‘All of Lebanon must burn,’ Ben-Gvir says after 4 Israeli soldiers die; Israel intensifies strikes on south Lebanon, Bekaa | LIVE

Israeli army bombed the Bekaa 'in response to cease-fire violations by Hezbollah'

The Israeli army said it had struck a “Hezbollah infrastructure” in the Bekaa, and carried out several strikes on the Baalbeck area, “in response to [Hezbollah's] repeated violations of the cease-fire.”

According to our correspondent in the Bekaa, attacks have targeted several localities since this morning, including Ain Bourday, Douris, Zelaya, and the Abu Rashed heights.

Israeli air strikes on Baalbeck district

Israeli aviation bombed the Baalbeck region, including the localities of Ain Bourday and Douris, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah.

More than 50 strikes on Nabatieh, surrounding villages, 5 killed, residents evacuated

More than 50 Israeli strikes hit the city of Nabatieh and surrounding villages this morning, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah, prompting rescue teams to deploy ambulances to evacuate residents trapped on site.

Among the targeted areas were Doueir, Jibsheet, Bfaroueh, and Harouf (Nabatieh district).

In Jibsheet, a drone strike killed two people, while in Harouf, two similar strikes killed three people. The Israeli army also launched heavy smoke grenades on the outskirts of Kfar Tibnit.

Israeli strikes on Nabatieh, one killed in Sour, injuries in Toul

Israeli aerial bombardment targeted the city of Nabatieh a short while ago, along with Sharqieh, Toul, Kfar Sir in the same district, as well as Rihane (Jezzine) and Deir Qanoun al-Nahr (Sour), according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah.

Rescue teams headed to the strike sites in Toul following reports of casualties.

Israeli drone strikes also targeted a motorbike, killing one person near the city of Sour on the road between Abbassiyeh and Hamadiyeh. The victim was evacuated by rescue teams from the Islamic Health Committee (affiliated with Hezbollah). Drones also bombed Arab Salim, Aaba, and the road linking Zifta to Nmeirieh (Nabatieh), as well as Kawthariyet al-Siyyad (Saida).

Meanwhile, Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh). Gunfire was also heard near Rshaf and Haddatha (Bint Jbeil).

‘All of Lebanon must burn,’ Ben-Gvir says after death of 4 Israeli soldiers

"With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining. All of Lebanon must burn," Ben Gvir said in a statement cited by AFP.

Egyptian, Pakistani, Turkish and Saudi foreign ministers scheduled to meet on Sunday

The Egyptian foreign minister will host his counterparts from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Sunday in the city of El Alamein on the Mediterranean coast, the Egyptian foreign ministry has announced.

Badr Abdelatty will “hold a quadrilateral meeting on Sunday” with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar, “followed by an expanded session of talks and a press conference,” the ministry said in a late Thursday statement.

The ministry did not specify the topic of discussions, but said the four countries have been involved in mediation efforts to end the war in the Middle East.

Paris calls on Israel to 'respect' Iran–US agreement, which provides for 'cessation of hostilities' in Lebanon

Israel must “respect” the protocol agreement signed Wednesday between Iran and the United States, which includes a “cessation of hostilities” in Lebanon, the French foreign minister has said following renewed Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.

“This agreement provides for a cessation of hostilities; the Israeli government must respect it, and the United States in particular must exert all necessary pressure on the Israeli government for this to happen,” Jean-Noël Barrot said on FranceInfo radio.

Israel announces death of four of its soldiers in southern Lebanon

Four Israeli soldiers, including the commander of the 52nd Battalion, Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, have been killed in southern Lebanon, the army said in a statement. According to Haaretz, the soldiers were killed in an attack targeting a tank, as clashes continue between Israeli forces occupying southern Lebanon, which are attempting to advance in the Nabatieh area, and Hezbollah.

Since the start of the nominal cease-fire included in the framework agreement signed Sunday between Iran and the United States, five Israeli soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon.

Israeli strikes on western Bekaa

Israeli aircraft also carried out strikes in western Bekaa this morning, according to our correspondent in the region, Sarah Abdallah.

The first strike hit the Abu Rashed heights. Israeli aviation then bombed the Zelaya River area, as well as the Jabbour heights near Meydoun.

US–Iran talks: negotiations scheduled in Switzerland postponed

Negotiations scheduled for today in Switzerland between Iran and the United States aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East have been postponed indefinitely, the Swiss government announced, hours after the cancellation of U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s planned trip to Europe.

“The discussions planned between the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan have been postponed. Switzerland remains willing to facilitate these discussions. Preparatory work continues,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent to AFP, without giving a new date for the talks.

The cancellation of Vance’s trip had already raised doubts about the meeting, which was expected to follow this week’s framework agreement to end the conflict that began on Feb.28, triggered by the United States and Israel. The hostilities have killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and shaken the global economy.

A U.S. official told Axios, a media outlet close to the White House, that Iranian accusations of alleged Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon may have contributed to the talks ultimately not taking place.

Israeli bombardments in southern Lebanon kill at least 25 overnight and in early morning

Israeli bombardments in southern Lebanon have killed at least 25 people and wounded others overnight and into the morning, mostly families, including children, according to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.

In Harouf, Israeli strikes hit residential homes whose occupants had returned. Six members of the same family were killed: the father, mother, and their four children. Rescue workers said they could hear injured people, including children, calling out from under the rubble.

In the village of Sharqieh, four more people were killed: Mahmoud Choueib, his wife Batoul, their daughter Zahra, aged six, and Hanadi Jaradi, aged 40.

In Kfar Sir, the attacks killed a mother and her daughter and seriously wounded two others. In Jibsheet, another attack killed a married couple in their seventies.

In Doueir, a motorbike was directly struck by a missile, killing one person and injuring another. A second strike in the same town hit a Ministry of Education building, killing and wounding eight people. Finally, a drone strike on a motorcycle in Deir Zahrani killed one person and injured another.

Intense escalation in southern Lebanon in recent hours, as Israelis attempt to advance on strategic Ali Taher heights

After a relative calm in south Lebanon these past several days, Israeli strikes on the region intensified overnight, according to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.

The escalation continued into Friday morning, with air and artillery strikes hitting dozens of towns and villages, as the Israeli army steps up attempts to advance toward the Ali Taher heights, one of the most strategic points overlooking the city of Nabatieh and the villages of Iqlim al-Tuffah.

Israeli attempts to advance were accompanied by intense artillery shelling, phosphorous rounds, and illumination flares, while clashes broke out with Hezbollah between Kfar Tibnit, Kfar Roummane, and Nabatieh Fawqa, bringing the front line closer to major population centers in the area.

Elsewhere, early in the morning, Israeli airstrikes targeted Harouf, Habboush, Doueir, Deir Zahrani, and Toul (Nabatieh district), while artillery struck Zibdine and Kfar Roummane in the same district, as well as Beni Hayan (Marjayoun), Qleileh and Qalaway (Bint Jbeil), and Srifa (Sour).

A drone also fired a missile on Algeria Street in the city of Nabatieh.

South Lebanon attacks: Israel says it is striking 'Hezbollah infrastructure'

The Israeli army says it has been striking “Hezbollah militants and infrastructure” in southern Lebanon since the night.

The strikes are being carried out across “several areas in southern Lebanon,” the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Ella Waweya said on X, adding that they were launched “in response to repeated and ongoing violations of the cease-fire agreement” by Hezbollah.

Welcome to our live coverage of developments in Lebanon, where Israel has been carrying out heavy strikes in the south over the past few hours.

We will also be following developments in the Middle East, after talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were postponed.

Follow our live coverage from Thursday here.