Hezbollah and Iran are one, in war and in cease-fire, says Ghalibaf
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that “the completion and consolidation of a comprehensive cease-fire in Lebanon will be the result of Hezbollah’s resistance and struggle, its achievements, and the unity of the axis of resistance.”
“The United States must commit to respecting the agreement,” he added. “The resistance and Iran are one, whether in wartime or under a cease-fire. The United States must correct Israel’s initial mistake.”
Trump would welcome end of hostilities in Lebanon, US official says
AFP reported — as did Axios — that a senior U.S. official said President Donald Trump would “welcome the end of hostilities” in Lebanon, though such an agreement is not part of negotiations with Iran.
Regarding a possible cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, the official said that “this is not something we have requested, nor is it part of the peace talks with Iran.” However, speaking on condition of anonymity, the official added that “the president would welcome an end to hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement” between Israel and Lebanon.
Drone strike on motorcycle in Sour: Victim identified as young Palestinian delivery worker
The victim of an evening drone strike on a motorcycle along the Sour seafront has been identified as Ahmad Mohammad Taha, a young Palestinian from the Buss camp near Sour, who worked as a delivery driver in the city and surrounding areas, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
He was killed after picking up an order for a client and heading toward the Raml neighborhood. The drone struck him at the seaside roundabout, opposite the former “Chaouatina” restaurant, killing him instantly, our correspondent reported.
Heavy fighting continues in Khiam between Hezbollah and the Israeli army
Intense clashes are still ongoing in the town of Khiam, described as the most severe since the start of the fighting, according to witnesses in Ibl al-Saqi, a nearby (non-Shiite) village in the Marjayoun district, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports.
Artillery shelling and sustained fire from light and medium weapons have been reported, along with mortar explosions and continuous movements of military vehicles.
At the same time, Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on Tibnin and Aita al-Jabal (in the Bint Jbeil district), as well as the outskirts of Nabatieh. A drone also targeted Kfar Roummane, in the Nabatieh district.
Battle of Bint Jbeil: Hezbollah claims 3 new attacks on Israeli army, including strike on D9 bulldozer
Hezbollah said in the evening it had carried out three new attacks during the day against the Israeli army in Bint Jbeil. The group said it targeted an Israeli D9 military bulldozer at 12:18 a.m. with an attack drone, claiming a direct hit.
The Israeli army has frequently used the D9 — a bulldozer manufactured by the U.S. company Caterpillar — in Gaza to protect advancing troops and level areas of the enclave, according to videos verified by Le Monde.
Hezbollah also said it targeted Israeli soldiers east of the town at 7 p.m. with rockets and artillery fire, and again at 9:20 p.m. near the Moussa Abbas complex inside the town, using rockets.
The group further claimed to have targeted two Merkava tanks near the main square in the town of Mais al-Jabal with two attack drones.
It also continued to report attacks in the evening against northern Israel, targeting Avivim and Kiryat Shmona.
Washington has not requested a cease-fire in Lebanon but supports one, Axios reports
“The U.S. has not officially asked Israel for a cease-fire in Lebanon, and it is not part of the peace talks with Iran,” a senior U.S. official told Axios journalist Barak Ravid, according to his post on X.
However, the President would welcome it and would be happy to see an end to the fighting as part of an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the official added.
Israel clashes with Hezbollah in Khiam and intensifies strikes on Sour district
Clashes erupted this evening between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Khiam (Marjayoun), a town largely under Israeli control. Exchanges were audible in nearby villages, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Artillery fire targeted the area with at least five shells, while the town was also hit by Merkava tank fire. In Bint Jbeil, the other major border town, Israeli forces carried out artillery strikes over the past hour.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army intensified its bombardment of the Sour district, carrying out strikes on Ain Baal and surrounding areas, the outskirts of Sammaaiyeh, Hosh and Qasmieh, as well as the public square of Qana.
A motorcycle was hit on the Sour seafront, killing its rider. The victim’s identity was not immediately known.
Israeli warplanes also targeted Doueir, Kfar Sir, and the area between Aabba and Qseibeh in the Nabatieh district. Additional strikes hit Haris and Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil district).
Another strike landed near Zrarieh (Saida district), while a further strike hit near the Lahd bridge between Marjayoun and villages in the Aishieh area (Jezzine district). Finally, warplanes struck Debbine (Marjayoun), marking the 11th strike on the town since this afternoon, according to our correspondent.
Five Israeli soldiers wounded in south Lebanon
The Israeli army said a rocket attack in south Lebanon seriously wounded one soldier and lightly injured four others.
The army also said that 50 Hezbollah rockets crossed the border into Israel on Wednesday.
Iran offers proposal allowing ships to exit Oman side of Hormuz free of attack, source says
Iran could consider allowing vessels to navigate freely on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz without the risk of attack, as part of proposals presented during talks with the United States, provided an agreement is reached to prevent a resumption of the conflict, Reuters reported, citing “a source briefed by Tehran.”
The source added that the proposal depends on Washington’s willingness to meet Tehran’s demands, a key condition for any progress regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Mahmoud Comati mentions possible cease-fire but urges caution
“It appears that this time the process is serious, but we remain cautious in the face of possible Israeli betrayal,” Hezbollah deputy leader Mahmoud Comati said regarding a potential cease-fire.
“That is why we advise people not to go to the south for the moment,” he added.
Netanyahu says Israeli army continues to reinforce 'security zone' in south Lebanon and is 'on the verge of taking Bint Jbeil'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the Israeli army to continue strengthening the “security zone” in south Lebanon, Reuters reported, following a security cabinet meeting held amid discussions on a possible imminent cease-fire in Lebanon under U.S. pressure.
“Our forces continue to strike Hezbollah, and we are on the verge of taking Bint Jbeil,” the main town in the border strip, he said.
“Our American allies keep us constantly informed of contacts with Iran; our objectives are aligned,” Netanyahu added, saying he was “prepared for all scenarios, in light of the possibility of renewed fighting with Iran.”
Peace talks: Israel seeks buffer zone up to the Litani, freedom of military action, and Hezbollah disarmament process, according to Ynet
The Israeli military has outlined three main conditions for an agreement with Lebanon, according to the Israeli news site Ynet. These include the creation of a buffer zone south of the Litani free of any Hezbollah presence or infrastructure, the maintenance of full freedom of military action in Lebanon “to eliminate threats,” and a long-term process aimed at dismantling the group’s arsenal under a U.S.-supervised mechanism.
At this stage, the Israeli army has received no instructions to prepare for a cease-fire, the report added.
L’Orient Today had learned this week from Western diplomatic sources that Israel is seeking to divide Lebanon into three zones: an 8-kilometer strip in the south to serve as a buffer zone; an area south of the Litani where military operations would continue to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure; and the rest of the territory north of the Litani, where the Lebanese army would be responsible for fully disarming Hezbollah.
'Within a few days, we will have no choice but to fully cease fire in Lebanon,' Israeli official tells Channel 12
A senior Israeli political source told Channel 12 that Israel will “within a few days have no choice but to fully cease fire in Lebanon,” under U.S. pressure, the Times of Israel reported.
The United States has reportedly proposed a temporary one-week cease-fire, with the possibility of resuming hostilities if no more durable agreement is reached within that period, according to the same report.
The Israeli security cabinet is currently meeting to discuss a temporary cease-fire in Lebanon.
White House: Talks with Iran 'productive and ongoing'
The White House said that talks with Iran are “productive and ongoing.”
It also stated that reports claiming the United States had requested an extension of the cease-fire are false.
Finally, the White House said the next round of negotiations will likely take place in Islamabad and that Pakistan is the sole mediator in the talks.
Lebanon-Israel talks: Raad denounces cooperation aimed at 'disarming a noble and legitimate resistance'
The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, issued a statement the day after direct Israeli-Lebanese talks at ambassadorial level, denouncing what he described as cooperation “not to end the occupation, but to work toward the disarmament of a noble and legitimate resistance, to which the dignified Lebanese people remain attached.”
“The statement issued after this shameful session, both in form and substance, does not merely undermine the credibility of the Lebanese authorities’ claim that they conditioned any negotiations on a prior cease-fire; it also destroys their claims of preserving sovereignty, instead enshrining a logic of dependence and submission to what the enemy [Israel] and its sponsor [United States] want,” the Hezbollah official wrote.
“May God protect Lebanon and its people from the deviations of those who disregard its sovereignty and the dignity of its people,” he concluded.
Battle of Bint Jbeil: Hezbollah says it fired 10 rocket barrages at soldiers and ambushed Israeli unit
Hezbollah said it fired ten rocket barrages between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Israeli army soldiers and vehicles present in Bint Jbeil, where the Israeli army has been encircling the town center since this morning.
The group also reported an ambush carried out at dawn on Tuesday against a unit from Battalion 101 of the Paratroopers Brigade, which was attempting to advance from Maroun al-Ras toward the southwestern neighborhoods of Bint Jbeil.
According to Hezbollah, fighters detonated a previously planted explosive device as the troops arrived, before engaging in close-range combat with light and medium weapons, causing deaths and injuries within the unit. Hezbollah added that its artillery then targeted the evacuation zone for the wounded with rockets and artillery shells.
Separately, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon over the past hours, including in Kfar Kila, twice in Khiam (Marjayoun), and in Bayyada, south of Sour.
The group also claimed attacks against northern Israel, targeting Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Blum, Malkiya, as well as the Meron airbase.
South Lebanon: Israeli army intensifies strikes on Debbine and Shehabieh, targets another ambulance
The Israeli army intensified strikes over the past hours on Shehabieh (Sour) and Debbine (Marjayoun), hitting the first village nine times — where two people were killed and two others wounded — and the second six times, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Among the strikes on Shehabieh was a new drone attack targeting an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Health Committee (CSI, affiliated with Hezbollah), after it had arrived at the site of a previously targeted area. An initial toll reported several injuries in the strike.
The Israeli army also struck areas between Briqaa, Qseibeh and Zibdin in the Nabatieh district, Barghez and Ahmadiyeh in the Hasbaya district, Blat in the Marjayoun district, and Qatrani in the Jezzine district, our correspondent reported.
Power outages were reported in Qatrani, as well as in Sarireh, also in the Jezzine district.
Aoun praises MBS’s 'wise and balanced efforts,' which have 'helped create a favorable climate for supporting stability in the region'
Republic President Joseph Aoun expressed warm remarks toward Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, praising his efforts to “create a favorable climate for supporting stability in the region,” which he described as a “source of esteem and pride for Lebanon.”
“We hope Lebanon will fully be part of this effort, because Saudi Arabia, the sponsor of the Taif Agreement [which ended the civil war on 22 October 1989 and provides for the extension of state authority over the entire national territory], enjoys the trust of Lebanese as well as countries in the region and the world,” Aoun said, according to a post on X by the Lebanese presidency.
Saudi Arabia is among the countries—alongside Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt—actively engaged in recent diplomatic efforts to find an outcome to the regional war, during which it was targeted by Iranian missile strikes, including on U.S. bases.
'Lebanon is the soul of Iran…' Iranian embassy in Lebanon writes
The Iranian embassy in Lebanon wrote on its X account early in the evening that “Lebanon is the soul of Iran …” The cryptic message was accompanied by an image showing a cedar tree, the emblem of Lebanon, with the four stylized red crescents forming the word “Allah,” the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the background.
The message comes as a senior Iranian political-security source told the channel Al-Mayadeen that a cease-fire could be established in Lebanon starting tonight, lasting one week, until the end of the cease-fire between Iran and the United States. According to the channel, the cease-fire in Lebanon was decided “following Iranian pressure.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese official sources cited by LBCI, said that a potential cease-fire would be the result of talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Iran port blockade: 8 ships turned away by US military
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it had prevented nine vessels from leaving Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of the blockade imposed by the United States on the Islamic Republic.
“Nine vessels complied with U.S. forces’ orders to turn back and return to an Iranian port or coastal area,” the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.
“No vessel has succeeded in passing U.S. forces,” the command responsible for American troops in the Middle East added.
However, maritime tracking data on Tuesday indicated that at least three vessels departing Iranian ports had crossed the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. military blockade came into effect, although some later turned back, according to maritime data provider Kpler.
Airstrikes and drone attacks continue in south Lebanon, our correspondent reports
A fourth airstrike targeted the town of Kfar Tibnit, while a drone strike hit Mayfadoun (Nabatieh district).
Israeli warplanes also carried out a fourth airstrike targeting the town of Mansouri (Sour district).
Hotel in Jal al-Dib evacuated after alert
A hotel in Jal el-Dib, on the Metn coast north of Beirut, is being evacuated following an alert about a possible Israeli strike on the establishment, a security source told L’Orient Today. Local media reported that the hotel had received a phone call earlier in the day instructing it to evacuate.
The area is not considered a high-risk zone, although Israeli strikes have occasionally taken place in regions generally spared from the conflict, particularly in cases of targeted assassinations. At the start of the war, a hotel in Jounieh (Kesrouan, further north) was also evacuated, although no strike ultimately occurred.
Local media also reported that Jal al-Dib municipal council president Georges Abou Jaoudeh confirmed that the hotel is being evacuated, but reported that it has not yet been possible to verify the threat call or identify its source.
Israeli army chief says 1,700 Hezbollah members killed since start of war
Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday that Hezbollah has lost “more than 1,700” fighters since the start of the war, during a visit to the western sector in south Lebanon, according to the Israeli army on X.
Nearly 2,200 people have been killed by Israel since the beginning of the war. Hezbollah has not publicly communicated its losses in recent months, making it difficult to independently verify casualty figures.
“We are taking control of key areas and conducting sweeps, eliminating threats to northern communities,” he said, as the Israeli army encircles the key town of Bint Jbeil.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we approved plans for continued operations in Lebanon and Iran … We are at a high state of readiness, with air force aircraft armed and prepared, and targets already integrated into our systems. We know how to deploy them for an immediate and powerful strike,” he added.
China says it supports 'momentum of peace negotiations' in the Middle East
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that Beijing supports “maintaining the momentum of peace negotiations” in the Middle East, during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, according to a statement.
He added that the negotiations “are in the fundamental interest of the Iranian people,” stressing that China is willing to continue playing “a constructive role” in promoting peace in the Middle East.
Hezbollah targets Israeli troops and vehicles in Bint Jbeil, claims interception of helicopter and drone in Sour district
Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli army soldiers and vehicles in the town of Bint Jbeil with ten volleys of rocket fire in the early hours of the morning.
The group also claimed it intercepted an Israeli Hermes 450 drone using a surface-to-air missile over the town of Shabriha. It further said it intercepted an Israeli Apache helicopter with a surface-to-air missile over Mansouri (both located in the Sour district).
Hezbollah also said it struck newly established Israeli artillery positions near the Sadah site, opposite Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), with a rocket salvo, as well as artillery positions in Kherbet Ma’ar, opposite Boustan (Sour), using a wave of attack drones.
Israeli security cabinet to discuss possible cease-fire with Lebanon at 8 p.m., according to CNN
Israel’s security cabinet is expected to discuss a possible cease-fire with Lebanon at 8 p.m. (Beirut time), according to an Israeli source cited by CNN. The source said one of the options under consideration is a temporary cease-fire as a “positive gesture in support of negotiations with Lebanon,” which began Tuesday in Washington.
CNN had previously reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at least three times last week, including on Lebanon. According to the source, Netanyahu “understood that if he did not initiate direct talks with Lebanon, Donald Trump could simply announce a cease-fire on his own.”
Under U.S. pressure, Israel has reduced the pace and scale of its strikes on Lebanon, refraining in recent days from targeting Beirut, the U.S. network added.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz had earlier reported that the security cabinet was set to address the issue of a possible cease-fire later in the evening.
Deadly successive strikes against rescue workers: Health Ministry denounces a 'flagrant crime'
The Health Ministry denounced a “flagrant crime” committed by the Israeli army after successive airstrikes targeted three rescue teams in Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), killing three paramedics and wounding six others, while another is still missing. The ministry described the strikes as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” saying the “crime” reflects “the Israeli army’s intent to prevent rescue workers from carrying out their humanitarian mission, to the point of making them direct targets.”
After initially targeting a rescue team from the Islamic Health Committee (CSI, affiliated with Hezbollah), killing at least one paramedic, the Israeli army then struck a second CSI ambulance that had arrived at the scene, injuring three rescuers. It subsequently targeted two additional ambulances that came later — one belonging to Nabatieh emergency services and another from the al-Rissala association (affiliated with Amal) — killing two paramedics and injuring two others, according to the Health Ministry.
Israeli airstrikes targeting homes and localities continue, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports
Three airstrikes targeted homes in the town of Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh).
Israeli warplanes also carried out strikes on the towns of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), Blat (Marjayoun), and Mansouri (Sour).
Two of those killed in the Israeli strike on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), which targeted rescue workers, were recovered in coordination with the Lebanese Army, which was accompanying the Lebanese Civil Defense.
Cease-fire discussions, possibly lasting 2 weeks, result from Lebanese efforts, official sources tell LBCI
Lebanese official sources told local channel LBCI that discussions surrounding a cease-fire in Lebanon — which have been circulating in local and regional media for several hours — are the “result of Lebanese efforts, the most recent being yesterday’s [Tuesday] meeting in Washington, followed by diplomatic contacts.”
The same sources specified that Lebanon is requesting a two-week truce, during which direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel would continue.
Pro-Hezbollah outlet Al-Mayadeen, citing an Iranian source and a Hezbollah official, reported in recent hours the possibility of a cease-fire coming into effect overnight through Iranian mediation. According to them, it would last at least one week — or at least until the end of the cease-fire between Iran and the United States.
A Hezbollah MP says Iranian and regional efforts could lead to a cease-fire in Lebanon 'soon'
Diplomatic efforts by Iran and other regional countries could soon result in a cease-fire in Lebanon, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussaoui told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that Tehran had used its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
“The Iranians are exerting strong pressure on the Americans and have set as a condition that the United States include Lebanon in the cease-fire. If they do not, they will continue their blockade of Hormuz. This is the economic card,” the Hezbollah figure said. “The Iranians have reached out to several regional and international parties to achieve this goal,” he added.
Toward a framework agreement: Progress in US-Iran talks, according to Axios
The United States and Iran made progress during Tuesday’s talks, moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Switzerland offers to host US-Iran and Israel-Lebanon talks in Geneva
Switzerland has offered to host talks between the United States and Iran, as well as between Israel and Lebanon, a senior Swiss official told Haaretz. “I can confirm that we have proposed hosting talks in Switzerland both between the United States and Iran and between Israel and Lebanon,” the official said.
“We have received positive feedback from both parties regarding the former. They are familiar with Geneva, feel comfortable there, and it is logistically straightforward, as the missions are used to organizing delegations and negotiations there.”
According to the official, Geneva “is somewhat midway, whereas Pakistan is quite far for the Americans. But of course, we are not competing with the Pakistanis, who have done good work. We are ready to step in if the parties ask us to.”
US and Iran have agreed in principle to resume negotiations, but have not yet decided on the date or location, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Iran-US talks: Iran to host Pakistani delegation
Iran is set to host a Pakistani delegation on Wednesday led by the influential army chief, Asim Munir, after saying it is continuing exchanges with the United States through Pakistan, state television reported.
According to state TV, the delegation — expected to be received by Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi — is carrying a new message from Washington to Tehran and will discuss the prospect of future negotiations with Iranian officials, following the collapse of an initial round of talks between the two rival countries held last weekend in Islamabad.
2,167 people killed in Lebanon since March 2
The Ministry of Health released its daily toll on Wednesday, reporting 2,167 people killed and 7,061 injured between March 2 and April 15, 2026. On April 15 alone, 43 people were killed and 140 were injured.
Pakistani envoys on route to Iran
A delegation of Pakistani officials is heading to Tehran to deliver a message from the United States and to prepare a second round of negotiations, Iranian state media reported, citing Pakistani sources.
According to the Iranian Broadcasting Agency, the delegation includes senior Pakistani officials and is led by Field Marshal Asim Munir. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to receive the delegation shortly.
Israeli army criticized over doctored image of journalist Ali Choeib, killed in Lebanon
The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem (FPA) has accused the Israeli army of attempting to discredit a Lebanese journalist killed in March by circulating a “fake” image generated using artificial intelligence showing him dressed in a Hezbollah uniform.
Three Lebanese journalists, including Ali Choeib, a correspondent for Al-Manar (the television channel linked to the Shiite party) were killed on March 28 in an Israeli strike on their car in the Jezzine area in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for both the strike and for the killing of the correspondent, describing him as a “terrorist in the intelligence unit of the al-Radwan force,” Hezbollah’s elite unit, operating “under the cover of a journalist.”
It provided no evidence to support this accusation, and posted on X an image showing Ali Choeib wearing a vest in which the word “press” is partially obscured by an altered version of the same photo depicting him in a Hezbollah uniform. The caption claims that “the press vest was merely a cover for terrorism.”
The following day, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, the army’s international spokesperson, acknowledged on X that the image had been “edited” and released another, blurry image, purportedly showing Ali Choeib “wearing a Hezbollah uniform.”
Israeli cabinet could meet this evening to examine a possible one-week cease-fire in Lebanon
After a senior Iranian politico-security source told the channel al-Mayadeen that a cease-fire could come into effect in Lebanon starting tonight, for a duration of one week, a senior Israeli official told Haaretz that “no decision has yet been made” and that the security cabinet is due to discuss the issue this evening.
According to al-Mayadeen, the cease-fire in Lebanon was decided “following pressure from Iran,” but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “could derail” the agreement.
On the Israeli side, the aforementioned senior official stressed that any decision on the matter would be taken “at the political level,” while another Israeli source said that a proposal for such a cease-fire had been “submitted at the request of the United States.” However, “the fire will not cease as long as Hezbollah continues” launching rocket.
Israeli attacks on south Lebanon: Qard al-Hassan building bombed in Deir Zahrani; houses blown up in Markaba, Blida and Shamaa
The situation in South Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent in the region:
• In the district of Sour: an air strike targeted Nafakhieh. Five drone strikes targeted Shehabieh, one of which hit a center belonging to the Islamic Mission Scouts Association (al-Rissala, affiliated with Amal).
• In the district of Nabatieh: several air strikes targeted Deir Zahrani (Nabatieh), one of which destroyed the recently constructed al-Qard al-Hassan building. One person was killed and another injured in an air strike targeting Harouf earlier in the day. Strikes also targeted Aaba, Breikeh and Qaaqaiat al-Jisr. Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Zibdin and Shukine.
• The Israeli army demolished houses in several villages it had invaded in recent weeks, notably in Markaba and Blida (Marjayoun), as well as in Shamaa (Sour).
Second Israeli air strike targets Deir Zahrani, Nabatieh
The sound of the explosion from an Israeli air strike on Deir Zahrani could be heard as far as Saida, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
US denies agreeing to extension of cease-fire with Iran
The United States has not formally agreed to extend the cease-fire with Iran, a senior U.S. official told AFP on Wednesday, following press reports that negotiators were nearing such an extension.
“Discussions are continuing between the United States and Iran to reach an agreement,” said the senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers in Bayyada, south of Sour
Hezbollah has claimed to have targeted Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in Bayada, south of Sour, with rockets. It also said it had intercepted an Israeli ‘Hermes 450 – Zik’ drone using a surface-to-air missile over Qabrikha (near Bint Jbeil) on Tuesday afternoon.
This drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for long-duration surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions.
Iran reiterates its right to enrich uranium, at a negotiable level
Iran has stated that talks with the United States are continuing, via Pakistan, following the breakdown of their discussions in Islamabad last weekend.
The Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry has reaffirmed Tehran’s “indisputable” right to enrich uranium, at a level which it nevertheless described as “negotiable.”
The right to civil nuclear energy cannot be “taken away under pressure or through war,” said the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Esmail Baghai, during a weekly press briefing.
“As regards the level and type of enrichment, we have always said that the issue is negotiable. We have insisted that Iran should be able to continue enrichment in accordance with its needs,” he added, referring to an “indisputable” right.
UNIFIL condemns the Israeli army’s interception of one of its convoys en route to Naqoura
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced in a statement that one of its convoys was intercepted on Tuesday in southern Lebanon by Israeli troops, a few kilometers from its destination in Naqoura (Sour).
This "regular" convoy was transporting military and civilian peacekeepers, as well as essential contract staff, from Beirut to UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, the statement said. “The vehicles bearing U.N. markings were eventually allowed to continue their journey. However, the local contract staff were forced to return to Beirut under police escort, even though the convoy had previously been authorized to move freely, and their presence had also been authorized,” the statement continued.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the U.N. force said. “Similar restrictions, in the form of physical roadblocks or the revocation of prior authorizations, have affected both peacekeepers and the essential personnel who support them. These actions raise concerns about the timely delivery of essential supplies, including food, fuel and water, to UNIFIL positions, particularly along the Blue Line,” UNIFIL added.
The U.N. force also warns against “the continuation of movement restrictions, which risks compromising the conduct of operations, including the ability of peacekeepers to report violations of Resolution 1701 in accordance with their obligations.”
UNIFIL has also called on the Israeli army to “honor the agreements reached and fulfill its obligations regarding the safety of peacekeepers and the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols and logistics convoys.”
Israeli strikes continue across southern Lebanon, killing civilians
- In the Sour district, Israel carried out several attacks. Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on a house in the town of Shehabieh, resulting in several casualties.Israeli warplanes also targeted the town of Srifa. Artillery shelling also targeted the outskirts of Burj al-Shamali.
- The Islamic Health Authority team in Qana (Sour) requested an excavator to search for Dalia Ezzedine, who was killed in a recent strike that targeted the town. Today, they successfully retrieved her body from under the rubble. The town of Qana had been subjected to consecutive airstrikes over the past few days, our correspondent reported.
- Israeli warplanes launched two airstrikes targeting the town of Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil). Airstrikes also targeted Deir Zahrani (Nabatieh), the city of Bint Jbeil, and Majdal Selm (Marjayoun).
- Artillery shelling targeted the towns of Braasheet and Beit Yahoun (both located in Bint Jbeil).
- Israeli drone strikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Kfar Joz, near the Fakhr al-Din wells in Nabatieh. A drone strike targeted the Wadi Ain al-Dahab area in the town of Harouf (Nabatieh).
- A mother, Mona Ali Aoun, and her two children, Hassan and Zain al-Abidin Nasrallah, were killed in an attack that targeted Ansarieh (Saida) this morning.
- One man was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a car in the town of Blat (Marjayoun), near the Spanish Battalion base of UNIFIL.
- An explosion was carried out by the Israeli army in the town of Taybeh (Marjayoun).
Second Israeli air strike targets Deir Zahrani, Nabatieh
Photo relayed by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah
Israel kills 4 rescue workers in successive strikes on Mayfadoun
Israel killed four rescue workers and injured several others in successive Israeli strikes targeting rescue teams who rushed to the site of a strikes on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Following the initial strike, several rescue vehicles arrived at the scene and were in turn targeted by Israeli fire. In turn, the Israeli army fired from a drone at a vehicle belonging to the Islamic Health Committee (IHC, affiliated with Hezbollah) and used artillery shells to strike an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Mission Scouts (Rissala, Amal), a second IHC ambulance and two others from the Civil Defense, notably from the Nabatieh unit.
Among the four rescue workers killed were a Rissala paramedic, Fadel Serhane, an IHC member, Mahdi Abu Zeid, and another member of the Nabatieh ambulance service. Operations are continuing, in coordination with the Lebanese Army, to reach the site and recover one of the bodies, which is believed to still be trapped inside the ambulance.
Ongoing house demolitions reported in Naqoura as Israel razes homes, roads, and civilian infrastructure
Photo shared by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah
Israeli forces continue to demolish homes in villages where they are present, without pause, destroying houses, institutions, and roads. This activity is still ongoing in the town of Naqoura.
In the image, an Israeli bulldozer is seen demolishing a tourist facility in the town.
Iranian military threatens to block exports via Red Sea if US blockade continues
Iran has threatened to block the Red Sea — which it does not border — should the U.S. blockade of its ports continue, arguing that this could lead to a breach of the cease-fire.
If the United States maintains its naval blockade and “creates insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers,” this will constitute “the prelude” to a breach of the cease-fire, in force since April 8, said General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian Armed Forces Command.
“The powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow any exports or imports in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman or the Red Sea,” he added, according to a statement broadcast on state television.
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: Amal political bureau member laments Lebanon ‘taking step into unknown, with no guarantees’
“Lebanon has renounced its commitments to Resolution 1701 and to diplomatic action to compel Israel to a cease-fire,” laments Hassan Qabalan, a member of the political bureau of the Amal movement, in a statement to L’OLJ.
“Tuesday’s negotiations are a step into the unknown, with no guarantees,” he said. “The Israelis have made it clear that they want a peace deal wrested from under fire.” He added: “The Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, had anticipated all this. He said that the negotiations would achieve nothing more than an official photo opportunity.”
According to Qabalan, Israel is “simply seeking to sabotage the relationship between Lebanon and Iran, which, incidentally, has never said it wanted to negotiate on Lebanon’s behalf, but simply wished to secure a cease-fire.”
“History is repeating itself, and Israel will resort to the same tactics it employed during the agreement of May 17, 1983,” he concluded. He was referring to an agreement negotiated under the presidency of Amin Gemayel between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which provided for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory. At the last minute, the Israelis added clauses to the agreement that were seen as deal-breakers. Furthermore, on Feb. 6, the Amal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party staged a coup, leading to the agreement’s cancellation.
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: Fadlallah (Hezbollah) condemns Lebanese government for ‘continuing to make concessions to the enemy’
Hezbollah MP Hussein Fadlallah stated at a press conference in Parliament that “the government in Beirut is incompetent and prioritizes individual, even sectarian, interests over those of the nation,” following a meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington.
He added that the Lebanese authorities “continue to make concessions to the enemy and have embarked on a dangerous path that widens the divide between the Lebanese people.”
He stated: “The Lebanese authorities must review their strategy and return to their people,” emphasizing that “it is this very government that withdrew the army from the south, leaving it at the mercy of the occupation and giving it carte blanche.”
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: 'I’m not necessarily optimistic,' Jumblatt tells L’OLJ
“I’m not necessarily optimistic,” said Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, when contacted by L’Orient-Le Jour. “We need to see what the United States can secure in terms of guarantees and what Lebanon’s roadmap will be. Of course, Lebanon must start by demanding a cease-fire,” he added, arguing that it would be necessary to “build on the results of the 2024 ceasefire, when Israel was still occupying five positions in the south.”
For the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), “what is important is that the negotiations take place in the United States with American mediation.” In this context, he recalled that Lebanon and Israel had met in 1949 within the committee tasked with reaching the armistice agreement.
Israel targets paramedics in Mayfadoun; injures 3
Three people were injured after a team from the Islamic Health Committee and the Islamic Mission Scouts Association (the first-aid associations of Hezbollah and Amal) were targeted by an Israeli army drone following a strike on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh).
Israeli drone strikes also targeted the following locations in the same region: Breike, Nabatieh Fawqa, and Sir al-Gharbieh whilst artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Habboush.
Saouane, in the district of Marjayoun, was also bombed.
Hezbollah claims to have fired surface-to-air missile at Israeli fighter jet
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for further attacks, stating that it targeted the Israeli barracks at Metat, in northern Israel, “using a swarm of attack drones.”
The party also claimed to have fired “a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli fighter jet in the skies over Debaal [Sour].”
Hezbollah further announced a rocket strike on Israeli soldiers in Khiam, in the eastern sector.
Road to Mashghara hydroelectric power station reopened following Israeli strike
The National Litani River Authority (LRA) has announced the reopening of the access road to the Ibrahim Abdel Aal hydroelectric power station, located in Mashghara (Western Bekaa), following an Israeli attack on the town on Sunday.
Teams from the LRA, supported by the Lebanese Army and military intelligence, have “reopened the access road and begun repairing the damaged high-voltage power lines. This swift coordination has enabled the situation to be restored and ensured the continuity of the electricity supply.”
Israel issues new displacement order for residents south of Zahrani River to evacuate north
Israel has once again called on residents south of the Zahrani River, which flows into the Mediterranean south of Saida in southern Lebanon, to evacuate the area and head north.
Hezbollah strikes 17 Israeli military targets in Lebanon and 47 targets in Israel
Hezbollah stated on Wednesday that it had struck 17 Israeli military targets in Lebanon and 46 targets in Israel the previous day.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Bint Jbeil and attacks northern Israel
Hezbollah said it had fired a barrage of rockets at midnight, targeting a gathering of Israeli army vehicles and soldiers on the northern outskirts of the town of Bint Jbeil. The party also said it had carried out a similar rocket attack against Israeli forces in the same area on Tuesday at 7.30 pm.
In a separate statement, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted Misgav Am, opposite the Lebanese town of Adaisseh (Marjayoun), at 9.30 am with a barrage of rockets.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Bint Jbeil; attacks northern Israel
Hezbollah stated that at 12 am it launched a rocket barrage targeting a gathering of Israeli army vehicles and soldiers on the northern outskirts of Bint Jbeil.
The group also reported that on Tuesday at 7:30 pm, it carried out a similar rocket attack against Israeli forces in the same area.
In a separate statement, Hezbollah said that at 9:30 am it targeted Misgav Am, opposite the town of Adaisseh (Marjayoun), with a barrage of rockets.
Hezbollah claims responsibility for rocket fire on 11 villages in northern Israel; Israeli army says '30 rockets' fired this morning
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on eleven villages in northern Israel between 8 am and 8.30 am, according to two statements. It said it had targeted Metula, Kfar Giladi, Kiryat Shmona, Dovev, Shlomi, Metzova, Yaara, Avdon, Kfar Vradim, Nahariya, and Shavei Zion.
For its part, the Israeli army reported “around thirty” rockets fired from southern Lebanon, eight of which were intercepted, following a night without any firing by Hezbollah. These attacks slightly injured a man in Tamra, around 25 kilometers from the border, according to paramedics quoted by Haaretz.
Israeli drone strikes on Bablieh and Saouane in southern Lebanon
Two Israeli drone strikes targeted Bablieh, seriously injuring a scooter driver, and Saouane (Marjayoun) in southern Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent. An air strike also targeted Qleileh (Sour), and Awaneh (Marjayoun).
Hezbollah fires ‘20 rockets at Israel in three minutes’
Hezbollah is reported to have fired "more than 20 rockets at towns in northern Israel within the space of three minutes," according to Israeli Army Radio. All were intercepted or fell onto open terrain, the radio station added, noting that the attacks took place at 8am.
Hezbollah has not yet claimed responsibility for any new attacks since midnight on Tuesday, but rocket fire has been reported by our correspondent’s sources in southern Lebanon.
Senior Israeli military officials call for 'deeper’ invasion into southern Lebanon
Senior Israeli military officials are insisting on stepping up their ground operation in southern Lebanon, extending it beyond the line along which Israeli forces are currently deployed, some five kilometers from the border, according to reports on army radio.
Successive Israeli strikes on cars in Saadiyat and Barja, on the highway linking Beirut to the South
The targeted car on the highway near Barja. (Photo shared by our south Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)
Two consecutive Israeli drone strikes targeted vehicles on the highway linking Beirut to the south, near Saadiyat and the junction between Jiyyeh and Barja, according to our correspondent.
The first strike hit a van with two missiles. The vehicle was hit head-on and burning debris was scattered across the motorway. A few minutes later, another explosion struck a car at the junction between Jiyyeh, on the coast, and Barja.
In addition to these strikes on the coastal motorway, this morning an Israeli strike targeted Mahmoudieh, in the Aishieh region (Jezzine) and another Tibnin (Bint Jbeil), near a Lebanese Army medical center. Other strikes targeted Tiri (Bint Jbeil), Bablieh (Saida) and Qleileh (Sour), according to our correspondent.
Clashes and explosions in Khiam between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops
Intense ground battles continue in Khiam and Bint Jbeil between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops, with Israel seeking to "expand" its occupation of Lebanese territory.
In Khiam, in the eastern sector of the border strip, two air strikes targeted the northern district of the town. Violent clashes were also heard as far as neighboring villages, with the sound of rocket fire and automatic gunfire.
At around 2am this morning, a powerful explosion was heard throughout the area, likely caused by the demolition of several buildings using explosives.
Fighting is also continuing in Bint Jbeil, in the central sector, which is surrounded by Israeli troops, according to our correspondent. These clashes are taking place in particular around the stadium, which was destroyed by the Israelis, around the Serail school, the town hall, and the town’s reservoir. However, Israeli forces have not yet managed to advance towards the town center.
Deadly Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon overnight kill at least 13 people
Israeli air strikes continued overnight, following a violent day in southern Lebanon during which Israel bombed 58 villages and towns, 14 by drone strikes and 23 by artillery fire, according to our correspondent in the region. The night-time strikes killed at least ten people, according to initial reports.
In Abbassieh (Sour), an Israeli strike killed four people, whilst a strike on Jbaa (Nabatieh), killed a family of four. Israel also bombed a house in Ansarieh (Saida), killing five people and injuring four others.
In Abbassieh, another strike targeted the area around the village’s state secondary school, which is sheltering many displaced people, though no casualties were reported. In the same region, fighter jets bombed Barish, Wadi Jilo (on several occasions) and Aitit.
Israel also targeted Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh) and Ghandourieh (Bint Jbeil) with air strikes.
Hello and welcome to our live news blog
Welcome to our live news coverage of events taking place in Lebanon and the wider region.
Yesterday, rare, direct talks were held in Washington between Lebanon and Israel in preparation for direct negotiations between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Israel continues attacking southern Lebanon with heightened intensity, and ground battles between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops are ongoing, particularly in Khiam and Bint Jbeil, with Israel seeking to occupy extended swaths of Lebanese territory.
As we get the blog going, check out our Morning Brief here for everything you need to know this Wednesday.
Hezbollah and Iran are one, in war and in cease-fire, says Ghalibaf
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that “the completion and consolidation of a comprehensive cease-fire in Lebanon will be the result of Hezbollah’s resistance and struggle, its achievements, and the unity of the axis of resistance.”
“The United States must commit to respecting the agreement,” he added. “The resistance and Iran are one, whether in wartime or under a cease-fire. The United States must correct Israel’s initial mistake.”
Trump would welcome end of hostilities in Lebanon, US official says
AFP reported — as did Axios — that a senior U.S. official said President Donald Trump would “welcome the end of hostilities” in Lebanon, though such an agreement is not part of negotiations with Iran.
Regarding a possible cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, the official said that “this is not something we have requested, nor is it part of the peace talks with Iran.” However, speaking on condition of anonymity, the official added that “the president would welcome an end to hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement” between Israel and Lebanon.
Drone strike on motorcycle in Sour: Victim identified as young Palestinian delivery worker
The victim of an evening drone strike on a motorcycle along the Sour seafront has been identified as Ahmad Mohammad Taha, a young Palestinian from the Buss camp near Sour, who worked as a delivery driver in the city and surrounding areas, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
He was killed after picking up an order for a client and heading toward the Raml neighborhood. The drone struck him at the seaside roundabout, opposite the former “Chaouatina” restaurant, killing him instantly, our correspondent reported.
Heavy fighting continues in Khiam between Hezbollah and the Israeli army
Intense clashes are still ongoing in the town of Khiam, described as the most severe since the start of the fighting, according to witnesses in Ibl al-Saqi, a nearby (non-Shiite) village in the Marjayoun district, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports.
Artillery shelling and sustained fire from light and medium weapons have been reported, along with mortar explosions and continuous movements of military vehicles.
At the same time, Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on Tibnin and Aita al-Jabal (in the Bint Jbeil district), as well as the outskirts of Nabatieh. A drone also targeted Kfar Roummane, in the Nabatieh district.
Battle of Bint Jbeil: Hezbollah claims 3 new attacks on Israeli army, including strike on D9 bulldozer
Hezbollah said in the evening it had carried out three new attacks during the day against the Israeli army in Bint Jbeil. The group said it targeted an Israeli D9 military bulldozer at 12:18 a.m. with an attack drone, claiming a direct hit.
The Israeli army has frequently used the D9 — a bulldozer manufactured by the U.S. company Caterpillar — in Gaza to protect advancing troops and level areas of the enclave, according to videos verified by Le Monde.
Hezbollah also said it targeted Israeli soldiers east of the town at 7 p.m. with rockets and artillery fire, and again at 9:20 p.m. near the Moussa Abbas complex inside the town, using rockets.
The group further claimed to have targeted two Merkava tanks near the main square in the town of Mais al-Jabal with two attack drones.
It also continued to report attacks in the evening against northern Israel, targeting Avivim and Kiryat Shmona.
Washington has not requested a cease-fire in Lebanon but supports one, Axios reports
“The U.S. has not officially asked Israel for a cease-fire in Lebanon, and it is not part of the peace talks with Iran,” a senior U.S. official told Axios journalist Barak Ravid, according to his post on X.
However, the President would welcome it and would be happy to see an end to the fighting as part of an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the official added.
Israel clashes with Hezbollah in Khiam and intensifies strikes on Sour district
Clashes erupted this evening between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Khiam (Marjayoun), a town largely under Israeli control. Exchanges were audible in nearby villages, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Artillery fire targeted the area with at least five shells, while the town was also hit by Merkava tank fire. In Bint Jbeil, the other major border town, Israeli forces carried out artillery strikes over the past hour.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army intensified its bombardment of the Sour district, carrying out strikes on Ain Baal and surrounding areas, the outskirts of Sammaaiyeh, Hosh and Qasmieh, as well as the public square of Qana.
A motorcycle was hit on the Sour seafront, killing its rider. The victim’s identity was not immediately known.
Israeli warplanes also targeted Doueir, Kfar Sir, and the area between Aabba and Qseibeh in the Nabatieh district. Additional strikes hit Haris and Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil district).
Another strike landed near Zrarieh (Saida district), while a further strike hit near the Lahd bridge between Marjayoun and villages in the Aishieh area (Jezzine district). Finally, warplanes struck Debbine (Marjayoun), marking the 11th strike on the town since this afternoon, according to our correspondent.
Five Israeli soldiers wounded in south Lebanon
The Israeli army said a rocket attack in south Lebanon seriously wounded one soldier and lightly injured four others.
The army also said that 50 Hezbollah rockets crossed the border into Israel on Wednesday.
Iran offers proposal allowing ships to exit Oman side of Hormuz free of attack, source says
Iran could consider allowing vessels to navigate freely on the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz without the risk of attack, as part of proposals presented during talks with the United States, provided an agreement is reached to prevent a resumption of the conflict, Reuters reported, citing “a source briefed by Tehran.”
The source added that the proposal depends on Washington’s willingness to meet Tehran’s demands, a key condition for any progress regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Mahmoud Comati mentions possible cease-fire but urges caution
“It appears that this time the process is serious, but we remain cautious in the face of possible Israeli betrayal,” Hezbollah deputy leader Mahmoud Comati said regarding a potential cease-fire.
“That is why we advise people not to go to the south for the moment,” he added.
Netanyahu says Israeli army continues to reinforce 'security zone' in south Lebanon and is 'on the verge of taking Bint Jbeil'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the Israeli army to continue strengthening the “security zone” in south Lebanon, Reuters reported, following a security cabinet meeting held amid discussions on a possible imminent cease-fire in Lebanon under U.S. pressure.
“Our forces continue to strike Hezbollah, and we are on the verge of taking Bint Jbeil,” the main town in the border strip, he said.
“Our American allies keep us constantly informed of contacts with Iran; our objectives are aligned,” Netanyahu added, saying he was “prepared for all scenarios, in light of the possibility of renewed fighting with Iran.”
Peace talks: Israel seeks buffer zone up to the Litani, freedom of military action, and Hezbollah disarmament process, according to Ynet
The Israeli military has outlined three main conditions for an agreement with Lebanon, according to the Israeli news site Ynet. These include the creation of a buffer zone south of the Litani free of any Hezbollah presence or infrastructure, the maintenance of full freedom of military action in Lebanon “to eliminate threats,” and a long-term process aimed at dismantling the group’s arsenal under a U.S.-supervised mechanism.
At this stage, the Israeli army has received no instructions to prepare for a cease-fire, the report added.
L’Orient Today had learned this week from Western diplomatic sources that Israel is seeking to divide Lebanon into three zones: an 8-kilometer strip in the south to serve as a buffer zone; an area south of the Litani where military operations would continue to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure; and the rest of the territory north of the Litani, where the Lebanese army would be responsible for fully disarming Hezbollah.
'Within a few days, we will have no choice but to fully cease fire in Lebanon,' Israeli official tells Channel 12
A senior Israeli political source told Channel 12 that Israel will “within a few days have no choice but to fully cease fire in Lebanon,” under U.S. pressure, the Times of Israel reported.
The United States has reportedly proposed a temporary one-week cease-fire, with the possibility of resuming hostilities if no more durable agreement is reached within that period, according to the same report.
The Israeli security cabinet is currently meeting to discuss a temporary cease-fire in Lebanon.
White House: Talks with Iran 'productive and ongoing'
The White House said that talks with Iran are “productive and ongoing.”
It also stated that reports claiming the United States had requested an extension of the cease-fire are false.
Finally, the White House said the next round of negotiations will likely take place in Islamabad and that Pakistan is the sole mediator in the talks.
Lebanon-Israel talks: Raad denounces cooperation aimed at 'disarming a noble and legitimate resistance'
The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, issued a statement the day after direct Israeli-Lebanese talks at ambassadorial level, denouncing what he described as cooperation “not to end the occupation, but to work toward the disarmament of a noble and legitimate resistance, to which the dignified Lebanese people remain attached.”
“The statement issued after this shameful session, both in form and substance, does not merely undermine the credibility of the Lebanese authorities’ claim that they conditioned any negotiations on a prior cease-fire; it also destroys their claims of preserving sovereignty, instead enshrining a logic of dependence and submission to what the enemy [Israel] and its sponsor [United States] want,” the Hezbollah official wrote.
“May God protect Lebanon and its people from the deviations of those who disregard its sovereignty and the dignity of its people,” he concluded.
Battle of Bint Jbeil: Hezbollah says it fired 10 rocket barrages at soldiers and ambushed Israeli unit
Hezbollah said it fired ten rocket barrages between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Israeli army soldiers and vehicles present in Bint Jbeil, where the Israeli army has been encircling the town center since this morning.
The group also reported an ambush carried out at dawn on Tuesday against a unit from Battalion 101 of the Paratroopers Brigade, which was attempting to advance from Maroun al-Ras toward the southwestern neighborhoods of Bint Jbeil.
According to Hezbollah, fighters detonated a previously planted explosive device as the troops arrived, before engaging in close-range combat with light and medium weapons, causing deaths and injuries within the unit. Hezbollah added that its artillery then targeted the evacuation zone for the wounded with rockets and artillery shells.
Separately, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon over the past hours, including in Kfar Kila, twice in Khiam (Marjayoun), and in Bayyada, south of Sour.
The group also claimed attacks against northern Israel, targeting Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Blum, Malkiya, as well as the Meron airbase.
South Lebanon: Israeli army intensifies strikes on Debbine and Shehabieh, targets another ambulance
The Israeli army intensified strikes over the past hours on Shehabieh (Sour) and Debbine (Marjayoun), hitting the first village nine times — where two people were killed and two others wounded — and the second six times, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Among the strikes on Shehabieh was a new drone attack targeting an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Health Committee (CSI, affiliated with Hezbollah), after it had arrived at the site of a previously targeted area. An initial toll reported several injuries in the strike.
The Israeli army also struck areas between Briqaa, Qseibeh and Zibdin in the Nabatieh district, Barghez and Ahmadiyeh in the Hasbaya district, Blat in the Marjayoun district, and Qatrani in the Jezzine district, our correspondent reported.
Power outages were reported in Qatrani, as well as in Sarireh, also in the Jezzine district.
Aoun praises MBS’s 'wise and balanced efforts,' which have 'helped create a favorable climate for supporting stability in the region'
Republic President Joseph Aoun expressed warm remarks toward Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, praising his efforts to “create a favorable climate for supporting stability in the region,” which he described as a “source of esteem and pride for Lebanon.”
“We hope Lebanon will fully be part of this effort, because Saudi Arabia, the sponsor of the Taif Agreement [which ended the civil war on 22 October 1989 and provides for the extension of state authority over the entire national territory], enjoys the trust of Lebanese as well as countries in the region and the world,” Aoun said, according to a post on X by the Lebanese presidency.
Saudi Arabia is among the countries—alongside Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt—actively engaged in recent diplomatic efforts to find an outcome to the regional war, during which it was targeted by Iranian missile strikes, including on U.S. bases.
'Lebanon is the soul of Iran…' Iranian embassy in Lebanon writes
The Iranian embassy in Lebanon wrote on its X account early in the evening that “Lebanon is the soul of Iran …” The cryptic message was accompanied by an image showing a cedar tree, the emblem of Lebanon, with the four stylized red crescents forming the word “Allah,” the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the background.
The message comes as a senior Iranian political-security source told the channel Al-Mayadeen that a cease-fire could be established in Lebanon starting tonight, lasting one week, until the end of the cease-fire between Iran and the United States. According to the channel, the cease-fire in Lebanon was decided “following Iranian pressure.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese official sources cited by LBCI, said that a potential cease-fire would be the result of talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Iran port blockade: 8 ships turned away by US military
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it had prevented nine vessels from leaving Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of the blockade imposed by the United States on the Islamic Republic.
“Nine vessels complied with U.S. forces’ orders to turn back and return to an Iranian port or coastal area,” the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.
“No vessel has succeeded in passing U.S. forces,” the command responsible for American troops in the Middle East added.
However, maritime tracking data on Tuesday indicated that at least three vessels departing Iranian ports had crossed the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. military blockade came into effect, although some later turned back, according to maritime data provider Kpler.
Airstrikes and drone attacks continue in south Lebanon, our correspondent reports
A fourth airstrike targeted the town of Kfar Tibnit, while a drone strike hit Mayfadoun (Nabatieh district).
Israeli warplanes also carried out a fourth airstrike targeting the town of Mansouri (Sour district).
Hotel in Jal al-Dib evacuated after alert
A hotel in Jal el-Dib, on the Metn coast north of Beirut, is being evacuated following an alert about a possible Israeli strike on the establishment, a security source told L’Orient Today. Local media reported that the hotel had received a phone call earlier in the day instructing it to evacuate.
The area is not considered a high-risk zone, although Israeli strikes have occasionally taken place in regions generally spared from the conflict, particularly in cases of targeted assassinations. At the start of the war, a hotel in Jounieh (Kesrouan, further north) was also evacuated, although no strike ultimately occurred.
Local media also reported that Jal al-Dib municipal council president Georges Abou Jaoudeh confirmed that the hotel is being evacuated, but reported that it has not yet been possible to verify the threat call or identify its source.
Israeli army chief says 1,700 Hezbollah members killed since start of war
Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday that Hezbollah has lost “more than 1,700” fighters since the start of the war, during a visit to the western sector in south Lebanon, according to the Israeli army on X.
Nearly 2,200 people have been killed by Israel since the beginning of the war. Hezbollah has not publicly communicated its losses in recent months, making it difficult to independently verify casualty figures.
“We are taking control of key areas and conducting sweeps, eliminating threats to northern communities,” he said, as the Israeli army encircles the key town of Bint Jbeil.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we approved plans for continued operations in Lebanon and Iran … We are at a high state of readiness, with air force aircraft armed and prepared, and targets already integrated into our systems. We know how to deploy them for an immediate and powerful strike,” he added.
China says it supports 'momentum of peace negotiations' in the Middle East
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that Beijing supports “maintaining the momentum of peace negotiations” in the Middle East, during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, according to a statement.
He added that the negotiations “are in the fundamental interest of the Iranian people,” stressing that China is willing to continue playing “a constructive role” in promoting peace in the Middle East.
Hezbollah targets Israeli troops and vehicles in Bint Jbeil, claims interception of helicopter and drone in Sour district
Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli army soldiers and vehicles in the town of Bint Jbeil with ten volleys of rocket fire in the early hours of the morning.
The group also claimed it intercepted an Israeli Hermes 450 drone using a surface-to-air missile over the town of Shabriha. It further said it intercepted an Israeli Apache helicopter with a surface-to-air missile over Mansouri (both located in the Sour district).
Hezbollah also said it struck newly established Israeli artillery positions near the Sadah site, opposite Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), with a rocket salvo, as well as artillery positions in Kherbet Ma’ar, opposite Boustan (Sour), using a wave of attack drones.
Israeli security cabinet to discuss possible cease-fire with Lebanon at 8 p.m., according to CNN
Israel’s security cabinet is expected to discuss a possible cease-fire with Lebanon at 8 p.m. (Beirut time), according to an Israeli source cited by CNN. The source said one of the options under consideration is a temporary cease-fire as a “positive gesture in support of negotiations with Lebanon,” which began Tuesday in Washington.
CNN had previously reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at least three times last week, including on Lebanon. According to the source, Netanyahu “understood that if he did not initiate direct talks with Lebanon, Donald Trump could simply announce a cease-fire on his own.”
Under U.S. pressure, Israel has reduced the pace and scale of its strikes on Lebanon, refraining in recent days from targeting Beirut, the U.S. network added.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz had earlier reported that the security cabinet was set to address the issue of a possible cease-fire later in the evening.
Deadly successive strikes against rescue workers: Health Ministry denounces a 'flagrant crime'
The Health Ministry denounced a “flagrant crime” committed by the Israeli army after successive airstrikes targeted three rescue teams in Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), killing three paramedics and wounding six others, while another is still missing. The ministry described the strikes as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” saying the “crime” reflects “the Israeli army’s intent to prevent rescue workers from carrying out their humanitarian mission, to the point of making them direct targets.”
After initially targeting a rescue team from the Islamic Health Committee (CSI, affiliated with Hezbollah), killing at least one paramedic, the Israeli army then struck a second CSI ambulance that had arrived at the scene, injuring three rescuers. It subsequently targeted two additional ambulances that came later — one belonging to Nabatieh emergency services and another from the al-Rissala association (affiliated with Amal) — killing two paramedics and injuring two others, according to the Health Ministry.
Israeli airstrikes targeting homes and localities continue, our correspondent in south Lebanon reports
Three airstrikes targeted homes in the town of Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh).
Israeli warplanes also carried out strikes on the towns of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), Blat (Marjayoun), and Mansouri (Sour).
Two of those killed in the Israeli strike on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), which targeted rescue workers, were recovered in coordination with the Lebanese Army, which was accompanying the Lebanese Civil Defense.
Cease-fire discussions, possibly lasting 2 weeks, result from Lebanese efforts, official sources tell LBCI
Lebanese official sources told local channel LBCI that discussions surrounding a cease-fire in Lebanon — which have been circulating in local and regional media for several hours — are the “result of Lebanese efforts, the most recent being yesterday’s [Tuesday] meeting in Washington, followed by diplomatic contacts.”
The same sources specified that Lebanon is requesting a two-week truce, during which direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel would continue.
Pro-Hezbollah outlet Al-Mayadeen, citing an Iranian source and a Hezbollah official, reported in recent hours the possibility of a cease-fire coming into effect overnight through Iranian mediation. According to them, it would last at least one week — or at least until the end of the cease-fire between Iran and the United States.
A Hezbollah MP says Iranian and regional efforts could lead to a cease-fire in Lebanon 'soon'
Diplomatic efforts by Iran and other regional countries could soon result in a cease-fire in Lebanon, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussaoui told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that Tehran had used its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
“The Iranians are exerting strong pressure on the Americans and have set as a condition that the United States include Lebanon in the cease-fire. If they do not, they will continue their blockade of Hormuz. This is the economic card,” the Hezbollah figure said. “The Iranians have reached out to several regional and international parties to achieve this goal,” he added.
Toward a framework agreement: Progress in US-Iran talks, according to Axios
The United States and Iran made progress during Tuesday’s talks, moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Switzerland offers to host US-Iran and Israel-Lebanon talks in Geneva
Switzerland has offered to host talks between the United States and Iran, as well as between Israel and Lebanon, a senior Swiss official told Haaretz. “I can confirm that we have proposed hosting talks in Switzerland both between the United States and Iran and between Israel and Lebanon,” the official said.
“We have received positive feedback from both parties regarding the former. They are familiar with Geneva, feel comfortable there, and it is logistically straightforward, as the missions are used to organizing delegations and negotiations there.”
According to the official, Geneva “is somewhat midway, whereas Pakistan is quite far for the Americans. But of course, we are not competing with the Pakistanis, who have done good work. We are ready to step in if the parties ask us to.”
US and Iran have agreed in principle to resume negotiations, but have not yet decided on the date or location, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Iran-US talks: Iran to host Pakistani delegation
Iran is set to host a Pakistani delegation on Wednesday led by the influential army chief, Asim Munir, after saying it is continuing exchanges with the United States through Pakistan, state television reported.
According to state TV, the delegation — expected to be received by Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi — is carrying a new message from Washington to Tehran and will discuss the prospect of future negotiations with Iranian officials, following the collapse of an initial round of talks between the two rival countries held last weekend in Islamabad.
2,167 people killed in Lebanon since March 2
The Ministry of Health released its daily toll on Wednesday, reporting 2,167 people killed and 7,061 injured between March 2 and April 15, 2026. On April 15 alone, 43 people were killed and 140 were injured.
Pakistani envoys on route to Iran
A delegation of Pakistani officials is heading to Tehran to deliver a message from the United States and to prepare a second round of negotiations, Iranian state media reported, citing Pakistani sources.
According to the Iranian Broadcasting Agency, the delegation includes senior Pakistani officials and is led by Field Marshal Asim Munir. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to receive the delegation shortly.
Israeli army criticized over doctored image of journalist Ali Choeib, killed in Lebanon
The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem (FPA) has accused the Israeli army of attempting to discredit a Lebanese journalist killed in March by circulating a “fake” image generated using artificial intelligence showing him dressed in a Hezbollah uniform.
Three Lebanese journalists, including Ali Choeib, a correspondent for Al-Manar (the television channel linked to the Shiite party) were killed on March 28 in an Israeli strike on their car in the Jezzine area in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for both the strike and for the killing of the correspondent, describing him as a “terrorist in the intelligence unit of the al-Radwan force,” Hezbollah’s elite unit, operating “under the cover of a journalist.”
It provided no evidence to support this accusation, and posted on X an image showing Ali Choeib wearing a vest in which the word “press” is partially obscured by an altered version of the same photo depicting him in a Hezbollah uniform. The caption claims that “the press vest was merely a cover for terrorism.”
The following day, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, the army’s international spokesperson, acknowledged on X that the image had been “edited” and released another, blurry image, purportedly showing Ali Choeib “wearing a Hezbollah uniform.”
Israeli cabinet could meet this evening to examine a possible one-week cease-fire in Lebanon
After a senior Iranian politico-security source told the channel al-Mayadeen that a cease-fire could come into effect in Lebanon starting tonight, for a duration of one week, a senior Israeli official told Haaretz that “no decision has yet been made” and that the security cabinet is due to discuss the issue this evening.
According to al-Mayadeen, the cease-fire in Lebanon was decided “following pressure from Iran,” but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “could derail” the agreement.
On the Israeli side, the aforementioned senior official stressed that any decision on the matter would be taken “at the political level,” while another Israeli source said that a proposal for such a cease-fire had been “submitted at the request of the United States.” However, “the fire will not cease as long as Hezbollah continues” launching rocket.
Israeli attacks on south Lebanon: Qard al-Hassan building bombed in Deir Zahrani; houses blown up in Markaba, Blida and Shamaa
The situation in South Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent in the region:
• In the district of Sour: an air strike targeted Nafakhieh. Five drone strikes targeted Shehabieh, one of which hit a center belonging to the Islamic Mission Scouts Association (al-Rissala, affiliated with Amal).
• In the district of Nabatieh: several air strikes targeted Deir Zahrani (Nabatieh), one of which destroyed the recently constructed al-Qard al-Hassan building. One person was killed and another injured in an air strike targeting Harouf earlier in the day. Strikes also targeted Aaba, Breikeh and Qaaqaiat al-Jisr. Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Zibdin and Shukine.
• The Israeli army demolished houses in several villages it had invaded in recent weeks, notably in Markaba and Blida (Marjayoun), as well as in Shamaa (Sour).
Second Israeli air strike targets Deir Zahrani, Nabatieh
The sound of the explosion from an Israeli air strike on Deir Zahrani could be heard as far as Saida, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
US denies agreeing to extension of cease-fire with Iran
The United States has not formally agreed to extend the cease-fire with Iran, a senior U.S. official told AFP on Wednesday, following press reports that negotiators were nearing such an extension.
“Discussions are continuing between the United States and Iran to reach an agreement,” said the senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers in Bayyada, south of Sour
Hezbollah has claimed to have targeted Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in Bayada, south of Sour, with rockets. It also said it had intercepted an Israeli ‘Hermes 450 – Zik’ drone using a surface-to-air missile over Qabrikha (near Bint Jbeil) on Tuesday afternoon.
This drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for long-duration surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions.
Iran reiterates its right to enrich uranium, at a negotiable level
Iran has stated that talks with the United States are continuing, via Pakistan, following the breakdown of their discussions in Islamabad last weekend.
The Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry has reaffirmed Tehran’s “indisputable” right to enrich uranium, at a level which it nevertheless described as “negotiable.”
The right to civil nuclear energy cannot be “taken away under pressure or through war,” said the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Esmail Baghai, during a weekly press briefing.
“As regards the level and type of enrichment, we have always said that the issue is negotiable. We have insisted that Iran should be able to continue enrichment in accordance with its needs,” he added, referring to an “indisputable” right.
UNIFIL condemns the Israeli army’s interception of one of its convoys en route to Naqoura
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced in a statement that one of its convoys was intercepted on Tuesday in southern Lebanon by Israeli troops, a few kilometers from its destination in Naqoura (Sour).
This "regular" convoy was transporting military and civilian peacekeepers, as well as essential contract staff, from Beirut to UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, the statement said. “The vehicles bearing U.N. markings were eventually allowed to continue their journey. However, the local contract staff were forced to return to Beirut under police escort, even though the convoy had previously been authorized to move freely, and their presence had also been authorized,” the statement continued.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the U.N. force said. “Similar restrictions, in the form of physical roadblocks or the revocation of prior authorizations, have affected both peacekeepers and the essential personnel who support them. These actions raise concerns about the timely delivery of essential supplies, including food, fuel and water, to UNIFIL positions, particularly along the Blue Line,” UNIFIL added.
The U.N. force also warns against “the continuation of movement restrictions, which risks compromising the conduct of operations, including the ability of peacekeepers to report violations of Resolution 1701 in accordance with their obligations.”
UNIFIL has also called on the Israeli army to “honor the agreements reached and fulfill its obligations regarding the safety of peacekeepers and the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols and logistics convoys.”
Israeli strikes continue across southern Lebanon, killing civilians
- In the Sour district, Israel carried out several attacks. Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on a house in the town of Shehabieh, resulting in several casualties.Israeli warplanes also targeted the town of Srifa. Artillery shelling also targeted the outskirts of Burj al-Shamali.
- The Islamic Health Authority team in Qana (Sour) requested an excavator to search for Dalia Ezzedine, who was killed in a recent strike that targeted the town. Today, they successfully retrieved her body from under the rubble. The town of Qana had been subjected to consecutive airstrikes over the past few days, our correspondent reported.
- Israeli warplanes launched two airstrikes targeting the town of Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil). Airstrikes also targeted Deir Zahrani (Nabatieh), the city of Bint Jbeil, and Majdal Selm (Marjayoun).
- Artillery shelling targeted the towns of Braasheet and Beit Yahoun (both located in Bint Jbeil).
- Israeli drone strikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Kfar Joz, near the Fakhr al-Din wells in Nabatieh. A drone strike targeted the Wadi Ain al-Dahab area in the town of Harouf (Nabatieh).
- A mother, Mona Ali Aoun, and her two children, Hassan and Zain al-Abidin Nasrallah, were killed in an attack that targeted Ansarieh (Saida) this morning.
- One man was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a car in the town of Blat (Marjayoun), near the Spanish Battalion base of UNIFIL.
- An explosion was carried out by the Israeli army in the town of Taybeh (Marjayoun).
Second Israeli air strike targets Deir Zahrani, Nabatieh
Photo relayed by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah
Israel kills 4 rescue workers in successive strikes on Mayfadoun
Israel killed four rescue workers and injured several others in successive Israeli strikes targeting rescue teams who rushed to the site of a strikes on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Following the initial strike, several rescue vehicles arrived at the scene and were in turn targeted by Israeli fire. In turn, the Israeli army fired from a drone at a vehicle belonging to the Islamic Health Committee (IHC, affiliated with Hezbollah) and used artillery shells to strike an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Mission Scouts (Rissala, Amal), a second IHC ambulance and two others from the Civil Defense, notably from the Nabatieh unit.
Among the four rescue workers killed were a Rissala paramedic, Fadel Serhane, an IHC member, Mahdi Abu Zeid, and another member of the Nabatieh ambulance service. Operations are continuing, in coordination with the Lebanese Army, to reach the site and recover one of the bodies, which is believed to still be trapped inside the ambulance.
Ongoing house demolitions reported in Naqoura as Israel razes homes, roads, and civilian infrastructure
Photo shared by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah
Israeli forces continue to demolish homes in villages where they are present, without pause, destroying houses, institutions, and roads. This activity is still ongoing in the town of Naqoura.
In the image, an Israeli bulldozer is seen demolishing a tourist facility in the town.
Iranian military threatens to block exports via Red Sea if US blockade continues
Iran has threatened to block the Red Sea — which it does not border — should the U.S. blockade of its ports continue, arguing that this could lead to a breach of the cease-fire.
If the United States maintains its naval blockade and “creates insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers,” this will constitute “the prelude” to a breach of the cease-fire, in force since April 8, said General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian Armed Forces Command.
“The powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow any exports or imports in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman or the Red Sea,” he added, according to a statement broadcast on state television.
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: Amal political bureau member laments Lebanon ‘taking step into unknown, with no guarantees’
“Lebanon has renounced its commitments to Resolution 1701 and to diplomatic action to compel Israel to a cease-fire,” laments Hassan Qabalan, a member of the political bureau of the Amal movement, in a statement to L’OLJ.
“Tuesday’s negotiations are a step into the unknown, with no guarantees,” he said. “The Israelis have made it clear that they want a peace deal wrested from under fire.” He added: “The Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, had anticipated all this. He said that the negotiations would achieve nothing more than an official photo opportunity.”
According to Qabalan, Israel is “simply seeking to sabotage the relationship between Lebanon and Iran, which, incidentally, has never said it wanted to negotiate on Lebanon’s behalf, but simply wished to secure a cease-fire.”
“History is repeating itself, and Israel will resort to the same tactics it employed during the agreement of May 17, 1983,” he concluded. He was referring to an agreement negotiated under the presidency of Amin Gemayel between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which provided for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory. At the last minute, the Israelis added clauses to the agreement that were seen as deal-breakers. Furthermore, on Feb. 6, the Amal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party staged a coup, leading to the agreement’s cancellation.
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: Fadlallah (Hezbollah) condemns Lebanese government for ‘continuing to make concessions to the enemy’
Hezbollah MP Hussein Fadlallah stated at a press conference in Parliament that “the government in Beirut is incompetent and prioritizes individual, even sectarian, interests over those of the nation,” following a meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington.
He added that the Lebanese authorities “continue to make concessions to the enemy and have embarked on a dangerous path that widens the divide between the Lebanese people.”
He stated: “The Lebanese authorities must review their strategy and return to their people,” emphasizing that “it is this very government that withdrew the army from the south, leaving it at the mercy of the occupation and giving it carte blanche.”
Lebanon-Israel negotiations: 'I’m not necessarily optimistic,' Jumblatt tells L’OLJ
“I’m not necessarily optimistic,” said Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, when contacted by L’Orient-Le Jour. “We need to see what the United States can secure in terms of guarantees and what Lebanon’s roadmap will be. Of course, Lebanon must start by demanding a cease-fire,” he added, arguing that it would be necessary to “build on the results of the 2024 ceasefire, when Israel was still occupying five positions in the south.”
For the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), “what is important is that the negotiations take place in the United States with American mediation.” In this context, he recalled that Lebanon and Israel had met in 1949 within the committee tasked with reaching the armistice agreement.
Israel targets paramedics in Mayfadoun; injures 3
Three people were injured after a team from the Islamic Health Committee and the Islamic Mission Scouts Association (the first-aid associations of Hezbollah and Amal) were targeted by an Israeli army drone following a strike on Mayfadoun (Nabatieh).
Israeli drone strikes also targeted the following locations in the same region: Breike, Nabatieh Fawqa, and Sir al-Gharbieh whilst artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Habboush.
Saouane, in the district of Marjayoun, was also bombed.
Hezbollah claims to have fired surface-to-air missile at Israeli fighter jet
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for further attacks, stating that it targeted the Israeli barracks at Metat, in northern Israel, “using a swarm of attack drones.”
The party also claimed to have fired “a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli fighter jet in the skies over Debaal [Sour].”
Hezbollah further announced a rocket strike on Israeli soldiers in Khiam, in the eastern sector.
Road to Mashghara hydroelectric power station reopened following Israeli strike
The National Litani River Authority (LRA) has announced the reopening of the access road to the Ibrahim Abdel Aal hydroelectric power station, located in Mashghara (Western Bekaa), following an Israeli attack on the town on Sunday.
Teams from the LRA, supported by the Lebanese Army and military intelligence, have “reopened the access road and begun repairing the damaged high-voltage power lines. This swift coordination has enabled the situation to be restored and ensured the continuity of the electricity supply.”
Israel issues new displacement order for residents south of Zahrani River to evacuate north
Israel has once again called on residents south of the Zahrani River, which flows into the Mediterranean south of Saida in southern Lebanon, to evacuate the area and head north.
Hezbollah strikes 17 Israeli military targets in Lebanon and 47 targets in Israel
Hezbollah stated on Wednesday that it had struck 17 Israeli military targets in Lebanon and 46 targets in Israel the previous day.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Bint Jbeil and attacks northern Israel
Hezbollah said it had fired a barrage of rockets at midnight, targeting a gathering of Israeli army vehicles and soldiers on the northern outskirts of the town of Bint Jbeil. The party also said it had carried out a similar rocket attack against Israeli forces in the same area on Tuesday at 7.30 pm.
In a separate statement, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted Misgav Am, opposite the Lebanese town of Adaisseh (Marjayoun), at 9.30 am with a barrage of rockets.
Hezbollah targets Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Bint Jbeil; attacks northern Israel
Hezbollah stated that at 12 am it launched a rocket barrage targeting a gathering of Israeli army vehicles and soldiers on the northern outskirts of Bint Jbeil.
The group also reported that on Tuesday at 7:30 pm, it carried out a similar rocket attack against Israeli forces in the same area.
In a separate statement, Hezbollah said that at 9:30 am it targeted Misgav Am, opposite the town of Adaisseh (Marjayoun), with a barrage of rockets.
Hezbollah claims responsibility for rocket fire on 11 villages in northern Israel; Israeli army says '30 rockets' fired this morning
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on eleven villages in northern Israel between 8 am and 8.30 am, according to two statements. It said it had targeted Metula, Kfar Giladi, Kiryat Shmona, Dovev, Shlomi, Metzova, Yaara, Avdon, Kfar Vradim, Nahariya, and Shavei Zion.
For its part, the Israeli army reported “around thirty” rockets fired from southern Lebanon, eight of which were intercepted, following a night without any firing by Hezbollah. These attacks slightly injured a man in Tamra, around 25 kilometers from the border, according to paramedics quoted by Haaretz.
Israeli drone strikes on Bablieh and Saouane in southern Lebanon
Two Israeli drone strikes targeted Bablieh, seriously injuring a scooter driver, and Saouane (Marjayoun) in southern Lebanon, according to information from our correspondent. An air strike also targeted Qleileh (Sour), and Awaneh (Marjayoun).
Hezbollah fires ‘20 rockets at Israel in three minutes’
Hezbollah is reported to have fired "more than 20 rockets at towns in northern Israel within the space of three minutes," according to Israeli Army Radio. All were intercepted or fell onto open terrain, the radio station added, noting that the attacks took place at 8am.
Hezbollah has not yet claimed responsibility for any new attacks since midnight on Tuesday, but rocket fire has been reported by our correspondent’s sources in southern Lebanon.
Senior Israeli military officials call for 'deeper’ invasion into southern Lebanon
Senior Israeli military officials are insisting on stepping up their ground operation in southern Lebanon, extending it beyond the line along which Israeli forces are currently deployed, some five kilometers from the border, according to reports on army radio.
Successive Israeli strikes on cars in Saadiyat and Barja, on the highway linking Beirut to the South
The targeted car on the highway near Barja. (Photo shared by our south Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)
Two consecutive Israeli drone strikes targeted vehicles on the highway linking Beirut to the south, near Saadiyat and the junction between Jiyyeh and Barja, according to our correspondent.
The first strike hit a van with two missiles. The vehicle was hit head-on and burning debris was scattered across the motorway. A few minutes later, another explosion struck a car at the junction between Jiyyeh, on the coast, and Barja.
In addition to these strikes on the coastal motorway, this morning an Israeli strike targeted Mahmoudieh, in the Aishieh region (Jezzine) and another Tibnin (Bint Jbeil), near a Lebanese Army medical center. Other strikes targeted Tiri (Bint Jbeil), Bablieh (Saida) and Qleileh (Sour), according to our correspondent.
Clashes and explosions in Khiam between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops
Intense ground battles continue in Khiam and Bint Jbeil between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops, with Israel seeking to "expand" its occupation of Lebanese territory.
In Khiam, in the eastern sector of the border strip, two air strikes targeted the northern district of the town. Violent clashes were also heard as far as neighboring villages, with the sound of rocket fire and automatic gunfire.
At around 2am this morning, a powerful explosion was heard throughout the area, likely caused by the demolition of several buildings using explosives.
Fighting is also continuing in Bint Jbeil, in the central sector, which is surrounded by Israeli troops, according to our correspondent. These clashes are taking place in particular around the stadium, which was destroyed by the Israelis, around the Serail school, the town hall, and the town’s reservoir. However, Israeli forces have not yet managed to advance towards the town center.
Deadly Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon overnight kill at least 13 people
Israeli air strikes continued overnight, following a violent day in southern Lebanon during which Israel bombed 58 villages and towns, 14 by drone strikes and 23 by artillery fire, according to our correspondent in the region. The night-time strikes killed at least ten people, according to initial reports.
In Abbassieh (Sour), an Israeli strike killed four people, whilst a strike on Jbaa (Nabatieh), killed a family of four. Israel also bombed a house in Ansarieh (Saida), killing five people and injuring four others.
In Abbassieh, another strike targeted the area around the village’s state secondary school, which is sheltering many displaced people, though no casualties were reported. In the same region, fighter jets bombed Barish, Wadi Jilo (on several occasions) and Aitit.
Israel also targeted Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh) and Ghandourieh (Bint Jbeil) with air strikes.
Hello and welcome to our live news blog
Welcome to our live news coverage of events taking place in Lebanon and the wider region.
Yesterday, rare, direct talks were held in Washington between Lebanon and Israel in preparation for direct negotiations between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Israel continues attacking southern Lebanon with heightened intensity, and ground battles between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops are ongoing, particularly in Khiam and Bint Jbeil, with Israel seeking to occupy extended swaths of Lebanese territory.
As we get the blog going, check out our Morning Brief here for everything you need to know this Wednesday.
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