Trump: Cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel extended by 3 weeks following meeting between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington | LIVE

Trump says he predicts 'very good chance' of peace deal this year

Speaking at the White House following talks between representatives from Lebanon and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a “very good chance” of reaching a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon as early as this year, after announcing a three-week extension of the cease-fire.

JD Vance hails ‘historic moment’ following meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors at White House

Trump: Cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel extended by 3 weeks

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday in a post on Truth Social that the cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel will be extended by three weeks:

"The President of the United States, DONALD J. TRUMP, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, met today with High Ranking Representatives of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office. The Meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah. The Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS. I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun. It was a Great Honor to be a participant at this very Historic Meeting! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

The Israeli army has announced that it has intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon

The Israeli army has announced that it has intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon, just as talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv are taking place in Washington.

“Following the alerts triggered a short while ago in the Shtoula area (in northern Israel, opposite the Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab), several rounds of fire from Lebanese territory towards Israeli territory were detected,” the Israeli army announced on X. “The air force intercepted them, and the alerts were activated,” it added.

Iran has continued to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to Axios

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has laid more mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to Axios, which cites a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter.

Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot down and kill any and all vessels, no matter how small ... that are laying mines” in the strait.

Iran’s air defense system has been activated due to the presence of drones, according to an Iranian news agency

The Iranian news agency Fars, citing its correspondent, reports that air defense systems were activated earlier following the detection of small drones at several locations across Iran.

Meanwhile, an Israeli security source told AFP earlier that the Israeli army was not attacking Iran, after Iranian media reported air defense fire in the west of the Iranian capital.

US aircraft carrier George Bush approaching Middle East, US military says

The U.S. aircraft carrier George Bush is sailing near the Middle East in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. military said on Thursday, bringing the number of its vessels deployed in the region to three.

The aircraft carrier Bush “is sailing in the Indian Ocean, within the area of responsibility of the US Central Command, on April 23,” the latter wrote on its X account, reports AFP. The aircraft carriers Ford and Lincoln had previously been dispatched to the Middle East.

Health Ministry: 2,483 killed and 7,707 injured by Israel in Lebanon since March 2

The Lebanese Health Ministry's latest toll reports that Israel has killed 2,483 people and injured 7,707 others in Lebanon since the war re-escalated on March 2.

'Israel is not currently attacking Iran,' says Israeli security source

An Israeli security source told AFP on Thursday evening that the Israeli military was not attacking Iran, following reports in the Iranian media of air defense fire in the west of the Iranian capital. “Israel is not currently attacking Iran,” said the source, who requested anonymity, without giving further details.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli defense minister had stated that Israel was “ready to resume the war against Iran” and was awaiting the green light from Washington to send the country “back to the Stone Age.”

Trump claims he has ‘all the time in the world’ regarding Iran

Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that he had "all the time in the world" regarding the war in the Middle East — unlike Iran, he said — in a post on his Truth Social platform:

"For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am “anxious” to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking! The reason some of the Media is doing so poorly with Subscribers and Viewers is because they no longer have credibility. Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side! A Deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World. President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Israel fires artillery shells in Yater, Bint Jbeil, injuring child

Israeli artillery shelling of the village of Yater (Bint Jbeil) has injured a child, Mohammad Hussein Kourani, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. He is the son of Hussein Mohammad Kourani, a Hezbollah fighter previously killed by Israel, according to our correspondent.

Dibil reinstalls a statue of Jesus Christ with the help of the Italian UNIFIL contingent after it was vandalised by an Israeli soldier

A statue of Christ was reinstalled on Wednesday in one of the homes on the outskirts of the village, replacing the one destroyed by an Israeli soldier a few days ago, one of Dibil’s mukhtars told L’Orient-Le Jour.

The mukhtar explained that the new statue had been sent “by the Italian Church via the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)” and that it had been installed on Wednesday evening in the same spot as the one that had been destroyed.

He added that the area where the house is located is currently considered a military zone and that the Israeli army has forbidden residents from entering or moving about there. He also noted that the statue’s replacement took place in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, several Christian religious leaders, and the owners of the house.

The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had erected a new statue of Jesus Christ “in coordination with the residents” of the Christian village of Dibil. According to the mukhtar, whilst a photo showing the cross in the garden did circulate, no residents were present during the installation, which he described primarily as a “media stunt,” following the outcry caused by the defacement of the original cross.

Trump will attend part of meeting scheduled between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors at White House

According to L’Orient Today, U.S. President Donald Trump will attend part of the meeting scheduled to take place in the coming hours at the White House between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors.

Lebanese Army announces it has defused 8 unexploded aerial bombs in Lebanon

Specialized units of the Lebanese Army have defused eight unexploded aerial bombs on Lebanese territory following Israeli strikes, the Lebanese Army reports. These bombs were located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, in Majdel Selm, Aitit, Zibqine (Sour), and Habboush (Nabatieh). They were then transported to secure sites, the army stated.

The army command took this opportunity to renew its appeal to citizens to “exercise caution” when in the vicinity of war-affected areas, and to “immediately report any suspicious objects to the nearest military post.”

Aoun to ministers: 'I never considered contacting Netanyahu'

The Lebanese Presidency reported on X the remarks made by President Joseph Aoun at the start of the Cabinet meeting. Aoun stated that “the contacts made to halt the military escalation, notably with U.S. President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as the results of the first meeting at the U.S. State Department, were brought to the attention of Presidents Nabih Berry and Nawaf Salam.”

He stated that “these contacts focused on a ceasefire and the launch of a negotiation process based on ending the state of war with Israel, its withdrawal from the occupied territories, the return of prisoners, the deployment of the army to the international borders, and the examination of outstanding issues concerning the Blue Line.”

He also stated that “certain media outlets have reported on this matter inaccurately and disseminated false information.”

“I have absolutely never considered contacting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” he added.

Israeli Defense minister says Israel waiting for U.S. go-ahead to renew Iran war

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel is waiting for the United States to allow it to kill the remaining family of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son, current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Haaretz reported.

"We are waiting for the green light from the United States, first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty and return Iran to the Dark Ages and the Stone Age," Katz said, according to Haaretz.

"The attack this time will be different and deadly and will add devastating blows in the most painful places, following the enormous blows that the Iranian terrorist regime has suffered so far, that will shake and collapse its foundations," he added.

Third Jordanian aid convoy reaches Lebanon through Masnaa border crossing

The third convoy of relief and medical aid organized by Jordan arrived at the Masnaa Border Crossing and was received by several Lebanese authority representatives.

The convoy carries a variety of humanitarian aid, contributed by ten countries as well as the European Union.

The Jordanian ambassador Walid Al-Hadid said: “An aid convoy entered through the Masnaa land border crossing, in implementation of the royal directives to support our brotherly Lebanon in these difficult circumstances, and as a continuation of Jordan’s consistent approach in supporting Lebanon. This convoy is an international relief effort in which several countries are participating: Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Romania, Portugal, Germany, Singapore, Luxembourg, Spain, the Netherlands, and the European Union. It consists of 19 trucks loaded with food supplies, relief materials, tents, and blankets, reflecting international solidarity with brotherly Lebanon in these difficult conditions.”

This latest dispatch brings the total to 40 trucks sent by Jordan over the past few weeks to support the Lebanese people in response to the ongoing humanitarian situation, the Jordan Times reported.

Israeli drone strike on a car in Shoukin kills at least 3 people

An Israeli drone strike targeted a car on the outskirts of the town of Shoukin (Nabatieh), killing at least three people, including the driver, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. The identities of the victims are not yet known.

This is the first Israeli drone strike in Lebanon on Thursday.

Lebanon’s ambassador in Geneva calls on UN to investigate alleged targeting of journalists

Lebanon’s ambassador in Geneva, Caroline Ziadeh, has urged U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to act over Israeli attacks on journalists in Lebanon since March 2, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

She said the Lebanese Information Ministry documented repeated Israeli strikes on media workers, including Ghada Al-Dayekh of Voice of Joy radio and Suzanne Khalil of Al-Nour radio and Al-Manar TV.

Ziadeh argued these incidents amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law, citing protections for civilians and journalists under the Geneva Conventions, their Additional Protocols, and the Rome Statute.

She added that 28 Lebanese journalists have been killed since October 2023 without accountability,” stressing the urgent need to protect media workers in conflict zones. Ziadeh called for “U.N. intervention to ensure investigations, accountability, and Israel’s compliance with international law.”

French FM: 'Only way forward is political agreement between Israel and Lebanon'

The French Foreign Ministry stated that the “only way” to end the war in Lebanon was a “political agreement” between Lebanon and Israel. “The only way forward is a political agreement between Israel and Lebanon that guarantees the security of both countries, Lebanon’s territorial integrity, and lays the groundwork for the normalization of their relations,” said Glenn Salic, deputy spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, at a press conference.

Only such an agreement would enable “Hezbollah to cease targeting Israel and claiming to replace the [Lebanese] state in the exercise of its prerogatives, and Israel to respect Lebanon’s territorial sovereignty,” according to the French Foreign Ministry.

Israel continues demolition of homes, carrying out explosions in southern Lebanon

• Israel has carried out the demolition of homes in Bayyada (Sour) and Deir Siryan (Marjayoun).
• An Israeli explosion was also reported in the town of Shamaa (Sour).
• Israel has blocked the road leading from Shebaa to Kfar Shuba (both located in Hasbaya) at the Barakat al-Naqqar area with an earth-mound barrier.

Journalists pay tribute to slain journalist Amal Khalil in Beirut sit-in

Protesters, including members of the media, attend a vigil to condemn the killing of journalists, a day after journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli strike, in Martyrs' Square, Beirut, Lebanon April 23, 2026. (Credit: Marko Djurica/Reuters)

About 150 people held a solemn sit-in Thursday in downtown Beirut in memory of slain journalist Amal Khalil, killed a day earlier by Israel in a targeted strike on a building where she was taking refuge in Tiri, southern Lebanon, despite a cease-fire in effect since April 17.

Read more here.

Macron speaks of creating conditions for lasting peace in Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron stated from Nicosia that France wishes above all for the extension of the cease-fire in Lebanon, which is due to end on Sunday, as well as to see “the conditions for lasting peace established,” including “respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty,” its “territorial integrity,” and the “sustainable” disarmament of Hezbollah.

He also thanked the Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulides, for inviting his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, to Nicosia on Friday, in the presence of the Crown Prince of Jordan, Hussein bin Abdullah, and the Egyptian and Syrian presidents, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi and Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Macron finally stated that France “stands ready” to organize a “conference to rally support and mobilize everyone to assist Lebanon in this effort to regain sovereignty,” two days after meeting with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, in Paris. This conference, to be held “at a time deemed appropriate by Lebanon,” will have the dual objective of “assisting the Lebanese army and supporting the reconstruction of southern Lebanon."

Strait of Hormuz: Trump claims US has ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, and states once again that it will remain “locked down” until an agreement is reached between the United States and Iran. In a post on Truth Social, he said:

"Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know! The infighting is between the “Hardliners,” who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the “Moderates,” who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY! We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP"

New shipment of 10 tons of aid from France expected to arrive in Beirut Thursday

France will send nearly ten tons of additional humanitarian aid to Lebanon later today, a spokesperson for the French Foriegn Ministry said, as reported by Reuters.

“A new shipment of around 10 ton is due to take off today. This new package of humanitarian aid provides a concrete response to the needs of the displaced Lebanese population,” said the ministry’s deputy spokesperson, Glenn Salic, adding that the shipment includes tents, kitchen kits, lamps, and other equipment.

Hezbollah claims 3 attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah announced that it carried out three attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon during the morning, after the Israeli army reported intercepting projectiles in the area.

According to the group, its fighters first carried out an attack at 6 a.m. against Israeli soldiers in Taybeh using unspecified weapons. At 10 a.m., it said it launched a suicide drone targeting troops in the same village in the Marjayoun district.

Hezbollah also claimed that, 30 minutes later, it shot down an Israeli reconnaissance drone over Majdal Zoun in the Sour district.

Funeral of Amal Khalil begins in her hometown of Baissariyeh, Saida

(Credit: Muntasser Abdallah/ L'Orient Today)

The funeral of slain al-akhbar journalist Amal Khalil, known by many as the "Voice of the South," has begun in her hometown of Baissariyeh (Saida).

The funeral procession is moving through the village streets to chants from enraged and sorrowful attendees, including “Death to America,” “Death to Israel,” and “Labayka ya Hussein” (“At your service, Hussein”), as people throw rice and flowers over the coffin in tribute, according to our correspondent on site.

The coffin, carried on the shoulders of mourners, is making its way through large crowds of residents from the village and surrounding areas, family, friends, and colleagues.

Upon the procession’s arrival at the town cemetery, women dressed in black gathered, holding pictures of Khalil while chants continued. Afterwards, the town’s sheikh led the funeral prayer over the body before she was laid to rest amid an atmosphere of sorrow and mourning, our correspondent reported.

Khalil was killed the previous day in an Israeli strike on a house where she had taken refuge in Tiri, a village located in the “buffer zone” Israel is seeking to establish in southern Lebanon, following earlier strikes that had killed two other people in her vicinity.

Israeli forces prevented rescue teams from accessing the village for several hours, despite pleas from colleagues, government officials, and international organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF). By the time paramedics were able to reach the site of the strike, and after a prolonged search, they found her body lifeless under the rubble.

The killing sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, with both local and international journalists reiterating the need to protect journalists.

Strait of Hormuz: Trump orders US Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines

Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social account that he has ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill any boat" laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation," the president said in a post on Truth Social.

He added that “our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!"

Salam to the Washington Post: Disarmament 'will not happen overnight'

In an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday on the sidelines of his visit to Paris, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon would only agree to a deal that includes a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from its territory. "We cannot live with a so-called buffer zone,” he said, “an Israeli presence where Lebanese displaced people are not allowed to return, where destroyed villages and towns cannot be rebuilt."

“We are entering these negotiations convened by the U.S. convinced that the U.S. is the party that can have leverage over Israel," Salam said after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron. “Their role was critical in reaching the cease-fire, and we hope they will continue exercising their leverage over Israel.”

The prime minister also called for extending the fragile U.S.-brokered cease-fire, which is set to expire at the end of the week. Responding to domestic criticism about engaging directly with Israel while Lebanon is under fire, Salam said the diplomacy is not “a concession to anyone.”

Asked about Hezbollah’s weapons, Salam said only a Lebanese-led process can address the issue and that a state monopoly of arms is a “Lebanese interest,” regardless of Israeli demands, because “it’s high time to recognize that a state cannot have two armies.”

“Disarmament is a process; it’s not something that’s going to happen overnight. But what’s more important is that we have shown seriousness,” he said. He added that the government would not be “intimidated” by Hezbollah.

Read more here.

Israel continues attacks on Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun districts

The Israeli army is continuing its military operations in the Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun districts, targeting villages included in the “buffer zone” it is seeking to establish in southern Lebanon.

According to our correspondent in the region, Israeli artillery fire targeted the outskirts of the village of Hadatha (Bint Jbeil), alongside heavy machine-gun fire directed toward the village. Explosions were also heard in Rchaf (Bint Jbeil), accompanied by sustained machine-gun fire toward residential areas.

In the Marjayoun district, an interceptor missile exploded over the village of Markaba, while an explosion was also reported in Taybeh.

Berri denounces Israel's killing of journalist Amal Khalil as a 'premeditated crime'

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri offered his condolences to the family of journalist Amal Khalil and spoke by phone with Ibrahim al-Amine, editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar, where she worked. Berri condemned what he described as “a premeditated crime committed against the press and freedom of expression.”

Israeli army says it killed Hezbollah member at launch site in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army said it killed a Hezbollah member in a strike on Wednesday, targeting what it described as a rocket launch site in southern Lebanon. According to the army, the individual was operating at the site in Sojod, in the Jezzine district north of the Litani River, and was targeted to “prevent a direct threat to communities in northern Israel.”

No airstrike was reported in Sojod on Wednesday. However, the Israeli army carried out a fighter jet strike in the nearby Jabbour area, located in the highlands of the Jezzine district overlooking the Bekaa Valley. The strike killed one person and injured two others.

The UN says it is 'working' to maintain a presence in Lebanon after UNIFIL’s departure in 2027

The United Nations is “working” to maintain a presence in Lebanon after the departure of UNIFIL, whose mandate is set to expire in December, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations said.

The Security Council has requested “options for a possible United Nations presence post-UNIFIL,” and “we must present these recommendations … before June 1 of this year,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix said at a press conference in Geneva.

Israeli army renews call not to enter villages in 'buffer zone'

The Israeli army issued an “urgent message to residents of south Lebanon,” reiterating its warning not to enter villages located along and south of the “buffer zone” it seeks to establish in southern Lebanon. The statement comes a day after a journalist was killed in an Israeli strike while she was reporting from Tiri (Bint Jbeil), a village located south of the Israeli “yellow line.”

“Despite the cease-fire agreement, the Israeli army maintains its positions in south Lebanon in response to Hezbollah’s terrorist activities. For your safety and the safety of your families, and until further notice, you are requested not to move south of the designated villages and their surroundings,” the statement said, alongside a map showing the area.

“It is also forbidden to approach the Litani River, Wadi al-Salhani and Wadi Slouki,” the post added, listing villages where access is also prohibited.

Morcos seeks to establish a mechanism 'allowing journalists to report entry into dangerous areas'

Minister Paul Morcos paid tribute to journalist Amal Khalil in an interview on LBCI, and said contacts had been made, including with UNESCO and the U.N. Human Rights Council, to file a formal complaint before international bodies over Israeli attacks targeting journalists.

He said he would raise the issue again with the Cabinet, which is due to meet at 3 p.m., as part of follow-up procedures for the complaint process. He also cited contacts with the U.N., the European Union, UNESCO and UNIFIL to “revive a mechanism allowing journalists to report their entry into dangerous areas,” while stressing that it “offers no real guarantee of safety.”

'We will continue to be on the ground,' says Amal Khalil’s colleague at Beirut sit-in

Speaking to Matthieu Karam, our reporter in downtown Beirut, Mohammad Zanaty, a reporter who has extensively covered the current war and the previous one, and who was a friend of Amal Khalil, denounced the “flagrant crime” committed by Israel.

“The Israelis knew she was a journalist. They targeted her once, twice …,” he said. He added that at the time of the strike on Tiri, he was “in Tibnin, not far from her, but we could not reach the site of the attack to help her…”

He said he refused to be deterred: “Her killing will not discourage us. If it had, we would have stopped doing our job after the killing of Issam Abdallah, of Ali, of Fatima … but we will continue to be on the ground,” he said, referring to the Reuters journalist killed by an Israeli artillery shell on Oct. 13, 2023 in south Lebanon, as well as to Ali and Fatima Ftouni, killed in a drone strike in Jezzine in late March 2026.

Sit-in for Amal Khalil, killed in targeted Israeli strike, held in downtown Beirut

(Credit: Matthieu Karam/ L'Orient Today)

Following a call by Lebanon’s journalists’ union, around 150 people, including reporters, gathered in Martyrs’ Square in downtown Beirut for a sit-in in solidarity with and in memory of Amal Khalil, who was killed the previous day in south Lebanon.

Speaking at the gathering, Elsy Moufarrej, coordinator of the Alternative Press Syndicate, said that the last time she spoke to Khalil, “we were talking about all these fallen journalists, one after the other … and now she is one of them. It feels like it was inevitable.”

She denounced an “Israeli crime” and said the case is now “in the hands of the state,” calling for it to be referred to the International Criminal Court, “which Israel fears more than anything.”

Hezbollah condemns 'bid to silence free media'

Hezbollah has strongly condemned the killing of Amal Khalil in an Israeli strike on Tiri yesterday, “while she was carrying out her duty in southern Lebanon.” The newspaper Al-Akhbar, for which she worked, is considered close to Hezbollah.

The party denounced a “flagrant war crime and an attempt to silence free and national media,” recalling that the Israeli army also prevented rescue teams from immediately reaching the site of the strike, in the de facto buffer zone that Tel Aviv is establishing in southern Lebanon.

Hamas in Lebanon condemns the killing of journalist Amal Khalil

Hamas in Lebanon has “strongly condemned” the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in what it described as a “cowardly” Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.

“This crime constitutes a blatant violation of press freedom and international law, aimed at silencing the truth” about the situation in the south of the country, the Palestinian movement said.

“Targeting journalists will not stop the message of resistance or the pursuit of justice,” the statement added.

An Iranian official says Iran is receiving its first revenues from passage fees in the Strait of Hormuz

A senior Iranian parliamentary official said Tehran has received its first income from the passage fees it has imposed in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

“The first revenues from passage fees in the Strait of Hormuz have been deposited into the account of the Central Bank,” said Hamidreza Hajibabaei, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, according to the Tasnim news agency. Other media outlets also reported the statement without providing further details.

South Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling on Yohmor al-Shaqif, demolition in Khiam

According to our correspondent in the South, Israeli artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Yohmor al-Shaqif (Nabatieh district).

Our correspondent also reported a powerful explosion carried out by the Israeli army in the Beit Idriss neighborhood of Khiam. The blast was heard in surrounding villages.

The Israeli army says it intercepted an 'aerial target' over south Lebanon

The Israeli army said that it intercepted an “aerial target” over south Lebanon that did not enter Israeli territory.

“The results of the interception are under review,” the army said, without specifying the area where the incident took place.

Hezbollah has not claimed any attack since last night. Since Monday, it has said it carried out six attacks since the cease-fire came into effect last Friday, targeting Israeli positions in south Lebanon or northern Israel.

The Israeli army announces the capture of a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Unit

The Israeli army said it had captured a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force during an operation in south Lebanon carried out by the 300th Brigade.

“Yesterday [Wednesday], Israeli forces identified a terrorist from Hezbollah’s Radwan Unit who was planning an imminent attack. Shortly after being identified, the terrorist surrendered and was arrested, then transferred to Unit 504 for further investigation,” said a statement from Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee.

The statement was accompanied by a video of the capture, showing the man in the middle of a road as Israeli soldiers approach him.

Local sources reported on Wednesday that a Hezbollah fighter who had fled Bint Jbeil while wounded towards the still-inhabited villages of Rmeish and Ain Ibl later surrendered to the Israeli army.

Barrot: Without France’s intervention, there would likely be no cease-fire today in Lebanon

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on France Info this morning that without Paris, there would “likely” have been no ceasefire established in Lebanon last week, even though France was excluded by Israel from the talks.

“Without France’s intervention, there would likely be no cease-fire today in Lebanon, and likely no talks between Israelis and Lebanese,” Barrot said. A new meeting is due to take place this evening at the U.S. State Department in Washington between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors, as part of preparations for indirect negotiations between the two countries — the first in more than 40 years. Beirut is expected to call at this meeting for an extension of the cease-fire, initially agreed for ten days.

“France told Israel that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran had to cover Lebanon, and it is a fact that it does cover Lebanon,” Barrot said. The truce has been repeatedly disrupted by Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks, while the Israeli army occupies a large strip of territory in southern Lebanon, where it has effectively established a buffer zone.

He also said France had told Israel it was “illusory to think it could disarm Hezbollah through the exclusive use of force,” which, according to him, led Tel Aviv to agree to “high-level” talks with Beirut, following repeated calls in that direction by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun since 2 March.

“We mobilized at all levels. It was the President of the Republic who informed President Trump of the seriousness of the massive strikes that bloodied Lebanon on 8 April,” the foreign minister added, when asked about France’s absence alongside the United States in the negotiations.

➡️ You can read more here on why France was excluded from the negotiation process between Lebanon and Israel.

Tiri municipality condemns 'barbaric crime' after Israel killed Amal Khalil

The municipality of Tiri condemned Israel's “barbaric crime” that took place in the village yesterday.

An Israeli drone strike on Tiri yesterday killed two people, including mokhtar Ali Bazzi. Seeking shelter after the strike, Al-Akhbar journalist Amal Khalil had fled to a nearby building with her colleague, which Israel also struck, and restricted the army and Red Cross' access to it.

“This treacherous attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all human values and a clear breach of international laws and conventions that guarantee the protection of civilians and journalists during times of conflict,” the municipality stated, affirming that the residents “will remain committed to their land and to the resistance by all available means.”

Israeli army blows up homes and sets them on fire in Marjayoun district

This morning, invading Israeli troops set fire to several houses in a neighborhood west of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).

Overnight, Israel carried out an explosion in Khiam (Marjayoun) and launched attacks using automatic weapons and artillery fire on Qantara (Marjayoun).

Demolitions in south Lebanon: Homes blown up and set on fire in Marjayoun district

Since dawn, the Israeli army has set fire to several homes in a neighborhood in western Mais al-Jabal and carried out an explosion overnight in Khiam (Marjayoun).

Automatic gunfire and artillery shelling also targeted Qantara in the same area during the night.

Aoun denounces 'repeated targeting' of journalists by Israel

Following Israel's targeting of two journalists and the killing of Amal Khalil, President Joseph Aoun “expressed his sorrow” and denounced what he described as “deliberate and repeated targeting by Israel of journalists, aimed at concealing the reality of its aggression against Lebanon.”

He condemned what he called “crimes against humanity, punishable under international laws and norms,” urging the international community to intervene.

New Lebanon-Israel meeting in Washington

A new preparatory meeting for direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel is scheduled to take place on Thursday morning in Washington (evening time in Lebanon), bringing together U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States.

It will be the second such meeting after one held on April 14. The U.S. ambassadors to Lebanon and Israel are also expected to attend.

Three days after the April 14 meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day cease-fire in Lebanon. The period is intended to launch direct negotiations between the two, which have not held direct talks since 1983.

Second U.N. peacekeeper dies after Saturday attack

Following the announcement on Wednesday of the death of a second French U.N. peacekeeper wounded in an ambush in south Lebanon, the Lebanese Army expressed its condolences over the death of Cpl. Anicet Girardin.

He succumbed to his injuries after a convoy of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was attacked in Ghandourieh, in the Sour district.

France and the United Nations have accused Hezbollah of being behind the gunfire that targeted the peacekeepers.

“The Lebanese Army command renews its condemnation of any attack against UNIFIL and confirms that the investigation will continue until the perpetrators are arrested,” the army said.

Israeli strike kills journalist Amal Khalil in Tiri

On Wednesday, the Israeli army killed Amal Khalil, a journalist with Al-Akhbar, in a strike on a building in Tiri, in the Bint Jbeil district.

Khalil and her colleague Zeinab Faraj had taken refuge in a house in the village — located within the "buffer zone" Israel is seeking to establish in south Lebanon — after they had been close to an earlier Israeli drone strike on a car in the area, which killed two people.

The Health Ministry said the Israeli army then “chased” the two journalists and bombed the building where they were sheltering, before preventing rescuers and the Lebanese Army from accessing the area for several hours.

Faraj was later pulled from the rubble and was in stable condition Wednesday evening after surgery at Tibnin Governmental Hospital. Khalil was found dead under the debris.

The strikes and targeting of journalists occurred despite a 10-day cease-fire that took effect last Friday, but has been undermined by Israel’s continued demolitions in the border area and daily airstrikes on south Lebanon.

Salam vows Lebanon 'will spare no effort' to prosecute Israeli crimes internationally

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that “targeting journalists, obstructing rescue teams’ access to them, and even striking their locations again after the arrival of those teams constitute clear war crimes.”

He said these were no longer “isolated incidents but an established and condemnable practice.”

“Lebanon will spare no effort to prosecute these crimes before the relevant international bodies,” Salam wrote on X.

The Health Ministry said Khalil was killed “in circumstances that shock the human conscience,” accusing the Israeli army of “chasing her to the house where she had sought refuge.”

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