357 killed in Wednesday’s Israeli strikes on Lebanon, authorities say; 'at least 180 Hezbollah members killed' that day, Israeli army says | LIVE

Hezbollah condemns Nabatieh strike and criticizes authorities

Hezbollah condemned the Israeli strike on the government serail in Nabatieh, describing it as a “major massacre in continuation of the Black Wednesday massacre,” which killed 13 members of State Security.

“This blatant and serious aggression targets an official and sovereign security institution. It confirms that the enemy continues to violate the sovereignty of all Lebanon — state, people and institutions — in an attempt to inflict the greatest possible losses and destruction in order to break the will of the resisting people and mask its major failure on the ground,” the group said in a statement.

Hezbollah said the attack “places the Lebanese state before major responsibilities from which it cannot evade,” accusing it of “rushing to seek direct negotiations with the enemy under fire, abandoning gains achieved by fighters on the ground, and leaving real sovereignty at the mercy of enemy missiles, aircraft and crimes.”

The group also called on authorities to “recognize the seriousness of the path of concessions in the face of an enemy that understands only force” and to “return to its natural position alongside its people and resistance.”

It extended its condolences to the families of the victims.

Video of Lebanese soldier chanting 'Labayka ya Nasrallah': military source clarifies

A video showing a man presented as a Lebanese army soldier chanting “Labayka ya Nasrallah” has been circulating on social media for the past several hours.

Contacted by L’Orient-Le Jour, a military source said the footage is old and was shared by a relative of the man after his death, which occurred today following an Israeli strike in Jibsheet.

The same source added that the man had been discharged from the Lebanese Army around four months ago.

Iran says delegation led by Qalibaf arrives in Islamabad for talks with US, Reuters reports

An Iranian negotiating delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf arrived in Islamabad on Friday for peace talks with the United States, Iranian media reported on Friday, adding that negotiations would begin if Washington accepted Tehran's "preconditions."

The delegation includes senior political, military and economic officials, including Iranian foreign minister, defense council secretary, central bank governor and several members of parliament.

Beirut to secure damaged buildings after Israeli strikes

The Beirut municipality’s Disaster and Crisis Management Cell said that it would carry out works to remove unstable structural elements, including metal debris at risk of collapsing, from buildings damaged in Israeli strikes on April 8.

The decision comes after a visit by the Interior Minister, who ordered urgent measures to prevent any risk to public safety.

Municipal teams, in coordination with the relevant authorities, will carry out the works in accordance with safety standards.

German president condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon during a phone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

He also offered condolences on behalf of Germany for the victims of the strikes.

Steinmeier expressed Germany’s solidarity with Lebanon and its people during this difficult period, and said Berlin is ready to help support de-escalation and ease the suffering of the Lebanese population.

Aoun receives French ambassador, who condemns Wednesday Israeli attacks

The Lebanese presidency said on X that President Joseph Aoun received French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro at the Baabda Palace late in the morning.

Following the meeting, the ambassador said he conveyed his condolences to the president for the victims of Israeli attacks, particularly those that targeted residential areas in Beirut and its suburbs, as well as in Mount Lebanon, the Bekaa and the South on Wednesday.

He also reiterated France’s condemnation of the escalation, the presidency added.

Hezbollah continues attacks in Israel and Lebanon

Hezbollah said it carried out rocket barrages and kamikaze drone attacks on the Chraga base (administrative headquarters of the Golani Brigade) north of the city of Acre in Israel around 6 p.m.

The group also said it launched rocket salvos at 7:30 p.m. targeting the kibbutz of Yir'on in the Upper Galilee, as well as further barrages against the city of Kiryat Shmona and the coastal city of Nahariya at around 8:10 p.m.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah said it carried out a third rocket attack at 7:30 p.m. in the city of Bint Jbeil, targeting Israeli soldiers and vehicles positioned around al-Ishraq School.

Five killed, three wounded in strikes on Hezbollah rescue services in south Lebanon, correspondent says

Five people were killed and three others wounded in Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah-affiliated rescue services in south Lebanon on Friday evening, according to our correspondent in the south.

Around 7 p.m., an Israeli airstrike hit a Hezbollah ambulance on the main road between Adsheet and Qseibeh, killing two people and wounding two others.

At around 9 p.m., another air strike targeted a Hezbollah rescue center in Deir Kifa, killing three people and wounding one.

Additional airstrikes hit Srifa, Odaisseh, and the triangle area between Khiam, Ibl al-Saqi and Marjayoun, while artillery shelled Khiam, where clashes with Hezbollah are ongoing.

US-Iran talks in Islamabad are a 'make or break' for a permanent cease-fire, Pakistan PM says

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said late on Friday that talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, set to begin on Saturday, are a decisive moment for reaching a permanent cease-fire in the Middle East conflict that has lasted several weeks, AFP reports.

In a separate set of measures announced during his address, the government also cut diesel prices to 385 rupees ($1.38) per liter and petrol to 366 rupees per liter. ($1 = 278.7500 Pakistani rupees)

'At least 180 Hezbollah members were eliminated Wednesday,' Israeli army says

The Israeli army said that “in one minute,” at least “180 Hezbollah operatives were eliminated in three simultaneous areas” during what it described as its largest strike across Lebanon on Wednesday. “The count is still ongoing,” the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, wrote on X, calling the strikes “a severe and deep blow to Hezbollah’s operational and command capabilities.”

According to the statement, “two days ago [Wednesday], the army carried out a large-scale strike targeting headquarters and military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in three simultaneous areas: Beirut, the Bekaa and southern Lebanon.” It added that around 100 targets were struck in parallel, including more than 45 central Hezbollah headquarters, about 40 military buildings used by commanders to implement “terrorist” plans, as well as other infrastructure belonging to senior members of the group.

“In Beirut, the army targeted around 35 military infrastructures, including an emergency headquarters of the intelligence unit, a headquarters of the Radwan Force unit and a headquarters of the missile unit,” the statement continued.

“In southern Lebanon, around 40 additional infrastructures were targeted, including weapons depots, while in the Bekaa, headquarters of the Radwan Force and the intelligence unit, along with other infrastructure, were also struck,” it added, claiming that “Hezbollah members operated from these headquarters to plan and carry out attacks against IDF forces and Israeli civilians recently, particularly during the ongoing battle.”

Lebanon: 357 killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday

The Israeli strikes carried out simultaneously across Lebanon on Wednesday killed 357 people, the Health Ministry said on Friday, bringing the toll to 1,953 killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2.

The updated toll stands at “357 martyrs and 1,223 wounded,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the figure remains provisional as search operations in the rubble and victim identification efforts continue.

How the Qasmieh bridge reopened to traffic

Although the Lebanese army announced on Thursday that a specialized unit had fully reopened the Qasmieh bridge after it was targeted in an Israeli strike on April 8, a source within the institution told L’Orient Today a different sequence of events.

According to the source, the Israeli strike actually hit a nearby metal bridge installed by the army after the 2006 war. During the strike, the metal structure was thrown onto the main Qasmieh bridge, blocking vehicle traffic.

Specialized teams later restored circulation by moving the metal bridge off the roadway.

The Qasmieh bridge connects the coastal cities of Saida and Sour in southern Lebanon.

Trump says Iran has 'no cards' beyond Hormuz control

Donald Trump said Iran has “no cards to play” in negotiations except control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route that has been largely disrupted by Tehran for weeks, AFP reports.

“The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!" the president wrote on his social network Truth Social ahead of peace talks opening in Pakistan.

Hector Hajjar supports displaced residents in Jezzine and Zahrani districts in south Lebanon

Former Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar carried out a two-day tour of around 20 villages in the Jezzine and Zahrani districts in southern Lebanon to assess living conditions of residents and displaced families and provide assistance amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hajjar, representing the humanitarian association “Sahra’ Khasba” (Fertile Desert), was accompanied by a delegation from the French NGO SOS Chrétiens d’Orient, including its Lebanon mission chief Thibault Wallet and programs director Karen Achkouti, according to the National News Agency (NNA).

Food parcels were distributed. The delegation also visited projects implemented by the two organizations in coordination with local authorities, including a mobile clinic operating in the Jezzine district with Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, as well as a project to set up accommodation rooms for displaced families with newborns at the “Maison Mariale” in Majdel. The initiatives aim to support family resilience and stability under current conditions.

Three doctors killed in Israeli strikes, Beirut Order of Physicians says

The Beirut Order of Physicians announced the deaths of three of its members in recent Israeli strikes, without specifying when they were killed.

The victims are Hicham Ismaïl, Nabil Chamseddine and Israa Ismaïl.

The Order paid tribute to the victims and called for doctors, nurses and emergency responders to be spared in times of conflict.

Trump threatens new strikes on Iran if negotiations fail

Donald Trump said in an interview with the New York Post that the U.S. military is preparing to carry out new strikes on Iran if talks opening in Pakistan fail to produce an agreement.

“We have a reset going. We're loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made — even better than what we did previously and we blew them apart,” the president was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“And if we don’t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively,” he warned.

Trump earlier on Friday posted a cryptic message on his social network Truth Social announcing “WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL RESET!!!”

His vice president, JD Vance, flew to Islamabad on Friday to lead the U.S. delegation set to negotiate peace with Iran.

'Relentless wave of killings' in Gaza, says UN human rights chief

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Friday condemned the killings of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, six months after the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came into force.

“The relentless wave of killings reflects a persistent disregard for the lives of Palestinians, enabled by widespread impunity,” Türk said in a statement.

Israeli base and barracks targeted by Hezbollah

Hezbollah struck the Israeli barracks in Kiryat Shmona and the Beit Hillel base twice at 6:15 p.m. using kamikaze drones.

At 7 p.m., the group also targeted Israeli soldiers on al-Ouayda hill in the Lebanese locality of Odaisseh with drone attacks.

Separately, an Israeli drone strike at 6:30 p.m. hit the road leading to Semmaqiyeh, causing injuries, our correspondent reports.

Home of former Higher Shiite Council president destroyed in Ansarieh

The home of the former president of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, Abdel Amir Qabalan, was destroyed in an earlier strike on Ansarieh.

Separately, the Israeli air force carried out two strikes on Mahmoudiyeh.

Hezbollah claims 2 strikes on Israeli soldiers near school in Bint Jbeil

Hezbollah said it carried out two rocket barrages at 4:40 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. targeting Israeli soldiers and military vehicles near Al-Ishraq School in the city of Bint Jbeil.

Health Ministry calls on families of missing persons to come forward after April 8 strikes

The Health Ministry issued a statement addressed to families of missing persons in Beirut and Mount Lebanon following the wave of strikes carried out by Israel on Wednesday, April 8.

It urged affected families to go to the emergency health consultations office set up by the ministry at Rafic Hariri University Hospital, daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., starting next Saturday, to submit requests in order to follow up on cases and clarify the fate of missing persons.

Hezbollah strikes 2 Israeli localities

Hezbollah attacked the Israeli localities of Shlomi and Liman at 6 p.m. with a rocket salvo.

13 State Security members killed in Nabatieh: Berri offers condolences

The Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, contacted the Directorate General of State Security to offer his condolences following the death of 13 of its members, killed in Israeli strikes that targeted the city of Nabatieh, NNA reports.

Hezbollah supporters demonstrate in Beirut against negotiations with Israel

Hundreds of supporters of Hezbollah and its allies, the Amal Movement and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, gathered this afternoon in Hamra and other districts of Beirut to protest the Lebanese authorities’ decision to engage in direct negotiations with Israel.

Some demonstrators carried flags of Hezbollah, Amal, the SSNP, and even Iran, while others held portraits of the former Hezbollah leader killed on Sept. 27, 2024 in an Israeli strike. The march was organized by Amal and Hezbollah, according to a protester who spoke on condition of anonymity, our journalist on site Tasnim Chaaban reports.

At first glance, according to our reporter, the initial crowd appeared to consist of a car convoy and around twenty motorcycles, each carrying two people — roughly a hundred individuals. Gradually, however, residents came out of their homes to join the group.

From one apartment, a person threw rice onto the procession. Further along, a resident gave the crowd a middle finger in a sign of disapproval. Insults quickly followed, along with slogans in support of the Shiite community (“Shiites, Shiites!”), sparking brief verbal altercations.

The man was quickly escorted away and the procession continued under the protection of the Lebanese Army.

Strike on house in Sour district

A strike on Bazourieh hit a house without causing any injuries, our correspondent reports. The family that owns the home had previously lost several members in an earlier strike in Kaifoun.

Separately, the Israeli army is carrying out mock air strikes over villages in Nabatieh and surrounding areas.

Thirteen State Security members killed in Israeli strike in Nabatieh

The Directorate General of State Security confirmed the death of 13 of its members in Israeli strikes that targeted the government serail building in Nabatieh.

“The Directorate General condemns these attacks that target both military personnel and civilians on Lebanese territory,” the statement added.

Amal movement announces one of its members killed in Bir Hassan

The Amal Movement confirmed that one of its members, Abdel Halim el Sheikh Mohsen Qabalan, was killed in an Israeli strike on Bir Hassan on Wednesday, April 8.

Qabalan was a member of Amal’s advisory council, according to the announcement. He previously served as director of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council and as a former head of Amal’s central services.

New Hezbollah attacks in south Lebanon and northern Israel

Hezbollah launched rocket salvos at 4:30 p.m. targeting the Israeli locality of Dovev for the second time today, followed by another attack at 5 p.m. on Nahariya.

At 4:30 p.m., the group also targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles stationed in the Friz and Ghedmatha hills in Ainata using rocket fire. At 4:55 p.m., it launched another salvo at troops and vehicles in the Mouthallas al-Tahrir area on the outskirts of Bint Jbeil.

Earlier at 3 p.m., Hezbollah said it targeted bulldozers destroying houses in Aita al-Shaab with rocket fire.

Two killed in Sohmor, in the Bekaa

In West Bekaa, a strike on Sohmor killed two people, according to our correspondent.

Israeli air force continues strikes in southern Lebanon

The Israeli air force carried out strikes on Bint Jbeil, where clashes have been ongoing since Thursday between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, as well as on the village of Kafra.

Khiam was also hit by air strikes and artillery fire, our correspondent in south Lebanon, reports. The locality of Bazourieh also came under fire, as missiles were launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel, according to our correspondent.

Shehabieh denied that a school was targeted by the Israeli army, contradicting Israeli claims. Local authorities said the site that was hit was a sports hall.

Israeli army reports around 30 projectiles launched from Lebanon, damage in northern Israel

Israeli army said around 30 projectiles were fired from Lebanon toward Israel today, causing material damage, AFP reports.

Alerts mainly covered northern Israel’s border regions with Lebanon, where fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah continues despite the truce in the war with Iran.

Israeli firefighters and rescue services reported a strike in Safed, where several vehicles were damaged or destroyed by a direct impact.

Other strikes in the Galilee targeted Bana and Deir al-Asad, where a building was hit and several people were treated for panic attacks, according to the same sources.

Nabatieh strike: 'This ordeal strengthens our determination to reach a cease-fire,' says Salam

Nawaf Salam has extended his condolences to the people of Nabatieh and to the Directorate General of State Security in a message posted on his X account.

“This painful ordeal strengthens our determination to reach, as quickly as possible, a cease-fire in order to protect Lebanon and our people in the South,” he said.

Nabatieh strike: Aoun offers condolences to State Security director-general

President Joseph Aoun has extended his condolences to the director-general of State Security, Gen. Edgar Lawandos, following the deaths of 12 State Security members in a strike in Nabatieh.

“These martyrs have joined their comrades in the army and other security institutions who preceded them in martyrdom, like hundreds of Lebanese who have watered the soil of the homeland with their pure blood,” the head of state said.

He also stated that “targeting state institutions and security agencies will not deter Lebanon from its commitment to protect its territory and preserve its sovereignty.”

Kuwait says Iranian attack targeted National Guard installations, causing injuries

The Kuwaiti army said an Iranian attack targeted several vital installations of the National Guard, injuring a number of personnel and causing significant material damage, Reuters reports.

⚡ Iran speaker demands Lebanon truce, release of assets 'before negotiations,' AFP reports

AFP has reported that Iran's parliament speaker on Friday set a cease-fire in Lebanon and the "release of Iran's blocked assets" as pre-conditions for negotiations with the United States.

"Two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran's blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote in a post on X in English.

"These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin."

Strait of Hormuz: European airports warn of possible jet fuel shortages within 3 weeks

The association of European airports has warned of a risk of a “systemic shortage” of jet fuel if maritime traffic is not restored in the Strait of Hormuz within the next three weeks, according to a letter seen by AFP on Friday.

In the letter addressed to the European Commission and revealed by the Financial Times, the airport lobby ACI Europe says a “systemic shortage of jet fuel will become a reality” in the European Union “if passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in a stable and significant manner within the next three weeks.”

The association, which represents around 600 airports in some 50 countries, is calling on Brussels to urgently monitor fuel availability and supply over the next six months, as jet fuel prices have surged amid the Middle East war and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

Six civilians still trapped in Mansouri despite evacuation attempts

Residents of Mansouri say six civilians remain trapped in the village, with evacuation attempts having so far failed.

According to our correspondent, the Lebanese army and the Red Cross attempted to reach them, but were unable to do so due to Israeli artillery fire and airstrikes targeting the area.

Israel continues strikes in south Lebanon, 2 killed in Nabatieh district

In the Nabatieh district, one person was killed and three others injured in a strike on Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr, our correspondent reports. A drone strike on Jibsheet also killed one person.

Israeli fighter jets also struck Breikeh and Yohmor al-Shaqif.

A drone hit Qasmieh, north of Sour, while another strike was reported on the outskirts of Deir Kifa.

Separately, several people injured in an earlier strike on a house in Khirbet Silm were transferred to hospital. Additional strikes were also reported in Shaqra and Burj Qalaway.

Seven killed in strike in Jbah

Seven people were killed and two others wounded after an Israeli strike on the village square of Jbah on Friday at midday, our correspondent reports.

Their names are: Akram Mohammad Harb, Abbass Jamil Raad, Hamza Jamil Raad, Ali Ghamlouch (Abou Amer), Ahmad Saleh (Abou Zainab), Abbass Souheil Wehbe, and Fady Haidar.

Hezbollah strikes northern Israel, empty school damaged

Hezbollah has claimed a series of attacks on northern Israel that caused material damage, according to Israeli media.

The group said it targeted Israeli artillery at 1:50 p.m. in Neot Mordechai using kamikaze drones. It also said it struck Israeli army infrastructure with rocket salvos at 2:50 p.m. in Karmiel and at 2 p.m. in Safed, while additional rocket fire targeted Misgav Am and Metula at 3 p.m.

These strikes damaged an empty school building in Deir al-Asad in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, according to Haaretz. Rescue services said no casualties were reported at the site. A fire was also extinguished in another Upper Galilee town after debris fell, the Israeli daily reported, with other media reporting an impact in Safed.

Hezbollah fires at Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of Bint Jbeil and in Taybeh, south Lebanon

Hezbollah also launched rocket salvos at 9:40 a.m. against Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of Bint Jbeil, where clashes have been ongoing since Thursday between Israeli forces attempting to seize the town, followed by additional rocket fire at 12:20 p.m. targeting Israeli troops in the nearby locality of Rashaf.

Hezbollah also said it attacked Israeli soldiers at 7 a.m. in the Lebanese town of Taybeh (Marjsyoun, eastern sector) using kamikaze drones.

Hezbollah claims multiple attacks on Israeli targets

Hezbollah has claimed a series of attacks on Israeli targets in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

The group said it targeted Israeli artillery at 1:50 p.m. in the locality of Neot Mordechai using kamikaze drones.

It also launched rocket salvos at 9:40 a.m. against Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of Bint Jbeil, followed by additional rocket fire at 12:20 p.m. targeting troops in Rashaf (Bint Jbeil district).

Hezbollah said it struck Israeli army infrastructure with rocket salvos at 2:50 p.m. in Karmiel and at 2 p.m. in Safed.

Further rocket fire targeted the Israeli localities of Misgav Am and Metula at 3 p.m.

The group also said it attacked Israeli soldiers at 7 a.m. in the Lebanese town of Taybeh (Marjayoun district) using kamikaze drones.

Israeli strikes on Nabatieh

Israel says it 'dismantled' more than 4,300 Hezbollah infrastructures since March 2

The Israeli army said it has “dismantled” more than 4,300 Hezbollah infrastructures in Lebanon since the start of the war on March 2.

Israeli troops have “dismantled … more than 4,300 terrorist infrastructures,” located more than 1,250 weapons — including long-range rockets, anti-tank missiles, RPG launchers, explosive devices and other military equipment — the army said in a statement.

It also claimed to have “eliminated” more than 1,400 Hezbollah fighters in strikes or ground operations in southern Lebanon.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 1,800 people, including 163 children, have been killed in the country since early March.

This week, “Ali Kamel Abdel Hassan, head of artillery in Hezbollah’s Nasser Unit, was eliminated,” said the Arabic-language spokesperson, Ella Waweya, on X.

Israeli strike on Nabatieh serail kills 19, including 11 security personnel

Nineteen people — including 11 members of Lebanon’s security forces and eight civilians — were killed and around 15 others wounded following intense Israeli strikes that targeted the Nabatieh serail, in a wave of heavy bombardment on the city and nearby villages, our correspondent in south Lebanon reported.

Two violent strikes, each carried out using multiple missiles, hit Nabatieh, destroying part of the serail. The building’s eastern facade was struck and several offices were destroyed. The damage affected offices housing Army Intelligence, State Security and the mokhtars.

The Internal Security Forces (ISF) were also impacted, along with the state telecom provider Ogero. Damage was also reported to residential buildings in the city and to the souk, which had already been destroyed in strikes in 2024.

Four other similar strikes were reported on the outskirts of the city: two targeted sites in Kfar Joz, near a complex used by the ISF, while the towns of Zibdin and Kfar Roummane were each hit by one strike. Eight civilians were killed in Kfar Roummane, Kfar Joz and Zibdin.

Vance expects 'fruitful talks' with Iran

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said he was looking forward to upcoming negotiations with Iran and expected the talks in Islamabad to be fruitful, Reuters reports.

Vance was speaking just before leaving Washington for Pakistan. He added that the U.S. president had given "clear directives" for the negotiations.

According to Qassem, simultaneous Israeli strikes on Wednesday were intended to 'mask Tel Aviv's impotence' on the ground

The Hezbollah leader also denounced "the bloody aggression on Wednesday in Beirut, the southern suburbs, the south of the country, the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon, and elsewhere, targeting civilians in densely populated neighborhoods, villages, and cities," which he claimed served to "mask Israel's impotence on the ground."

"But our Lebanese people are far stronger and more resilient than many believe. The displaced have set an example of pride and courage, and those who welcomed them have demonstrated the noblest forms of civic responsibility and humanity.

The resistance fighters on the front lines, for their part, form an impenetrable bulwark that has shattered the dreams and aspirations of the Zionists," he emphasized.

Israel 'failed to confront' Hezbollah on the ground, says Qassem

Naim Qassem praised his party’s military actions, stating that “the Israeli enemy failed to confront the brave heroes of the Hezbollah resistance on the battlefields.”

According to him, Israel “failed to launch the ground invasion it repeatedly announced.”

“Its soldiers and officers fell into ambushes set by the resistance fighters, and its vehicles were destroyed at the crossroads of towns and villages. It constantly changed its objectives: sometimes it aimed for the Litani River, sometimes for a limited advance, sometimes for control by fire, sometimes it relied on fire and destruction.”

Despite its aggression lasting over forty days, the enemy has failed to prevent rockets, missiles, and drones from reaching its settlements, near and far, as far as Haifa and beyond,” he added.

The Israeli army has taken control of and is systematically demolishing border villages in the south. On the coast, it has captured Bayyada and Shamaa, about eight kilometers from the border.

It has entered Bint Jbeil, where fighting is taking place against militants from the party-militia, and has also advanced on several settlements in the eastern sector, where it has reinforced its positions in recent weeks.

'Together, as a state, army, people, and resistance, we will protect our country,' declared Qassem

“Together, as a state, army, people, and resistance, we will protect our country, restore its sovereignty, and expel the occupier,” the leader of the militia party stated, referring to the famous three-pronged approach promoted for years by Hezbollah.

“Their threats and weapons will not intimidate us, for we are the rightful owners of this land. We have the faith, the will, and the ability to prevent them from achieving their goals,” he added.

He also praised “the eagerness of the young [fighters] to join the fight and their unwavering commitment, which are a beacon of hope and dignity.” “Their sacrifices only strengthen our resolve to liberate our homeland and restore our dignity,” he declared.

Qassem calls on Lebanese authorities to 'stop making unconditional concessions'

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem called on Lebanese authorities to “stop making unconditional concessions” in the ongoing war between Israel and the party, a war that has engulfed the entire country.

“The resistance will continue until our last breath,” said Qassem, who usually delivers televised speeches, but whose address was read by a presenter on the party’s Al-Manar channel. These statements come as Lebanon prepares for direct negotiations with Israel next week in Washington, aimed at ending the war.

“We will not accept any return to the status quo, and we call on the authorities to stop making unconditional concessions,” Qassem added, according to the message.

Heavy Israeli strikes on Nabatieh, Bekaa Valley kill several

The Israeli army continued its bombardment of southern Lebanon and struck the Bekaa Valley, according to our local correspondents, causing further casualties.

In the South:

Israeli warplanes carried out a strike on Tiri (Bint Jbeil district).

Heavy artillery bombardment targeted Srifa, and an Israeli strike hit Ain Baal (Sour district). The strike on Ain Baal targeted a house inhabited by Syrian workers and resulted in deaths and injuries.

An airstrike targeted Qaaqaiyet al-Jisr (Nabatieh district).

The Israeli army dynamited houses in Aita al-Shaab, a village in the Bint Jbeil district already largely destroyed since 2024.

A series of strikes targeted the city of Nabatieh and its surroundings, including the Rahbet and Kfar Joz neighborhoods, causing casualties. Zebdine, in the same district, was also targeted.

Strikes in the Bint Jbeil district targeted Beit Yahoun, Safad al-Battikh, Sultanieh, and Srifa.

Nidal al-Ezz and his wife, from Mari (Hasbaya district), were wounded by Israeli fire while traveling to their orchard in the Mari plain. They were transported to the Hasbaya government hospital by the Lebanese Red Cross.

In the Bekaa Valley, a strike targeted Douris, near Baalbeck, killing at least one person.

Hezbollah claims responsibility for a guided missile attack on Ashdod, an Israeli city 150 kilometers from the border

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility, for the first time since the resumption of hostilities with Israel on March 2, for a missile attack on Ashdod, a city on the Israeli coast located approximately 150 kilometers from the border. Warning sirens sounded at dawn in this southern Israeli city, according to local media, which reported no damage.

In a statement, the militia party said it targeted the naval base at the port of Ashdod with precision missiles at 1 a.m.

Hezbollah claims responsibility for new rocket attacks on northern Israel

Hezbollah claims to have carried out a series of new rocket strikes on northern Israel, including on Avivim, Misgav Am, Metula, and Margaliot. It also claimed responsibility for an exploding drone attack on Kiryat Shmona.

Israeli strike on Sohmor, Bekaa Valley, five killed in Jbaa, south Lebanon

An Israeli strike on Jbaa (Nabatieh) has killed five people, according to an initial report obtained by our correspondent.

Israeli bombardments continue in southern Lebanon. They have repeatedly targeted Mansouri, Shehabieh, Mjadel, Debbine, Qana (killing one person), and Majdel Zoun, in the Sour district. An area near journalists in the still-inhabited village of Ibl al-Saqi (Marjayoun) was targeted by artillery fire.

In the Bekaa Valley, a strike targeted Sohmor, according to our local correspondent.

Diplomatic pressure to prevent renewed Israeli strikes on Beirut

Arab and European countries are exerting pressure on Israel to prevent renewed strikes on Beirut following Wednesday's deadly strikes, a Western diplomat told AFP.

This pressure comes after the Israeli army again called for the evacuation of seven neighborhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, as well as the still densely populated Jnah area in the south of the capital.

"Diplomatic pressure is being exerted on Israel by European countries, Gulf states, and Egypt to prevent renewed Israeli strikes on Beirut after 'Black Wednesday,'" said the diplomat, who requested anonymity.

WHO received assurances Rafik Hariri University Hospital, al-Zahraa Hospital will not be targeted

The World Health Organization has stated that it has received assurances that two hospitals in Beirut, the public Rafik Hariri University Hospital and al-Zahraa Hospital, located in the Jnah district affected by an Israeli army evacuation order, will not be targeted.

The approximately 450 patients at Rafik Hariri University Hospital and al-Zahraa Hospital, including 40 in intensive care, were not evacuated "because it was not feasible," said Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO representative in Lebanon.

The WHO Director-General had called on Israel earlier in the day to rescind the evacuation order for the Jnah district.

“We have received assurances, notably from the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC], that the hospital will not be targeted,” said Mohammad Zaatari, director of the Rafik Hariri Hospital.

He confirmed to AFP that his hospital, the largest public medical facility in Lebanon, would not be evacuated.

Barrot: Lebanon must not pay price for Israel's frustration with US-Israel cease-fire

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the massive and deadly strikes on Lebanon on April 8, stating that the country should not pay the price for Israel's frustration with the U.S.-Israel ceas-efire.

In an interview with the French newspaper La Croix, Barrot stated that he had "condemned in the strongest possible terms" Wednesday's strikes, which are "all the more intolerable as they undermine the temporary cease-fire" between Tehran and Washington.

He urged Iran to "cease terrorizing Israel through Hezbollah, which in turn must surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state," but asserted that "Lebanon should not be the scapegoat for an Israeli government angered by a cease-fire it opposes."

"The systematic destruction of Lebanon will not lead to the destruction of Hezbollah. On the contrary, it will strengthen it," he warned.

South Lebanon: Two killed by Israeli drone strikes, rescue workers targeted south of Sour

The situation in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent:

A pickup truck was targeted by an Israeli army drone in Kfar Tibnit, killing one person and injuring another. The victim has been identified as Ali Ghaith, a member of the Arnoun municipal council.

A rescue team from the Islamic Health Committee was targeted by a drone missile in Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain (south of Sour), injuring several people. Debbine was bombed four times by fighter jets and also targeted by artillery fire.

A drone targeted a motorcycle in Sharqieh, killing its driver.

Another drone strike targeted Jibsheet, causing no casualties.

Hezbollah claims responsibility for new attack on Israeli soldiers in Khiam

Hezbollah, for its part, announced new rocket attacks against Metula and Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel, and said it had fired a "precision missile" at Israeli soldiers east of the former Khiam detention center in southern Lebanon.

Power outage in Metula, northern Israel, after Hezbollah rocket fire

Power was cut in Metula, northern Israel, after a Hezbollah rocket struck a power line, according to a local official quoted by Haaretz. The Israeli military reported that 25 rockets had been launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel since midnight.

South Lebanon: Israeli strikes kill 1 person in Majdal Selm, injure another in Deir Antar

In southern Lebanon, an Israeli drone strike targeted Jabal al-Botm, while fighter jets bombed Debbine (in the Marjayoun district), Bint Jbeil, Deir Antar (Bint Jbeil), wounding one person, and Shehabieh (Sour). Our correspondent reports one death in a strike earlier today targeting Majdal Selm (Marjyaoun).

Hezbollah claims responsibility for new rocket attacks against northern Israel

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for new attacks carried out this morning on villages in northern Israel, including, on at least two occasions, Misgav Am, Metula, and Dovev. It also stated that it targeted an Israeli military position in the annexed village of Ghajar.

Regarding ground fighting with the Israelis, the party-militia said it attacked a Merkava tank in the area of ​​the former detention center in Khiam, in the eastern sector.

Spain calls on Iran to negotiate 'in good faith,' says foreign minister

Spain has called on Iran to participate "in good faith" in peace talks with the United States in Islamabad and to refrain from attacking other countries, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said after speaking with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.

"I encourage Iran, as I have communicated to its foreign minister, to participate in these negotiations and to participate in good faith," Albares told reporters, adding that he had spoken with his Iranian counterpart "the day before yesterday" and asked him to refrain from "launching missiles and drones."

Link: Five things to know about the Islamabad talks

The United States and Iran are holding their highest-level talks in years in Islamabad in a Pakistan-brokered bid to turn a fragile two-week cease-fire into a lasting end to a war that has roiled global energy markets.

🔗Here are five things to know about the Islamabad talks.

Middle East: Ukrainian units have shot down Iranian drones in 'several' countries, says Zelensky

Ukrainian units deployed to the Middle East in March have proven their effectiveness and shot down Iranian drones in "several" countries in the region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.

"We showed some countries how to work with drone interceptors. Did we destroy them? Yes. Did we do it in just one country? No, in several," Zelensky said, referring to Iranian drones.

The Ukrainian leader made the remarks during a meeting with journalists, including those from AFP, the content of which was under embargo until Friday.

Israel again threatens ambulances in southern Lebanon, alleges used 'for military purposes' by Hezbollah

The Israeli army has once again accused Hezbollah of using ambulances "for military purposes" and warned of attacks "if this practice does not cease," without providing evidence to support its claims, as is often the case in its targeting of healthcare institutions.

Since March 2, the Israeli army has killed dozens of paramedics and medical personnel in its airstrikes, which regularly target ambulances, paramedics, and medical facilities.

South Lebanon: At least two killed in overnight Israeli strikes, clearing operations continue

Following overnight bombings in southern Lebanon, one person was killed in Mayfadoun (Nabatieh) and another in Hanaway (Sour), according to our correspondent.

Rescue teams are also continuing this morning to search for victims under the rubble of overnight Israeli raids on Shehabieh and Kfar Dounine (Sour).

Hezbollah attacks on Israel: Impact on a house in Misgav Am, sirens sound in Ashdod, 150 km from the border

Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for several overnight attacks in northern Israel, including on the Marj military base, the Biranit, Metula, Shlomi, and Goren barracks, and the Yaara barracks.

According to Israeli media, a projectile directly targeted a house in Misgav Am, near the border, causing material damage, while warning sirens sounded early this morning across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and the coastal city of Ashdod, the Israeli army said, after rockets were fired from Lebanon. Ashdod is located approximately 150 kilometers from the border with Lebanon.

Clashes in Khiam, Bint Jbeil between Hezbollah, Israel

Throughout Thursday evening and night, fighting raged between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Khiam, in the eastern sector, and Bint Jbeil, in the central sector.

According to our correspondent, the sounds of fighting around Khiam were clearly audible, including machine gun fire and shelling, in the western part of the village. Sources speaking to our correspondent indicate that Israeli vehicles attempted an advance toward the northern and western neighborhoods under heavy fire, but were met with attacks from Hezbollah fighters.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several of these attacks, including rocket attacks against soldiers in Wata al-Khiam at dawn, and last night at the city's former detention center and the municipal headquarters.

In Bint Jbeil, the party-militia claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Israeli forces in Rshaf and Ainata, villages on the outskirts of the town, as well as within the town itself, particularly at the "Moussa Abbas complex" located in the east of the town.

Heavy Israeli strikes on south Lebanon Thursday night into Friday

The Israeli army continued its relentless strikes on southern Lebanon Thursday night into Friday morning, according to reports from our correspondent in the area.

- This morning around 8 a.m., Israeli artillery bombardment hit Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh) and another nearby village, Habboush.

- During the night, an Israeli bombardment targeted Debbine. Two strikes targeted Zifta (Nabatieh), hitting two different buildings, and two other strikes were reported on Bint Jbeil and Bablieh (Saida).

Other Israeli strikes targeted a motorcycle in Qana (Sour), killing one and wounding another, as well as Marwanieh and Saksakieh, the areas around Srira and Mazraat Shbil (Jezzine), Bazourieh, Hanaway, Ain Baal, and Qana (Sour), wounding several people, the Azza Valley (Nabatieh), Arab Salim (Nabatieh), destroying several houses, Jbaa, and Sojod (Jezzine).

An Israeli drone targeted a motorcyclist in Shhour (Sour), seriously wounding him. Helicopters were reported firing machine guns along the southern coast from Buyut al-Siyad to Mansouri, Bayyada, and Ras al-Ain (Sour). The Israeli army is advancing in this area and has already captured Bayyada and Shamaa.

Other Israeli strikes also hit an area between Hosh and Kfar Joz (Nabatieh), Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), Qaaqaiyet al-Jisr (Nabatieh), the region between Mahmoudiyeh and Jarmak (Jezzine), Majdel Selm (Marjayoun), and the Tall Debbine power station (Marjayoun), causing a power outage in the area.

Israeli strikes also targeted Bablieh (Saida), a house in Tibnin (Bint Jbeil), Kfar Dounin (Bint Jbeil), where victims were reportedly pulled from the rubble, Shehabieh (Sour), Haris (Bint Jbeil), Kherbet Doueir (Saida), Sultanieh, Tibnin again (Bint Jbeil), and Maalieh (Sour). A rescuer from the al-Rissala Scouts (Amal), Fadi Amer, was killed during a raid on Qleileh (Sour).

US-Iran negotiations: Iranian delegation arrives in Islamabad, according to the WSJ

An Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad late Thursday, ahead of negotiations scheduled to begin later that day with the United States. T

hese negotiations come two days after a two-week cease-fire took effect, and the Iranians' participation in the talks was uncertain due to Israeli strikes in Lebanon. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing "people familiar with the matter," the delegation is headed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf.

Vice President JD Vance is part of the delegation, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, the White House announced.

On Thursday, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stated that the April 8 Israeli strikes on Lebanon, which killed more than 300 people, rendered negotiations "meaningless," while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei emphasized that "holding talks aimed at ending the war depends on the United States respecting its ceasefire commitments on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon."

Under heavy security, Islamabad became a ghost town, as Thursday and Friday were declared public holidays. The luxury hotel slated to host the delegations was emptied of its usual clientele.

Good morning. We are now launching our live coverage of the region.

We are now launching our live coverage of Israel's war in Lebanon, the day after the announcement of direct talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv scheduled to begin next Tuesday in Washington.

We will also be following the talks set to begin today in Islamabad between the United States and Iran, two days after a fragile two-week cease-fire came into effect. This truce is being undermined by ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.

➡️ Access our live coverage from Thursday here for all the details of this dark day for Lebanon.