, in the suburbs of Haifa, the Israeli army said, adding that no injuries were reported.

The group has not yet claimed the launch. According to the Israeli army, the rockets were either intercepted or fell in open areas.

Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli tanks and vehicles in Khiam, Rshaf and Beit Lif

Hezbollah has claimed attacks on Israeli army positions in southern Lebanon, including a “guided missile strike against a Merkava tank east of the Khiam detention center” in the eastern sector, and rocket fire targeting soldiers and vehicles in Rshaf and Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil district in the central sector.

In the same area, the Israeli army carried out an airstrike on Braasheet.

The Shiite group also claimed a rocket attack on Israeli military sites in Kfar Giladi and al-Marj in northern Israel.

Israel says Lebanese Army 'failed' to disarm Hezbollah in the South

The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson, published a series of photos showing weapons, Hezbollah flags and a tunnel entrance whose location was not specified, accusing the Lebanese Army of having “failed” to disarm the Shiite party-militia during the 15-month cease-fire.

The Lebanese state had previously said, before the resumption of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, that areas south of the Litani had been almost completely cleared of Hezbollah weapons and fighters.

A strike hits a bridge linking Tehran and Karaj, according to Fars News

The Fars News Agency, cited by Reuters, reported that a strike hit Bridge B1 on the highway connecting the Iranian capital to the city of Karaj, located 30 km west of Tehran.

Iran claims strikes on steel sites linked to the US in the Gulf

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted steel and aluminum facilities linked to the United States in Gulf countries, according to Iranian state media cited by Reuters.

They said the strikes were a warning, adding that if Iranian industries are hit again, the “next response will be more painful,” the state news agency reported.

Hezbollah says it forced Israeli helicopter to retreat, reports fighting in Taybeh and Qouzah

Hezbollah said in a statement that it forced an Israeli army helicopter to “retreat” after firing a surface-to-air missile at it over Ramieh, a Lebanese village in the central sector of the border area.

The group also said it fired a “guided missile” at Israeli soldiers positioned in Qouzah, a nearby village. According to the statement, troops who “fled were then targeted with rockets and artillery shells.”

In the eastern sector, it said its fighters fired rockets at Israeli soldiers and vehicles at the Fatima Gate, on the border between Kfar Kila on the Lebanese side and Metula on the Israeli side. It also claimed attacks on soldiers in Taybeh, in the Marjayoun district, including two separate guided-missile strikes on troops inside houses in the village.

The group further announced rocket attacks on northern Israel, including Metula, Misgav Am, the Northern Command headquarters at the Dado base north of Safed, and Beit Hillel.

Israeli army says it killed 'more than 40' Hezbollah fighters over the past 24 hours

The Israeli army said, via its Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, that it killed more than 40 fighters and targeted dozens of Hezbollah infrastructures over the past 24 hours.

According to the statement issued by Col. Adraee, Israeli aircraft struck “dozens of command posts, weapons depots, launch sites and anti-tank missile positions” belonging to Hezbollah. The Israeli navy also carried out a “precise” strike on a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon, without specifying the location.

The same statement said the army’s 91st Division had “neutralized” a Hezbollah cell. The 36th Division said it had killed around ten fighters, including three traveling on motorcycles, and destroyed dozens of infrastructures linked to the group over the past 24 hours. The 146th Division, for its part, said it had destroyed more than 180 infrastructures, including anti-tank missile launch positions, observation posts, underground sites and weapons depots. Finally, the 401st and Nahal brigades said they had seized large quantities of weapons, including anti-tank missiles, Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition and grenades.

2 people lightly injured in northern Israel after Hezbollah fires 'more than 50 rockets'

After Hezbollah claimed several rocket and suicide drone attacks on localities in northern Israel along the border, the Israeli army said that “more than 50” rockets had been fired from Lebanon. One of them struck Kiryat Shmona, lightly injuring two people.

Macron says military operation to 'free' Strait of Hormuz would be 'unrealistic'

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has just arrived in South Korea for a two-day official visit, said that a military operation to “free” the Strait of Hormuz would be “unrealistic,” AFP reports. He added that U.S. President Donald Trump is undermining NATO by casting doubt on the United States’ commitment.

On Wednesday, Trump once again criticized the transatlantic alliance, which has refused to engage in the war against Iran, telling the Daily Telegraph he was seriously considering withdrawing the United States from it.

South Lebanon: 3 killed in Kfar Sir (Nabatieh), power cut in southern areas after strikes on Debbine

Israeli aircraft carried out a series of strikes on Khiam, Debbine and Blat (Marjayoun district), as well as Dallafa (Hasbaya district) and Mansouri (Sour district), injuring several people, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.

Electricity was cut in the Hasbaya, Shebaa, Marjayoun and Arkoub areas after the bombardment of Debbine.

A drone strike also targeted Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh district), causing injuries.

Artillery fire also hit Kafra (Bint Jbeil district), as well as Byout al-Sayyad and Majdal Zoun (Sour district). An Israeli strike at dawn on Harouf (Nabatieh district) killed one person, Ibrahim Ayoub, while an earlier strike on Kfar Sir (Nabatieh) killed three people.

Mapping the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon

Iran has not resumed nuclear enrichment, says its envoy to the IAEA, calling it 'a big lie'

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, said the country has not restarted nuclear enrichment following Israeli and U.S. strikes in June 2025 on some of its nuclear facilities, in an interview with Agence France-Presse.

“We have not resumed enrichment, and it was a lie, a very big lie, like the other lies,” Najafi said, responding to U.S. accusations that contributed to the current conflict in the Middle East.

Hezbollah claims series of attacks on northern Israel

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility over the past few hours for a series of rocket and suicide drone strikes carried out between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. against villages and military positions in northern Israel. It said it targeted Even Menachem, Yir’on, Malkiya, Metula, soldiers stationed in Avivim, and, on two separate occasions, Kiryat Shmona.

Iran: Strikes heavily damage Tehran’s Pasteur Institute

Strikes in Tehran have hit Iran’s Pasteur Institute, causing significant damage to the key health facility in the capital, the Health Ministry said.

“The aggression against Iran’s Pasteur Institute, a century-old pillar of global health and a member of the International Pasteur Network, constitutes a direct attack on international health security,” Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said in a post on X. He also shared images of the site showing significant damage, with parts of the building reduced to rubble.

Drone in the Batroun highlands: 'The incident occurred far from residential areas,' says local official

L’Orient Today contacted Assia's mukhtar, Abdallah Bassil, who said it was the first incident of this kind in the area, noting that the drone’s origin remains unknown. “We heard the noise and the incident occurred far from residential areas,” he said, adding that the situation had since “returned to normal.”

According to our correspondent in the North, debris from the device was found scattered over a wide area.

Picture of the unidentified drone that crashed in the vicinity of Assia, northern Lebanon

Credit: Photo provided to L'Orient Today's correspondent

North Lebanon: Unidentified drone crashes in Assia, in the Batroun highlands, with no casualties

A drone of unknown origin crashed into an open area away from residential zones near Assia, in the Batroun highlands in northern Lebanon, without causing any injuries, according to our correspondent in the region.

A loud explosion was heard in the area, while plumes of smoke were seen rising from wooded areas between Assia and Nahla, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Army intelligence patrols, security forces, and municipal police were immediately deployed to the site. A security perimeter was set up around the crash site, while authorities opened an investigation to determine the circumstances.

US embassy in Baghdad warns of possible attacks within the next 48 hours

The U.S. embassy in Baghdad warned in a statement posted on X that Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups could carry out attacks in the city over the next two days.

“Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours,” the embassy says in a statement on X, again urging Americans in the country to leave immediately.

Southern Lebanon: 3 killed in strike on Zibdin, heavy artillery fire on Khiam

This morning, Israeli artillery shelling repeatedly targeted the Jallahieh and Jabali districts in northern Khiam (Marjayoun), while artillery fire also hit Siddiqine, Jabal al-Botom and Zibqine (Sour), according to our correspondent.

Israeli aircraft also carried out strikes on Kafra, Yater, Jabal al-Botom and Tayr Harma (Bint Jbeil). An airstrike also targeted Kfar Sir (Nabatieh), where ambulances were dispatched.

At dawn, around 4 a.m., a strike targeted Zibdin (Nabatieh) killing three people — a woman and her two children — as clearance operations are ongoing.

Night clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Khiam

During the night, one month after Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war, the Israeli army continued its bombardment of southern Lebanon, striking Khiam and its surrounding areas, including the Debbine sector (Marjayoun), Sammaaiyeh (Sour), Braasheet, Tibnin, Beit Yahoun and Kafra (Bint Jbeil), as well as Harouf and Zibdin, while artillery shelling also targeted Arnoun and Yohmor (Nabatieh), according to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah. Illumination flares were also fired over Shebaa (Hasbaya), toward Birket al-Naqqar, while heavy clashes were heard after midnight in the Khiam area.

According to our correspondent, Israeli airstrikes hit 33 localities in southern Lebanon over a 24 hour period on Wednesday, while drone strikes targeted seven villages and 28 localities were subjected to intense artillery shelling. The Israeli army also carried out the destruction of homes and neighborhoods in three localities.

Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli soldiers in Rshaf, Qantara and Ainata, in Lebanese territory

As the Israeli army continues its invasion of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah said it targeted gatherings of soldiers and military vehicles overnight in Rshaf (Bint Jbeil district), on the heights of Qantara (Marjayoun district), and in Ainata, including Friz hill and the Sadr area (Bint Jbeil district).

The group also claimed rocket fire into northern Israel, targeting the sites of Malkiya, north of Safed, and Metula, as well as Israeli army infrastructure in the Kiryat Ata area, east of Haifa. It also said it struck the settlement of Even Menachem with drones, as well as Israeli troop gatherings in Yir’on. Sirens sounded in these areas, the Israeli Home Front Command said, without reporting any casualties or damage.

Iran vows 'devastating' attacks against the US and Israel after Trump’s threats

In response, the Iranian military on Thursday morning vowed “devastating” attacks against the United States and Israel.

“With trust in Almighty God, this war will continue until your humiliation, your disgrace, your ultimate regret and your surrender,” said the operational commander of Khatam al-Anbiya in a statement broadcast by state television. “Expect even more devastating, broader and more destructive actions.”

Trump vows to strike Iran 'extremely hard' for another 2 to 3 weeks

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a televised address on Wednesday evening that the U.S. military had nearly achieved its objectives in Iran, without providing a clear timeline to end the war, now in its fifth week, while also promising to “bring the country back to the Stone Age.”

Facing war fatigue in the United States, declining approval ratings, and pressure from some allies to clarify his goals, Trump said U.S. forces had destroyed Iran’s navy and air force and severely weakened its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. "Our armed forces have achieved rapid and decisive victories on the battlefield over the past four weeks," said Trump.

He did not outline a concrete exit strategy, saying only that the U.S. would finish the job “very quickly.” “We have all the cards,” he said from the White House. “They have none.”

➡️ Read the details of Donald Trump’s speech here.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the war in the Middle East, specifically the escalation on the Lebanese front, where fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli army has resumed in Khiam, a border town in the eastern sector, while Israeli strikes continue in the south.

We will also bring you developments from across the wider Middle East, after Donald Trump threatened in a speech to strike Iran “very hard” for another “two to three weeks,” which Iran quickly responded to.

➡️ To catch up on Wednesday's news, read yesterday's live coverage here and read our Morning Brief here.