Trump says direct talks between Lebanon, Israel within 'two weeks'; UAE bans its citizens from traveling to Lebanon | LIVE

Air defense systems heard in Tehran, reason unknown (Iranian media)

Trump announces direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel within two weeks

U.S. President Donald Trump said during a press conference that direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel will take place within two weeks.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had said on Wednesday that Lebanon was waiting for the United States to set a date for the start of talks with Israel, following two unprecedented preparatory sessions held in Washington in recent weeks under U.S. mediation.

UAE bans citizens from traveling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, urges those already there to leave immediately

The United Arab Emirates have banned their citizens from traveling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, and have called on Emirati nationals currently in those countries to leave immediately and return home, citing regional developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

Washington highlights ‘concrete guarantees’ for Lebanon in the event of an Aoun-Netanyahu meeting

As U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take place in Washington, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut published a message on X saying that such talks would “give Lebanon the chance to secure concrete guarantees on full sovereignty, territorial integrity, secure borders, humanitarian and reconstruction support, and the complete restoration of Lebanese state authority over every inch of its territory—guaranteed by the United States."

“Lebanon stands at a crossroads” the embassy added. "Its people have a historic opportunity to reclaim their country and shape their future as a truly sovereign, independent nation."

“Direct engagement between Lebanon and Israel, two neighboring countries that should have never been at war, can mark the beginning of a national revival. The extended Cessation of Hostilities, achieved at the personal request of President Trump, has given Lebanon the space and the opportunity to put all of its legitimate demands on the table with the full attention of the United States Government," the message also said.

The embassy concluded: “This is Lebanon’s moment to decide its own destiny, one which belongs to all its people. The United States is ready to stand with Lebanon as it seizes this opportunity with confidence and wisdom. The time for hesitation is over."

Artillery shelling on Wadi al-Hojeir

Israeli artillery shelled the Wadi al-Hojeir valley, which lies on part of the boundary of the “buffer zone” Israel is seeking to impose on the ground in south Lebanon.

An Israeli strike also targeted the town of Touline (Marjayoun).

Hezbollah claims series of drone attacks in the Marjayoun district

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for three kamikaze drone attacks in the Marjayoun district. A first strike, at 4:20 p.m., targeted Israeli vehicles and soldiers in Mais al-Jabal. A second attack at 4:30 p.m. in Taybeh, followed by a third at 6:30 p.m. in Qantara, also targeted Israeli soldiers.

The party claimed a total of 10 attacks throughout the day — a higher number than has usually been observed since the cease-fire took effect on April 17.

Multiple Israeli airstrikes in south Lebanon

Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on the heights of Ali al-Taher (Nabatieh), as well as on the towns of Khirbet Silm (Bint Jbeil) and Sowaneh (Marjayoun).

Two more strikes also targeted Arzoun (Sour) and Burj Qalaway (Bint Jbeil), while artillery shelling hit the Litani area and the surroundings of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh).

Deputy head of Jennata municipal council killed in Israeli strike

Ahmad Husseini, deputy head of the municipal council of Jennata (Sour), was killed in an Israeli strike targeting an area between the villages of Maaroub and Homeiri, in the same district.

Meanwhile, rescue teams recovered from the rubble the body of Ahmad Lakkis, who was killed in a strike that hit a building in Jwayya (Sour) two days ago.

Multiple drone strikes in south Lebanon: Lebanese Army soldier wounded

A fourth and then a fifth drone strike targeted the town of Bazourieh (Sour).

A drone strike on Debbine (Marjayoun) wounded two people, including a Lebanese Army soldier, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.

Earlier, the Lebanese Army had announced the death of a soldier and several members of his family, killed in Kfar Roummane in an Israeli strike.

Other drone attacks targeted the Debesh area in Shehabieh (Sour), as well as a car in Burj Qalaway (Bint Jbeil).

Bodies of 3 members of the same family pulled from rubble after strike in Haniyeh

A strike carried out Wednesday in Haniyeh, in the Sour district, killed three members of the same family: a woman, her son and her grandson. They were identified as Khadija Hamza, Diab Hassan Chawki and Hassan Diab Chawki, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon. Rescue teams were finally able to retrieve their bodies from the rubble, where they had remained trapped since the previous day.

Earlier in the morning, Haniyeh municipality chief Ahmed Mrad had renewed his appeal to the Lebanese state, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Lebanese Army and Civil Defense teams to “work urgently to determine the fate of a family still trapped under the rubble of its home destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.”

He said the Israeli army “has still not authorized rescue teams to access” the site of the strike, located north of the “buffer zone” Israel is seeking to establish inside Lebanese territory along the border.

Israeli strikes and artillery fire in Khiam

Israeli artillery shelling targeted the northern neighborhoods of Khiam (Marjayoun), where intense fighting had taken place in recent weeks between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. Several airstrikes were also reported at the same time.

In addition, a guided missile was fired at Israeli soldiers in Khiam, our correspondent reports, without further details.

At least four killed in several Israeli strikes in the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon

The Israeli air force carried out a strike on the Hayy Hamza area, between the towns of Kfar Roummane and Nabatieh. The attack killed three people, and search operations are underway for missing persons believed to be trapped under the rubble.

A drone strike also targeted a car at the entrance to Hay al-Maslakh, while another hit a motorcycle in Habboush (Nabatieh).

The drone strike on a motorcycle in front of the Sabbah high school in Nabatieh, reported earlier, killed one person: Hassan Hamad Saadeh, from Arab Salim.

More details on Lebanese soldier killed in Kfar Roummane

The Lebanese soldier killed in an Israeli strike, along with several members of his family, in the town of Kfar Roummane in the Nabatieh district, was identified as 30-year-old Ali Rifaat Jaber.

Hezbollah targets Israeli positions in the Sour district

In its sixth and seventh statements of the day, Hezbollah announced two attacks on Israeli targets in the Sour district. The group said it struck Israeli soldiers in the Lebanese town of Shamaa at 2 p.m. using kamikaze drones. It then said it targeted an Israeli army Hummer vehicle in Bayyada at 5:50 p.m. with kamikaze drones.

Our correspondent in south Lebanon also reported rocket fire launched from Lebanon toward Israeli positions in the afternoon, without further details.

Israel may 'have to act again' against Iran, says defense minister

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Israel may “have to act again” against Iran in order to prevent it from becoming a “threat to Israel once more.”

Despite supporting “efforts” undertaken with the United States, “it is possible that we will soon have to act again to ensure the achievement of these objectives,” he said during a military ceremony.

The Iranian president described the US naval blockade as a 'continuation of military operations'

Israeli strikes on Toul and Jibsheet: several killed and wounded, including women and children

The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that an Israeli strike on Toul, in the Nabatieh district, killed four people, including three women, and injured 13 others, including five children and four women.

An Israeli strike on Jibsheet, in the same district, killed four people, including two children and a woman, and injured nine others, including three children and four women.

Israeli airstrikes target nearly 40 localities in south Lebanon in a single day, our correspondent reports

Since this morning and up to 7:30 p.m., the Israeli army has carried out airstrikes on 39 towns in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent in the region. Some of them were hit multiple times.

In addition, 11 towns were targeted by at least one drone strike, while 10 others came under artillery fire, in some cases continuously.

Israeli army says it destroyed Hezbollah tunnel over 140 meters long in southern Lebanon

The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army announced on X that it had “destroyed a Hezbollah tunnel in the Ras al-Bayyada area.” Avichay Adraee said the tunnel was over 140 meters long and added that the army used “more than 24 tons of explosives.”

He said that “living quarters and equipment rooms, as well as large quantities of combat means and terrorist infrastructure” were found inside the tunnel, which, according to him, had been “recently used by Hezbollah elements.”

A Lebanese soldier and several members of his family killed in Israeli strike in Kfar Roummane

A Lebanese Army soldier and several members of his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit their home in the town of Kfar Roummane, in the Nabatieh district, the Lebanese Army said, without providing further details.

Hezbollah kills Israeli soldier and wounds another in Qantara

An Israeli soldier was killed and another wounded in an explosive drone attack carried out by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon earlier today, the Israeli army said, according to Israeli media reports. The killed soldier was identified as Liem Ben Hamo, 19, a member of the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade.

During the incident, Hezbollah launched two explosive-laden drones at forces stationed in the town of Qantara. According to the Israeli army, one of the drones was intercepted, while the second exploded near the soldiers.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement that it had targeted two Israeli tanks in Qantara using drones.

Israeli strikes in the Sour and Marjayoun districts

In the Sour district, a drone strike targeted a motorcycle in the town of Burj al-Shemali, seriously injuring the rider. Another drone strike hit Bazourieh for the third time.

A separate drone strike also targeted Debbine (Marjayoun district).

Israeli airstrikes continue in the Nabatieh district

An airstrike targeted the town of Arab Salim, but the missile did not explode.

Two drone strikes hit an area near the Sabbah high school in the city of Nabatieh.

Another airstrike also targeted the town of Houmin Fawqa.

Israeli strike hits Ghandour hospital parking lot in Nabatieh

The Israeli army carried out a strike on the town of Nabatieh Fawqa. The strike targeted the parking lot of Ghandour Hospital, causing heavy damage to the hospital as well as to vehicles parked on site.

The Israeli army also struck the towns of Hmiri and Arzoun, as well as Ebba (Nabatieh district). The missile fired on Ebba did not explode.

Two people were killed in the attack on Qana (Sour).

A drone strike also targeted Bazourieh (Sour).

Israeli soldiers enter Ain Arab and expel residents from village, our correspondent reports

Israeli soldiers entered Ain Arab, in the Marjayoun district, and expelled all residents from the village, our correspondent in south Lebanon reported.

In mid-April, earth mounds had been set up by Israeli soldiers to block roads leading to Ain Arab and Wazzani, as well as other towns in the area. Many residents, fearing Israeli military activity in the zone, had already refrained from returning to their homes after the fragile cease-fire brokered under U.S. mediation on April 17.

Israeli army carries out strikes; residents flee Nabatieh region

Dozens of families have left their homes in the Nabatieh region following Israeli warnings, threats and repeated strikes, our correspondent in the South, reported.

Israeli air raids targeted the area between the towns of Kfar Dounin and Shehabieh (Sour). Other strikes hit Haris (Bint Jbeil) and Nabatieh Fawqa.

A drone strike also targeted a motorcycle in the town of Qana (Sour). The rider is in critical condition.

Adraee reissues evacuation order for villages in the Nabatieh district

The Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, has reiterated the evacuation warning he issued on X about two hours earlier, concerning the towns of Jibsheet, Habboush, Harouf, Kfar Joz, Nabatieh Fawqa, Ebba, Adsheet al-Qusayr, Arab Salim, Toul, Houmin Fawqa, Majdal, Arzoun, Dounin, Hmiri and Maaroub (in the Nabatieh district).

“Airstrikes are ongoing,” Adraee said. “For your safety, you are urged to immediately evacuate your homes and move at least 1,000 meters outside the villages, to open areas. Anyone in the vicinity of Hezbollah members, installations or military equipment is putting their life in serious danger.”

Shepherd injured in mine explosion in the Bekaa

A shepherd was injured after a landmine exploded in the town of Kousaya, in the eastern mountain range of the Bekaa region, our correspondent in the area, reported.

Hezbollah targets group of Israeli soldiers in Blat

Hezbollah says it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers in Blat, in the Bint Jbeil district, using a “swarm of attack drones.” It said the strike successfully hit its target.

Israeli strikes continue across southern Lebanon, as toll continues to rise

• An Israeli drone strike targeted a motorcycle in the Amrieh area, south of Sour, just after a Lebanese Army checkpoint. The rider is said to be in critical condition.
• Two people were killed in another strike targeting the town of Bastat, in Sour district.
• The Internal Security Forces complex in Kfar Joz (Nabatieh) was evacuated as a precaution, following an Israeli warning and threats against the town. Shortly after the warning, Israel struck the village.
• Israeli warplanes also carried out strikes on Haris (Bint Jbeil) and Maaroub (Sour), while a drone strike hit Bazourieh (Sour).
• Israeli artillery fire also targeted the town of Srifa (Sour).

Seven people killed in Israeli strike targeting Zibdin cemetery during funeral gathering

Rescue teams transported seven bodies after an Israeli strike hit the cemetery of Zibdin (Nabatieh), where residents were receiving condolences following a burial, our correspondent reports.

2,576 killed and 8,020 injured since March 2 in Lebanon

The Lebanese Ministry of Health said in the latest toll published Thursday afternoon that Israeli attacks in Lebanon since March 2 have killed 2,576 people and injured 8,020, including 10 killed and 58 injured in the past 24 hours alone.

Strait of Hormuz: UN chief warns of global economic strangulation

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of the strangulation of the global economy due to the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for the trade of oil and fertilizers.

“I am very concerned about the restriction of navigation rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz area, which is hindering the distribution of oil, gas, fertilizers and other critical raw materials … and strangling the global economy,” he told reporters.

“As in any conflict, all of humanity pays the price, even if a few reap enormous profits. The suffering will be felt for a long time,” he warned, calling on “all parties” to allow ships to pass.

Israeli strikes on the cemetery of Zibdin kill 4 and injure several others, our correspondent reports

An Israeli drone carried out a strike targeting a cemetery in the town of Zibdin, in Nabatieh, while several residents were there. According to an initial toll, four people were killed and several others wounded.

Meanwhile, air strikes targeted Maaroub, Homeiri, Arzoun and Barish (Sour district) as well as Kfar Joz (Nabatieh).

Lebanon facing ‘severe’ food insecurity as conflict continues: WFP

Lebanon is experiencing one of the “most severe forms of food insecurity” amid ongoing Israeli attacks, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP) told Al Jazeera.

“We are now focusing on the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable in Lebanon,” the spokesperson said, adding that “a ceasefire is key to resolving the country’s food crisis, as the security situation continues to hamper relief operations.”

“The damage inflicted on Lebanon’s agricultural sector is further worsening the food situation,” the spokesperson added, according to Al Jazeera.

Israel continues targeting southern villages, demolishing homes

• Israeli airstrikes targeted the towns of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah (Nabatieh) and Haddatha (Bint Jbeil.)

• Israeli forces demolished houses in Shamaa (Sour.)

• Two people were injured in a drone strike we reported earlier, which targeted theRawdat al-Salehin cemetery in Nabatieh.

• Israeli artillery fire using Merkava tank shells targeted the town of Mansouri (Sour) with several rounds.

• Amal Movement announced the death of a member of the Risala scouts, Rabi Ali Ismail, who was killed in Braachit (Bint Jbeil) on Tuesday by an Israeli strike on the town.

'Tehran ready to resume diplomacy once Washington changes behavior,' Iran's Pezeshkian says

Tehran is ready to resume the path of diplomacy once Washington changes its behaviour, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was quoted by Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency as saying on Thursday.

Speaking to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Pezeshkian said insecurity in the Gulf was caused by the United States and Israel, and condemned "American piracy" against Iranian ships, Mehr reported.

Israeli army orders evacuation of 15 villages in south Lebanon, in the Sour and Nabatieh districts

The Israeli army issued an evacuation order for fifteen villages in south Lebanon: Jebsheet — where a strike earlier in the day killed at least five people — Habboush, Harouf, where a woman was killed in morning shelling, Kfar Joz, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Aabba, Adsheet al-Shaqif, Arab Salim, Tallet al-Khoury, Houmine al-Fawqa, Majadel, Arzoun, Dounine, Houmairi and Maaroub.

“For your safety, you must immediately evacuate your homes and move away from the villages to open areas, at a distance of at least 1,000 meters. Anyone present near Hezbollah elements, their facilities and their combat means is putting their life at risk,” the statement said.

Mojtaba Khamenei says the United States suffered a 'humiliating defeat'

The United States has suffered a “humiliating defeat,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said in a written message carried by state television, two months after the war triggered by a joint Israeli-American offensive against Iran.

“Today, two months after the largest military deployment and aggression carried out by the tyrants of this world in the region, and after the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is opening” for the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, the leader said. He was reportedly injured in strikes and has not been seen in public since his appointment.

Hezbollah targets Israeli Merkavas in Bint Jbeil and Qantara

Hezbollah targeted two Merkava tanks in the city of Bint Jbeil and two Merkavas in Qantara (Marjayoun) “using two loitering munitions, achieving confirmed hits,” the party explained.

Two killed in drone strike in Shehabiyeh, cemetery targeted in Nabatieh

• A drone strike which targeted a motorcycle in the town of Shehabiyeh (Sour) killed two people. Ambulances headed to the scene due to reported injuries.
• A drone strike targeted the Rawdat al-Salihin cemetery of the city of Nabatieh.
• Artillery shelling targeted Kounin (Bint Jbeil.)

Anger at Sour funerals as families accuse state of failing rescuers

(Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-le Jour)

Family still trapped under rubble in Hanniyeh as rescue efforts stalled

The head of the municipality of Hanniyeh, in the Sour district, Ahmed Mrad, renewed his call on the Lebanese state, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Lebanese army and Civil Defense teams to “urgently work to determine the fate of a family still trapped under the rubble of their destroyed home following an Israeli airstrike.”

According to him, the Israeli army “has not yet allowed rescue teams to access” the site of the strike, located north of the “buffer zone” Israel seeks to establish inside Lebanese territory along the border.

A child was rescued injured after the strike. Subsequently, a drone dropped a bomb near rescue teams and ambulances, forcing them to leave the area. Three people remain missing.

An airstrike targeted Hamza neighborhood between Kfar Roummane and Nabatieh; building destroyed, casualties reported

An Israeli airstrike targeted the Hamza neighborhood between Kfar Roummane and Nabatieh, our correspondent in the south reported. The residential area is populated, and a building was destroyed. There are reported injuries, and ambulances have headed to the scene.

Funerals of rescuers in Sour: 'The state sent them on a mission and failed to protect them,' says Civil Defense member

During the funerals for the rescuers in Sour, a cousin of Hussein Sati spoke about the anger of families toward Prime Minister Nawaf Salam: “It is our blood that is being shed while the army withdraws from the South. For us, Nawaf Salam and Joseph Aoun want to trade the south for the security of Beirut. No one even mentions their names when we mourn our martyrs,” he told our reporter.

Youssef, a Civil Defense member, added that the anger was fueled by the fact that the organization’s director, Imad Khreish, “did not denounce the Israeli violation or name those responsible for their deaths” during his speech, “as if they had died in an accident.” He stressed that “it was the state that sent them” to the site of the strike in Majdal Zoun and that it “failed to protect them.”

After this final tribute at the Civil Defense center, the ambulances carrying the bodies of the three deceased set off. They will first head to the cemetery in Tyre to bury Hadi Daher, then to Smaaiyeh for the burial of Hussein Sati. As the ambulances departed, an airstrike hit this village, which is among eight localities threatened in a new forced evacuation order issued by the Israeli army.

Hussein Ghadbouni will be buried temporarily, following the principle of “wadiaa,” as he is from Naqoura, a village in Lebanon’s far south that is occupied and heavily destroyed by Israel.

Hariss, Kafra and Kfar Roummane targeted by Israeli strikes

• Israeli airstrikes targeted the towns of Hariss and Kafra (both located in Bint Jbeil), our correspondent reported.
• An Israeli drone targeted the town of Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh.)

Adraee issues evacuation warning to Sammaaiyeh, Haniyah, Qlaileh, Wadi Jilu, Kanisah, Kafra, Majdal Zoun, and Siddiqin

The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an “urgent evacuation warning to residents of the towns of Sammaaiyeh , Haniyah, Qlaileh, Wadi Jilu, Kanisah, Majdal Zoun, Siddiqin [all located in Sour], and Kafra [Bint Jbeil.]"

“For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages by at least 1,000 meters into open areas.Anyone who remains near Hezbollah members, facilities, or combat equipment is putting their life at risk,” Adraee said.

Aoun condemns Israeli ceasefire violations and breaches of 'international laws and conventions'

=President Joseph Aoun once again condemned Israeli violations of “international laws and conventions,” as Israel continues to target civilians and rescuers in Lebanon. Three rescuers were killed Tuesday in a double strike on Majdal Zoun, in the Sour district.

Speaking while receiving a delegation from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Aoun said that “pressure must be exerted on Israel to respect international laws and conventions and to stop targeting civilians, rescuers, Civil Defense, as well as humanitarian, medical and relief institutions.”

He denounced the continuation of these violations “despite the ceasefire,” also pointing to “the destruction and demolition of homes and places of worship, while the number of dead and wounded increases every day.”

These attacks “do not spare rescuers and volunteers,” he said, adding that journalists have also been targeted. The head of state praised the work of volunteers saving the injured, calling it “an act of extreme sacrifice and selflessness in service of their humanitarian mission.”

He also criticized the killing of rescuers during missions that are announced in advance, which should normally “guarantee their protection.”

Aoun further reiterated his call for international organizations such as the IFRC to help Lebanon shed light on the fate of Lebanese detainees held by Israel, as Tel Aviv continues to refuse access to them by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Funerals in Sour of the 3 rescuers killed Tuesday in Majdal Zoun

(Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-le Jour)

Clashes at rescuers’ funerals in Sour as families shout insults at Nawaf Salam

During the funerals in Sour, families shouted insults at Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and attempted to confront his representative present at the scene. Scuffles broke out.

At the funerals of rescuers killed Tuesday, a colleague vows the Civil Defense will 'continue to save every soul trapped under the rubble'

(Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-le Jour)

The bodies of the three rescuers killed in the Israeli strike on Majdal Zoun on Tuesday arrived at the Civil Defense center in Sour, where their funerals are being held, according to our reporter on the ground, Emmanuel Haddad.

Families holding their portraits throw rice and cry out in grief. Several hundred people have gathered around the three coffins, wrapped in Lebanese flags.

“They were not just colleagues. They were brothers, comrades,” one of them shouts into the microphone. He denounces “the enemy that targets rescuers and humanity,” vowing that the Civil Defense will “continue to save every soul trapped under the rubble.”

Red cross evacuates injured from Baraasheet, strikes continue across southern districts

• A force from the Lebanese Army and the Red Cross entered the town of Braachit (Bint Jbeil) to evacuate the injured from an Israeli strike that targeted the town earlier today.

• An airstrike targeted the vicinity of the town of Harouf (Nabatieh) killing one woman, Leila Salim Badr al-Din.

• Israeli warplanes carried out strikes targeting the towsn of Majdal Zoun (Sour) and Khirbet Selim (Bint Jbeil.)

Berri salutes workers in Bekaa, south and Beirut’s southern suburbs affected by 'Israeli aggression' on occasion of Labor Day

Nabih Berri called for the establishment of an international fact-finding committee to investigate alleged violations against workers, particularly in southern border areas and south of the Litani River, in a statement issued Thursday on the occasion of Labor Day.

He said this year’s May 1 “must be an open national call” for Lebanese state institutions and the international community to act to compel Israel to halt its attacks and to form a committee to investigate what he described as ongoing, systematically “documented crimes against workers and their workplaces, especially farmers in southern Lebanon.”

Berri also expressed solidarity with workers across Lebanon, including those in the Bekaa, southern suburbs of Beirut, and the south, particularly those displaced from their homes, saying their livelihoods, lands, and factories have been turned into “scorched earth” amid ongoing “Israeli aggression.”

At the funerals of rescuers killed Tuesday, a colleague vows the Civil Defense will 'continue to save every soul trapped under the rubble'

The bodies of the three rescuers killed in the Israeli strike on Majdal Zoun on Tuesday arrived at the Civil Defense center in Sour, where their funerals are being held, according to our reporter on the ground, Emmanuel Haddad.

Families, holding up their portraits, throw rice and cry out in grief. Several hundred people have gathered around the three coffins, wrapped in Lebanese flags.

“They were not just colleagues. They were brothers, comrades,” one of them shouts into the microphone. He denounces “the enemy that targets rescuers and humanity,” vowing that the Civil Defense will “continue to save every soul trapped under the rubble.”

Israeli army says it is carrying out a wave of strikes on 'Hezbollah infrastructure'

The Israeli army said on X that it had “recently begun attacking infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon,” as bombardments have continued unabated since the morning.

Among the most recent strikes reported by our correspondent: attacks targeted Burj Qalawieh and Sultanieh, in the Bint Jbeil district.

Funerals of 3 Civil Defense rescuers are being held in Nabatieh, L’Orient-Le Jour is on the ground.

As the funerals of Hussein Sati, Hadi Daher and Hussein Ghadbouni — three Civil Defense rescuers killed on April 28 in a double Israeli strike on Majdal Zoun — are set to begin, the atmosphere is heavy in the courtyard of the organization’s center in Sour, according to our reporter on site, Emmanuel Haddad.

Colleagues of the three men have come from across the region to pay their final respects, while their families arrive gradually. Tears stream down faces, wrapped in white scarves bearing the rescuers’ images.

Imad Khreish, director general of Civil Defense, present in Sour, greets the families. He pins a Civil Defense badge on Ali, the infant son of Hussein Sati. Speaking to the press, Khreish said the Civil Defense will continue to carry out its mission, even in dangerous areas, stressing that it is meant to be protected under international law.

Israeli strike in Jibsheet kills family of 5

An airstrike targeted the town of Jibsheet (Nabatieh) killing a family of five: a father, a mother, and their three children, our correspondent in the south reported.

The head of the municipality of Jbisheet, Hussein Fahs, told L’Orient Today that “this massacre by the Israeli enemy is now the responsibility of the Lebanese state, which must activate its diplomatic efforts to put an end to these crimes against civilians.”

He added that, so far, “there has been no condemnation of the crimes committed by the Israeli enemy against civilians, which have become a daily policy of killing innocent people.”

Israel targets Burj Qalaway and Sultaniyah, its army claims its targeting Hezbollah infrastructure

An Israeli warplane carried out airstrikes targeting the towns of Burj Qalaway and Sultaniyah (both located in Bint Jbeil)

For its part, the Israeli army said on X that it has begun “attacking Hezbollah terrorist organization infrastructure in southern Lebanon a short while ago.”

South Lebanon: At least 4 killed and 6 injured in Israeli strike on Toul

The Israeli strike on Toul, in the Nabatieh district, left four people dead and six injured, according to a preliminary toll provided by a medical source to our corresponden.

Search operations are ongoing to find victims beneath the rubble of the bombed building.

Meanwhile, artillery fire targeted Haddatha and an area between Haddatha and Rshaf, in the Bint Jbeil district.

Israeli drone shot down above Nabatieh

An Israeli army drone was shot down over Nabatieh. Hezbollah confirmed it fired a surface-to-air missile at a “Hermes 450” drone at 10:30 a.m. For its part, the Israeli army said one of its drones was brought down “by Hezbollah” in southern Lebanon, adding that the incident is “under investigation.”

The group also claimed a kamikaze drone attack on a “155 mm self-propelled artillery gun” belonging to the Israeli army, deployed south of Yaroun, in Lebanese territory in the Bint Jbeil district.

👉Find Gabriel Blondel’s explanations on the attack drones used by Hezbollah against Israeli positions in south Lebanon, here.

Southern Lebanon: Multiple Israeli artillery bombardments in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil districts

The Israeli army continued its bombardment of South Lebanon, with artillery fire targeting Froun, Kounine, the city of Bint Jbeil and Srifa in the Bint Jbeil District, as well as Yohmor al-Shaqif, Zawtar al-Sharqieh and Meifdoun in the Nabatieh district.

Israeli artillery also fired phosphorus shells on the outskirts of Yohmor al-Shaqif and Zawtar al-Sharqieh in Nabatieh, in addition to Byout al-Sayyad (Sour), according to our correspondent.

An Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Srifa reportedly killed its rider. Israeli warplanes were also seen flying over the South, releasing flares in the sky. Footage circulating on social media shows the fall of a drone between Nabatieh and Meifdoun.

Iranian president says US naval blockade is 'doomed to fail'

Massoud Pezeshkian has said that a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is “doomed to fail” and would only worsen disruptions in the Gulf.

“Any attempt to impose a maritime blockade is contrary to international law … and is doomed to fail,” he said in a statement, after a senior White House official suggested the blockade could be extended “for several months.”

As the remarks helped drive a surge in oil prices, the Iranian president added that such measures “not only fail to improve regional security, but also create tension and undermine the long-term stability of the Gulf.”

Southern Lebanon: Israeli strikes on the Nabatieh district

The Israeli strike on Jibsheet. (Photo shared by Muntasser Abdallah)

Israel has carried out a series of strikes on the Nabatieh district, bombing Adsheet with three missiles, as well as Jibsheet, Harouf, Toul, and an area between Jibsheet and Adsheet, according to information from our correspondent in the region. No ambulances have yet reached the area, due to fighter jets and drones constantly flying overhead.

A drone launched towards northern Israel causes a vehicle to catch fire in Shomera

Israeli emergency and fire services reported that following the infiltration of a “drone launched by Hezbollah” into Shomera, northern Israel, a car caught fire; however, the incident did not result in any injuries, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.

The Israeli army, for its part, stated that it had identified the impact of a drone, adding that air-raid sirens had sounded in the north of the country due to fears of falling debris following its interception.

Southern Lebanon: Israel bombs four villages in the district of Bint Jbeil

After carrying out house demolitions in Khiam (Marjayoun), at dawn, the Israeli air force bombed several villages in the district of Bint Jbeil this morning, notably Beit Yahoun, Jmeijmeh, Hariss, and Braasheet, according to our correspondent.

Southern Lebanon: 5 bodies recovered from under the rubble following Israeli strike on Jwayya Wednesday

After midnight, rescue teams recovered the bodies of five people killed in a strike carried out Wednesday afternoon on Jwayya (Sour), including a young girl and three women, bringing the provisional toll to eight people killed and 25 wounded. Search operations are set to resume later in the day, as three more bodies remain buried under the rubble.

Throughout Wednesday, and until midnight, Israeli military aircraft targeted 20 localities in the South, while seven villages were shelled by artillery. The Israeli army also carried out five major demolition operations in five villages. For its part, Hezbollah claimed five attacks, all against Israeli military positions on Lebanese territory.

South Lebanon: Woman killed and seven family members wounded in overnight Israeli strike on Batouliyé

Overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Israel continued bombing southern Lebanon, notably targeting Qleileh and Majdal Zoun (Sour).

An Israeli strike on Batoulieh killed a young woman and wounded six members of her family, according to our correspondent in the region.

An Israeli army Merkava tank positioned in Bayyada fired several shells toward the nearby locality of Mansouri. At the same time, flares were fired onto the Bastara farm area in the Hasbaya district.

Trump to be briefed by CENTCOM on new military options against Iran, Axios reports

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to be briefed later today by CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper on new potential military actions against Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

CENTCOM has prepared a plan involving a “short but powerful” wave of strikes against Iran, likely targeting infrastructure, in an effort to break the deadlock in negotiations, three sources said. The aim would be to push Tehran back to the negotiating table with greater flexibility on the nuclear issue.

Another plan to be presented to Trump would involve taking control of part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen the maritime route to commercial traffic, potentially including ground forces, according to one source. A third option, previously discussed and possibly revisited, would involve a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

CENTCOM requested deployment of hypersonic missile to the Middle East, Bloomberg reports

Bloomberg reports that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has requested the deployment of the U.S. Army’s “Dark Eagle” hypersonic missile to the Middle East. The long-range missile would allow strikes on ballistic missile launchers deep inside a country, according to the outlet, which notes this would be the first U.S. deployment of such a weapon, whose development has faced delays.

A source familiar with the process told Bloomberg that no decision has yet been made.

The Dark Eagle is believed to have a range exceeding 2,775 km and is designed to glide toward its target at speeds more than five times the speed of sound. Fewer than eight units reportedly exist, each costing around $15 million, according to the same source.

Welcome to our live news blog

Good morning, and welcome to to our live coverage of a new day under the cease-fire in Lebanon — a truce that is being undermined daily by Israeli bombardments across southern Lebanon, where Israel is trying to impose a so-called “buffer zone” along the border by occupying territory as far as 10 kilometers deep. Hezbollah, too, has claimed retaliatory attacks against Israeli forces on Lebanese territory.

We will also follow developments in the region, particularly in Iran, where a cease-fire remains in effect indefinitely, pending further U.S.-Iran talks.

➡️ Catch up on everything you missed yesterday and what to keep an eye out for today by reading our 🗞️Morning Brief.