Israel 'committed' to Lebanon cease-fire if Hezbollah complies, envoy says
Israel’s ambassador to the United States said Friday that Israel is committed to an immediate ceasefire, provided Hezbollah also abides by it.
“Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate cease-fire,” Ambassador Yechiel Leiter wrote on his X account. “If Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities, it will be met with calm,” he added.
White phosphorus strikes hit Nabatieh Fawqa
Israeli white phosphorus strikes target Nabatieh al-Fawqa despite a cease-fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, Friday, June 19, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L’Orient-Le Jour)
Israel ontinues attacks on Ali Taher and Nabatieh Fawqa
The Israeli army continued its attacks in the evening on the Ali Taher hill and the nearby village of Nabatieh Fawqa, in an area where its forces are seeking to advance.
The village has been targeted with phosphorus bombardment, while the hill has come under artillery fire using phosphorus shells as well as cluster munitions, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
These weapons are banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, concluded in Oslo in May 2008 and entering into force in 2010, notably due to their indiscriminate effects, which do not distinguish between military and civilian targets.
Israeli army kills another person after cease-fire takes effect
The Israeli army has killed a second person in Lebanon after the ceasefire came into effect, in a strike targeting a motorcycle in Zebdin, west of the city of Nabatieh, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Two artillery shells also hit a tire shop opposite the Deir junction in Nabatieh Fawqa, while additional fire targeted Kfar Tibnit in the same area.
An explosion was also heard in the town of Kounin (Bint Jbeil district), likely caused by a demolition operation carried out by the Israeli army.
Meanwhile, in strikes that preceded the cease-fire in the Saida district, four people were killed in Kaouthariyat al-Siyyad and Khartoum, according to our correspondent.
In the latter locality, the two victims were Moustafa Amine Assaf (Abu Youssef) and his wife, Maryam Hassan Jaber, who were killed in a strike on their home.
Araghchi says US responsible for 'end of the war in Lebanon'
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart that the United States is responsible for the “end of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” and that it also bears responsibility for any violation of the memorandum of understanding signed in Tehran between Washington and Iran on Wednesday, according to a statement cited by Reuters.
Trump says he asked Israel to agree to cease-fire, calls move 'a little icing on the cake'
U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC News in a phone call on Friday afternoon that he had spoken with Israel and urged it to agree to a ceasefire.
“It’s a positive,” he said, adding: “It’s a little icing on the cake.” Trump did not specify whether he had spoken directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Salam calls for state monopoly on arms, vows to push reforms forward
The Lebanese state must have the “exclusive control of weapons,” Salam says, pledging “not to back down from the path of reform.”
During the graduation ceremony at Notre-Dame University – Louaizé (NDU), Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reaffirmed that state sovereignty requires a monopoly on arms. “There is no full sovereignty for a state whose institutions are eroding from within,” he said, adding that the Lebanese state must have the “exclusive control of weapons across its entire territory” and be the sole authority to decide “on matters of war and peace.”
“We want a state in which citizens feel that their future is not held hostage by their political and sectarian affiliation,” he added.
Reiterating his government’s commitments, he pledged “not to back down from the path of reform,” “not to compromise on a single inch of territory,” and “not to be lax in restricting weapons to legitimate forces alone.” He concluded: “Lebanon, despite everything it has gone through, still has enough light to emerge from darkness toward a better future."
Aoun, Rubio discuss Lebanon ceasefire push ahead of Washington talks
President Joseph Aoun received a phone call on Friday evening from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which they discussed recent developments in Lebanon and the wider region.
Rubio reaffirmed U.S. support for Lebanon, stressing Washington’s commitment to helping restore security and stability, extend state authority across all Lebanese territory, and strengthen its legitimate political, security, and military institutions, particularly the Lebanese army.
Aoun, in turn, thanked the U.S. official for Washington’s support, while stressing the need to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory through a comprehensive ceasefire agreement. He said such a ceasefire is a key prerequisite for advancing Lebanese-U.S.-Israeli talks scheduled to take place in Washington next week.
He added that the aim of those talks is to reach the core objectives on which the negotiations were launched, namely restoring Lebanon’s security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Haboush municipality urges residents to refrain from returning to town
The Municipality of Haboush (Nabatieh) said in a statement that “amid the ongoing dangers resulting from the Israeli attacks, and despite the return of some residents to the town without an official decision authorizing their return, which has led to some being exposed to harm. We urge everyone to exercise the utmost caution and refrain from returning to the town at the present time in order to preserve public safety.”
“We also ask that no one return to the town until an official decision is issued by the competent authorities,” the statement concluded.
Israeli strikes kill 3 so far in southern Lebanon, hours after cease-fire came into effect
- Two people were killed in the airstrike that targeted Kawthariyet al-Siyad (Saida), and one man, Hussein Taleb Khodr, a member of the Amal Movement, was killed in the airstrike on Haboush (Nabatieh), our correspondent in the south reported.
- Two artillery shells targeted a tire shop opposite the Deir junction in Nabatieh al-Fawqah (Nabatieh.)
Netanyahu says Israeli army struck 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli army struck “150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon” following the recent escalation and the announcement of a ceasefire.
“As I ordered, the Israeli army struck 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and eliminated dozens of fighters,” Netanyahu wrote on his X account.
Iran says meeting in Switzerland possible in the coming days, final deal depends on implementation of terms agreed
Iran's foreign ministry said the meeting in Switzerland scheduled for Friday has been postponed, with plans underway to hold talks in the coming days, according to Reuters.
The ministry added that the memorandum of understanding with the United States on ending the war had already been signed digitally, making the Switzerland meeting no longer urgent.
The foreign ministry also said that negotiations on a final deal will depend on the continued implementation of the terms outlined in the memorandum with Washington.
Israel carries out around a dozen strikes in southern Lebanon after cease-fire takes effect
The Israeli army carried out around a dozen strikes in southern Lebanon following the cease-fire that came into effect at 16:00, while Hezbollah has not carried out any attacks since then, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli air force mainly continued striking the Nabatieh district, targeting after a powerful strike on Kfar Tibnit the city of Nabatieh, its outskirts, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Kfar Tibnit again, Shoukin, the area between Abba and Jibsheett, and Qaaqaiyet al-Jisr. A drone strike hit Habboush, and artillery fire targeted Nabatieh and the Ali al-Taher hills.
The Israeli army also targeted the Aramta hills, as well as an area in Rihane in the Jezzine district.
South Lebanon escalation kills 56, injures 97 according to health ministry
The Israeli army killed 56 people in Lebanon and wounded 97 others on Friday since 00:00 a.m., according to the health ministry, as cited by Reuters.
'Netanyahu gave 100% approval for the resumption of the cease-fire in Lebanon,' according to a US official
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “given 100% approval for the resumption of the cease-fire in Lebanon,” a U.S. official told Axios journalist Barak Ravid.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office has not yet confirmed the claim, he added.
Amal member killed in Habboush strike after Lebanon cease-fire takes effect
A member of the Amal Movement, Hussein Taleb Khodr, was killed in a strike on Habboush (Nabatieh district) following the entry into force of the new ceasefire in Lebanon, announced after a deadly day of escalation.
Cease-fire 'needs to hold in Lebanon,' German Chancellor says
Cease-fire between U.S., Iran "needs to hold in Lebanon," German Chancellor Merz says, according to Reuters.
Hezbollah says it began observing cease-fire as soon as it took effect, reserves right to respond if Israel violates it
The Hezbollah group has said it is observing the ceasefire with Israel that was due to come into force at 4 p.m., according to two sources within the movement cited by Reuters, even as bombardments continued in southern Lebanon.
The sources said the group began complying with the truce as soon as it received confirmation of its entry into force.
“We will respect the cease-fire if Israel respects it,” Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Mouassoui told Al Arabiya, adding that the group “reserves the right to respond” to any Israeli attacks.
Airstrikes, drone strikes, artillery shelling continue pounding southern Lebanon, less than one hour after ceasefire came into effect
- Airstrikes targeted the hills of Aramta (Jezzine), Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Kfar Tibnit. Artillery shelling also struck the Ali al-Taher hills. An airstrike targeted the Makassed neighborhood in the city of Nabatieh (all located in Nabatieh district.)
- Artillery shelling targeted the vicinity of the Husseiniya in the town of Rihan (Jezzine district).
- An airstrike targeted the outskirts of Choukine, while another strike hit the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh, amid continued artillery shelling. An airstrike targeted the area between the towns of Ebba and Jibchit, and another targeted Qaqaait al-Jisr (all located in Nabatieh.)
- A drone strike targeted the town of Haboush (Nabatieh district.)
Israel says it will keep troops in south Lebanon as it confirms 'cease-fire situation'
A senior Israeli official told Reuters that Israel is in a “cease-fire situation.” He added that the Israeli army will “maintain its forces in southern Lebanon.”
“If Hezbollah does not attack us, then we are not in a state of war,” the official said, while confirming the cease-fire.
Israeli military spokesman: Troops in Lebanon have freedom to act against threats
An Israeli military spokesman said that troops operating on the ground in Lebanon have the freedom to act against threats.
Asked whether Israel would strike in Beirut, the spokesman said: “We respect agreements and act according to instructions from Israel’s leaders.”
Adraee says more than ‘100 Hezbollah targets struck across Lebanon’
“Hezbollah violated the cease-fire in an attempt to prevent our forces from completing the destruction of capabilities it had built over many years, and we responded with force,” the Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X.
“Over the past several hours and throughout the night, the Israeli military struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets across various areas of Lebanon, including the Bekaa Valley and Nabatieh.
According to the statement, dozens of Hezbollah operatives were killed in the strikes. The Israeli military maintains full operational freedom to eliminate threats wherever they emerge. The Chief of Staff has instructed that all available capabilities be provided to forces on the ground. We will not allow anyone to threaten us,” the post concluded.
Donald Trump said he believes he can stop Israel from attacking Lebanon.
The U.S. president told Axios that he will be able to prevent Israel from attacking Lebanon, at a time when the Israeli army continues its strikes on southern Lebanon and a cease-fire in Lebanon is listed as the first point in the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington.
“I'm the boss,” he said, adding that Israel has “a lot of respect for me” and will “do as I say'' Trump said.
"If it weren't for me, Israel would not exist today," adding that his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "good, but we have to keep him a little bit sane."
Hezbollah releases propaganda video targeting Israeli army
“Hezbollah’s war media” has published a propaganda video showing portraits of Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon. The images appear with targeting crosshairs over them. “Since you will eventually withdraw anyway, why be the last soldier to fall?” reads the closing message of the video, displayed in both Arabic and Hebrew.
The message comes after the Israeli army announced on Friday the deaths of four soldiers in operations in southern Lebanon.
Iran says US bears 'direct responsibility' for Israeli attacks on Lebanon
Iran has condemned Israeli strikes on Lebanon and warned of their consequences for regional peace and security, saying the United States bears “direct responsibility” for the situation, Reuters reported.
Referring to the memorandum of understanding signed this week between Washington and Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said a halt to the war in Lebanon is an “integral part” of the agreement aimed at ending hostilities across all fronts. He added that Iran would take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests, security, and allies.
⚡️ Israel, Hezbollah agree to cease-fire starting on Friday
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire set to begin at 4 p.m. local time on Friday, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.
“Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a cease-fire,” the official told Reuters, adding that negotiators for the U.S. and Qataris worked out the deal with help from Iran.
“We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a cease-fire.”
Israeli strikes kill more people, injure others amid non-stop on southern Lebanon
10 casualties, including people killed and wounded, in 13 strikes that targeted the town of Arab Salim in Iqlim al-Tuffah (Nabatieh).
One man, Ali Shaheen, from the town of Kfar Sir was killed in a drone strike that targeted him in the town of Qsaibeh (both located in Nabatieh).
Two airstrikes targeted the city of Nabatieh and the town of Mayfadoun. An airstrike also targeted the outskirts of Houmin Fawqa (all located in Nabatieh).
An airstrike targeted the Amal Movement’s “al-Iqlim” headquarters in the Rahbat neighborhood of Nabatieh city, destroying it, our correspondent reported.
'The escalation will not prevent efforts to achieve a comprehensive cease-fire,' says President Aoun
President Joseph Aoun has condemned the Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon and North Bekaa, which has killed several dozen people in less than 24 hours.
“What we are witnessing today in the South and the Bekaa, in terms of the expansion of Israeli aggression, killings, and renewed destruction, constitutes a dangerous and condemnable escalation,” he said on X. “It has affected dozens of innocent people, including women and children, and is effectively aimed at undermining all ongoing efforts to consolidate the cease-fire and end the war, particularly after recent developments between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.
Aoun stressed that this escalation would not prevent work toward achieving a comprehensive ceasefire as soon as possible, which he said he had “recommended to the Lebanese negotiating delegation at the upcoming session in Washington.” The head of state said the comprehensive ceasefire is “the gateway to addressing other issues, most importantly the Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the army, and the return of prisoners.”
Fadlallah tells Reuters: Iran informed Hezbollah that continuation of talks with US depends on establishing comprehensive cease-fire
Iran has informed Hezbollah that talks with the United States cannot proceed unless a comprehensive cease-fire is implemented, according to MP Hassan Fadlallah, speaking to Reuters.
The Iran–U.S. agreement concluded last Sunday and signed on Wednesday includes, in its first clause, a cease-fire on all fronts and explicitly mentions Lebanon. However, the Israeli army has carried out dozens of airstrikes on southern Lebanon since last night, saying they were in response to Hezbollah cease-fire violations.
Fadlallah called on the Lebanese government to reject any direct negotiations with Israel as long as Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue.
He said the United States is responsible for ensuring that Israel halts its strikes and implements the terms of the agreement.
The negotiations scheduled for today in Switzerland between Tehran and Washington have been postponed.
Hezbollah says it will 'remain on alert' against Israel
Hezbollah said, as the Israeli army has been pounding southern Lebanon and the Bekaa since last night, killing several dozen people, that it will “remain on alert” in the face of Israeli attacks.
In a statement, Hezbollah denied having “violated the cease-fire,” accusing Tel Aviv of having “never respected any truce agreement” since November 2024. The Israelis are “intensifying their cease-fire violations, committing massacres, and continuing to try to infiltrate areas and villages they were unable to reach before,” it said.
Overnight, Hezbollah said it had twice attacked Israeli units attempting to advance on the Ali Taher hill south of Nabatieh, while the Israeli army reported the deaths of four of its soldiers in southern Lebanon. This appeared to trigger the heavy wave of strikes on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa.
According to Hezbollah, Israel is intensifying its attacks on Lebanese territory to “cover its failures and losses on the battlefield.”
The group said it would “remain on alert against any attack” and continue fighting the Israeli army.
Israeli army will remain in southern Lebanon 'as long as necessary,' Netanyahu says
Israel will remain in Lebanon “as long as necessary,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, adding that his country would make Hezbollah “pay a very heavy price” following the announcement of the deaths of four soldiers during operations, AFP reported.
The Israeli army “will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect communities in the north” of Israel, Netanyahu said in a statement. “Israel will not tolerate any attack against our soldiers or our territory,” he added.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, for his part, warned that Israel would respond “with considerable force” to any attack by Hezbollah, Iran’s ally.
Iran seeks guarantees on end of hostilities in Lebanon before resuming talks with US, according to diplomatic source cited by CNN
Iran has requested guarantees regarding the end of hostilities in Lebanon before resuming talks with the United States in Switzerland, a diplomat familiar with the matter told CNN.
“The Iranians have asked for guarantees on the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, in line with what is provided for in the signed agreement,” the diplomat said, adding that “mediators are currently working to resolve this issue.”
The source also told CNN that the planned talks are now “temporarily postponed” following Israeli strikes in Lebanon, without specifying when they might resume.
2 rescuers killed in Habboush as Israeli strikes continue across Nabatieh district
Two rescuers from the Al-Risala Association, affiliated with Amal movement, Qassem Roumani and Ali Obeid, were killed in Israeli airstrikes which targeted Habboush (Nabatieh) while they were “carrying out their humanitarian duties,” according to our correspondent in the South.
An airstrike hit an area between Shoukin and Mayfadoun (Nabatieh), while another targeted the Kassar Zaatar sector in Nabatieh.
Airstrikes also hit Arab Salim, Qseibeh, Kfar Roummane, Habboush, Kfar Tibnit, and Nabatieh Fawqa.
A drone strike targeted a motorcycle at the Kfar Roummane roundabout (all located in the Nabatieh district).
An Israeli opposition MP calls for the army to withdraw from southern Lebanon
Israeli lawmaker Naama Lazimi, from an opposition party, has called on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to “end the war in Lebanon,” following the death of four soldiers in the south announced earlier today.
In a post on X, Lazimi also urged the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the so-called “zone of sacrifice” in southern Lebanon, in order to pave the way for an agreement with Beirut, ahead of direct talks in Washington scheduled to resume in three days.
Gaza: cease-fire is a 'deadly illusion' for children, UNICEF warns
The truce agreed in Gaza between Hamas and Israel is a “deadly illusion” for Palestinian children, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said, reporting 265 children killed since October 2025, according to AFP.
“For very, very long months, the entire world was told there was a cease-fire in Gaza. Yet for Palestinian children, this so-called cease-fire has become a cruel and deadly illusion,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said from Amman during a press briefing in Geneva.
He said that since the ceasefire was announced last October, 265 Palestinian children have been killed across Gaza, calling the figure “absurd,” “devastating,” and one that raises questions about the “credibility” of the cease-fire itself.
According to him, the vast majority of the 265 children were killed “by Israeli forces.” “A handful were killed by unexploded ordnance, and a very small number by militias. But the vast majority were killed by Israeli forces in airstrikes, bombs or drones,” Elder said.
UNICEF also reported more than 400 injured girls and boys, many of them severely wounded. “We must stop accepting levels of child mortality that would cause outrage anywhere else. We must stop normalizing the abnormal,” he said.
Israeli army said it carried out more than 80 strikes on Lebanon, eliminated 'dozens of Hezbollah members'
The Israeli army said it carried out more than 80 strikes on Lebanon over the past hours and killed “dozens of Hezbollah members,” including in the Nabatieh region, in response to “repeated violations” of the cease-fire.
The series of strikes on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa since last night have killed several people, including families and children. The army also said it had “recently struck two command centers” belonging to the Shiite movement in the Bekaa, after repeatedly hitting sites near Baalbeck, including Douris, Jammaliyeh, and Ain Bourday.
It further said it had targeted two Hezbollah members fleeing on a motorbike from a rocket launch site in southern Lebanon, without specifying the area, adding that it had “destroyed the launcher.”
On the ground, Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling, and drone attacks continued in the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent.
Two airstrikes hit Arab Salim (Nabatieh), bringing the total to 10 strikes on the town since the start of the day. Strikes also targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, Mayfadoun, and Kfar Joz, while drones struck the Ebba valley and Kfar Roummane, and artillery shelling continued on Kfar Roummane.
Hormuz: ship traffic at highest level since mid-April, according to AXSMarine
A total of 25 commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, after an agreement allowing its reopening the previous day, marking a level not seen since mid-April, according to data from maritime tracking platform AXSMarine published today.
This is the highest number of ships in a single day since April 18, which coincided with a brief reopening window after Iran announced that the strait was open to commercial traffic on the key global trade route, AFP reported.
Two killed, several injured in Israeli strikes on Baalbeck region
Israeli strikes in the Baalbeck region have killed two people and wounded several others since this morning, according to a preliminary toll, our correspondent in the Bekaa reported.
The attacks reportedly hit, among other locations, a farm in Jammaliyeh (north of Baalbeck) and a residential building in Ain Bourday.
Israeli offensive triggers new wave of displacement from south toward Beirut and Saida
Waves of Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon have triggered new displacement from bombarded villages, especially around Nabatieh and Zahrani, toward Saida and Beirut, according to our correspondent in the south.
The strikes targeted Adsheet, Ebba, Toul, Habboush, Arab Salim, and Jbaa in the Nabatieh district over the past hour, while artillery continues to shell the city of Nabatiyeh itself. Three people were killed in the city. In Jbaa, the strike hit a residential building in the church area, with no immediate toll available.
Air raids also targeted Rihane (Jezzine), while a drone struck Bourj Qalaway (Bint Jbeil) and artillery shells hit Majdal Zoun (Sour).
Iran: Ghalibaf conditions any talks with US on Tehran’s 'red lines'
The head of Iran’s negotiating team, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has insisted that any future talks with the United States must respect Iran’s “red lines.”
“As we have demonstrated throughout previous negotiations, we remain firm in upholding the conditions and red lines set, and in defending the interests of the Iranian nation,” Ghalibaf, a senior figure who is also speaker of parliament, said, according to the IRNA news agency.
“If the enemy goes too far in its demands, we have proven that we are ready to respond and will not hesitate to deliver a forceful reaction,” he added.
Smotrich calls to 'open the gates of hell' on Lebanon; Liberman urges bombing Beirut’s southern suburbs
“It is necessary to let the fire speak … open the gates of hell,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right figure, said on X, without explicitly mentioning Lebanon but alluding to the death of four soldiers in southern Lebanon announced by the army earlier today.
Intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose coalition is now hanging by a thread ahead of elections due by the end of October at the latest, opposition nationalist leader Avigdor Lieberman called for imposing “a heavy price … from which the other side will never recover.”
“If after the soldiers’ deaths the southern suburbs of Beirut are still standing, it is a direct failure of the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister,” he wrote on X.
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.
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