Israel claims it targeted and 'destroyed' Iran defense systems; Tehran says talks with US to continue via Pakistani mediator | LIVE

Debris from Iranian missile intercepted by Israel falls near Quneitra

According to Syrian state television, debris from an Iranian missile intercepted by Israel has fallen near Quneitra.

Iranian media report explosions heard in Tehran

Iranian media report explosions heard in Tehran.

IRGC claim that missile attack on Haifa was retaliation for US-Israeli strike

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that they had retaliated against what they described as a U.S.-Israeli strike on an Iranian petrochemical site by launching a missile attack on a similar facility in Haifa, Israel.

The IRGC warned that further attacks targeting non-military and energy-related sites in the region would have consequences for the global economy, for which the United States would be held responsible.

Beijing ‘deeply concerned’ by exchange of fire between Iran and Israel, hopes for cease-fire

China has expressed “deep concern” over the resumption of reciprocal attacks between Iran and Israel, and said it hopes the cease-fire will be respected.

“China is deeply concerned about the current situation,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a regular press briefing.

“We hope that all parties concerned will honor their commitment to a cease-fire, maintain the momentum of negotiations, continue to resolve disputes through political and diplomatic means, and achieve a comprehensive and lasting cease-fire as soon as possible,” he said.

Israel says it targeted and destroyed defense systems in Iran

Israel has stated that it targeted and "destroyed" defense systems in Iran, following Iranian missile attacks in retaliation for Israel's Sunday attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Despite exchange of strikes, Iran says it will continue talks with US via Pakistani mediator

Iran has given assurances that Pakistan’s mediation efforts to end the war with the U.S. are continuing despite the resumption of hostilities with Israel and the exchange of strikes.

“Diplomatic consultations naturally continue under all circumstances,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai, adding that “the Islamic Republic has shown extraordinary restraint” since the breaches of the April 8 cease-fire.

Iran blames the US for the resumption of hostilities with Israel

Iran has accused the U.S. of being directly responsible for the resumption of hostilities in the region, following reciprocal retaliatory strikes between Iran and Israel — the first such exchanges since the April 8 cease-fire.

“No one believes that the Zionist regime would undertake any action without prior coordination and cooperation with the United States,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai, emphasizing “the responsibility of the United States.”

“The actions of the Zionist regime in the region cannot be separated from U.S. policies,” he added during a press conference in Tehran attended by AFP.

Southern Lebanon: Overnight Israeli strikes kill 4 people in Zifta and 3 in Marwanieh

Israel carried out a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on the night between Sunday and Monday.

Israel targeted the village of Zifta (Nabatieh) twice on Sunday evening. The first attack targeted a residential home, killing four people: Adam Wehbi and his mother Khadija Hamze, who had fled the village of Marwanieh (Saida) following Israeli threats against the village, as well as Mohammad Naanouh and Hussein Akil. The second strike targeted the area around Al Taliha school, which is sheltering displaced people, with shrapnel and flying glass injuring 11 people.

Furthermore, an Israeli airstrike on the village square of Marwanieh (Saida) killed three people and injured ten others, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. Israel carried out further strikes on Zifta and Marwanieh after 2 am. Shortly before, an Israeli air strike targeted a house in Ain Qana (Nabatieh). Another strike hit a house in Saksakieh (Saida), injuring three people. Artillery fire targeted Kfar Roummane and Habbousbh (Nabatieh) as well as Braasheet (Bint Jbeil) and Blat (Marjayoun). On Monday, at 2 am, an Israeli strike hit a house in Qleileh and another in Halloussiyeh (Sour). In the Jezzine district, three strikes were reported in Sejod and another on the outskirts of Rihan.

SNP announces killing of two of its fighters in Nabatieh

The Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SNP) announced on Monday the death of two of its fighters, Mohammad Ali Hammoud and Mohammad Khodor Slim, who were killed whilst carrying out “their national duty to defend Lebanon against the enemy” in the Nabatieh-Shaqif area.

South Lebanon: Israel blows up homes in Bint Jbeil

This morning in southern Lebanon, the Israeli army used explosives to destroy several homes in the town of Bint Jbeil and in the village of Tiri (both in the district of Bint Jbeil), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

In the district of Nabatieh, Israeli artillery fire targeted Kfar Tibnit and Nabatieh Fawqa, whilst Israel targeted the village of Sharkieh with airstrikes.

Eight rockets fired from Lebanon landed in Ain Ebel this morning, according to the deputy mayor

Eight rockets, allegedly fired from Lebanon by Hezbollah, landed in Ain Ibl, a Christian border village still inhabited in the Bint Jbeil district, the deputy mayor, Tony Farah, and another villager told L'Orient-Le Jour. Two projectiles landed near a house, the others in fields, according to Farah. Two further rockets landed in Hanine, a neighboring village, according to the municipal official.

One person was injured and treated by the surgeon at the Francois al-Hage military and civilian clinic in the neighboring village of Rmeish, in coordination with the Order of Malta, before being transferred to the Caritas clinic in Ain Ibl. “Thank God, his condition is not critical,” Farah reassured. Houses and two cars were also damaged. “There are broken windows, walls riddled with shrapnel," according to the mayor.

Read more here.

Israel announces new barrage of Iranian missiles

The Israeli army announced that a new barrage of Iranian missiles had been fired towards Israel, according to AFP.

The Houthis impose a new ‘total ban’ on ‘Israeli’ ships in the Red Sea

Yemen's Houthis, allied with Iran and Hezbollah, announced it would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, making Israel-linked vessels a renewed target in the waterway.

The announcement came following the resumption of strikes traded between Iran and Israel on Sunday evening after deadly Israeli airstrikes on a densely populated area of Beirut's southern suburbs.

“We consider all enemy movements to be legitimate military targets,” the movement’s spokesperson, Yahya Saree, wrote in a statement. He claimed that Houthi forces had fired a “barrage of missiles” at Tel Aviv that morning, threatening to “respond to escalation with escalation.”

Israel threatens to continue its operations ‘across Lebanon’

Israel threatened to continue its operations “across Lebanon” and “step up the pressure” on Hezbollah in a message posted by the Israeli army spokesperson last night following Iranian missile strikes on Israeli military bases in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Iraq, Syria, and Iran close their airspace following missile strikes between Iran and Israel

Iraq announced last night that it was temporarily closing its airspace, as did Syria (partially), following Iranian missile strikes on Israel. The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced a 72-hour closure, whilst the Syrian authority opted to close its "southern air corridors" for 12 hours and suspend operations at Damascus International Airport.

Flights at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport, one of the Iranian capital’s two main airports, were also suspended following Iran’s attack on Israel, for the first time since the cease-fire in the Middle East, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported last night.

“The civil aviation authority has announced the suspension of all flights to the airport until further notice,” according to the agency. The airport had reopened in April after weeks of closure due to the war triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.

Araghchi held talks with his British and French counterparts

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks last night on the “latest developments” in the Middle East with his counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, and Egypt, as well as with the Pakistani mediator and the Prime Minister of Qatar.

These separate talks with the British and Turkish foreign ministers, Yvette Cooper and Hakan Fidan, as well as with the commander of the Pakistani army, Field Marshal Asim Munir, focused on “Iran’s response to the repeated violations of the cease-fire in Lebanon by the Zionist regime,” according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, which provided no further details.

The Irna news agency also reports that Araghchi held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Iran-Israel: Kallas says Middle East does not need an ‘escalation’

The Middle East does not need an "escalation," said the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, after Israel and Iran resumed mutual attacks Sunday night and Monday morning, following Israel's attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday afternoon.

“I believe the region does not need an escalation, but rather that the parties sit down at the negotiating table and reach an agreement,” she said in Nicosia ahead of an informal meeting of EU defense ministers.

Hormuz strait will be open but with transit fees, Iran envoy to Moscow quoted

The Strait of Hormuz will be open but under new conditions to be set by Iran and Oman, including a transit fee, Iran's ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying on Monday.

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has largely cut oil flows via the strait, which before the conflict saw one-fifth of the world's oil pass through. Several tankers have managed to leave the Gulf recently, but oil and liquefied natural gas flows are still severely constrained.

"Of course, this strait will be open, but with new conditions to be determined by the Iranian and Omani authorities," Ambassador Kazem Jalali told the Russian newspaper Izvestia in an interview published on Monday.

Read more here.

Yemen's Houthis say they will ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday that they would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, reported Reuters.

They also said in a statement that they had attacked Israel.

Israel hits Iran petrochemical plant in new strikes despite Trump reprimand

Israel hit a petrochemical plant in Iran's southwest on Monday morning, along with strikes elsewhere on military targets, according to an Israeli military brief.

In the first hit on an energy site inside Iran since the April 8 cease-fire, Israel said it struck targets at the Mahshahr petrochemical complex, while a provincial official told Iran's Fars news agency parts of the plant were damaged.

U.S. President Donald Trump had reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from further attacks after Iran struck Israel's Nevatim and Tel Nof military bases on Sunday, causing air raid sirens to ring across Israel and a nation-wide shut down of schools announced for Monday.

Read more here.

Hello and welcome to our live news blog

Hello and welcome to our rolling coverage of news in Lebanon, where Israel targeted Beirut's densely populated southern suburbs Sunday, killing at least two people and wounding 20 others.

A few hours following these deadly attacks, Iran retaliated by targeting two military bases in Israel, re-asserting its goal to align the Lebanon-Iran fronts in bringing U.S.-Israeli hostilities to a permanent halt.

This morning, Israel claimed an attack on an Iranian petrochemical plant.

Catch up with yesterday's live blog here and our Morning Brief here for everything you might have missed and what to expect today.