Ghalibaf announces communication line for safe passage through Hormuz; third night of relative calm in south Lebanon | LIVE

Israeli drones fly over Saida, Sour, Beirut

Israeli drones flew at low altitude over several localities in Zahrani, south of Saida, as well as areas in the Sour district, according to our correspondent.

This morning, an Israeli drone flew over the Beirut area, according to our journalists.

Trump says he can 'solve problems quickly, including with Bibi'

When asked by a reporter in the Oval Office on Monday about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that the Israeli army would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared unaware of the Israeli leader's statement, according to a video clip widely shared on social media.

When informed that the statement had been made publicly, Trump appeared surprised before replying: "We'll look into that. I'm a problem solver. I can solve problems quickly, including with Bibi."

The Israeli prime minister said Monday that the Israeli army would remain in the Israeli-controlled "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon "as long as necessary" and that it had complete freedom of action to counter any direct or emerging threat against it or residents of northern Israel.

Trump also warned that he would "do what he has to do" if Iran did not comply with its agreement with Washington.

"If Iran doesn't comply with the agreement, or if it doesn't behave properly, I'll do what I have to do," the U.S. president told reporters.

"As long as they respect us — I don't like to use the word 'fear' because it's inappropriate — as long as they respect us, we won't have any problems," he added.

Oman reaffirms commitment to unimpeded passage through Hormuz

The Omani foreign minister reaffirmed in a post on X his country's commitment to international law and safe, unimpeded passage through the Strait of Hormuz following meetings with senior Iranian officials.

Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said he held constructive discussions in Muscat with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during which "we reaffirmed our commitment to international law and safe, unimpeded passage."

Lebanon: Damage estimated at $1.38 billion, 11,000 buildings destroyed

Lebanon, ravaged since early March by a new war between Israel and Hezbollah, has suffered more than $1 billion in damage, with 11,000 buildings destroyed in the South, according to a study.

According to a "rapid assessment" based on a comparison of satellite images from late April and October 2025, the cost amounts to $1.38 billion (€1.2 billion), according to the United Nations Development Program and the National Council for Scientific Research, which is affiliated with the Lebanese government.

"In total, 11,095 buildings were completely destroyed, affecting 17,891 homes, while 2,242 buildings were partially damaged," the statement said.

These figures do not take into account the final weeks of the war.

Israel has killed 4,100 people during this war, according to Lebanese authorities, and displaced more than 1 million.

Trump threatens not to help NATO countries if they ask for it

Donald Trump threatened NATO countries on Monday that he would not help them if they asked for it, arguing that they did not support his military operation against Iran.

"We spent all this money. And then, when we want to maybe have some help with a little thing ... they say no, we'd rather not help," the U.S. president said during a press briefing in the Oval Office. "It's stupid to say that, because we can also say that to them, and we could do it," he added.

Trump will attend the next summit of the 32 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, in Turkey in July.

Relative calm prevails in south Lebanon for third consecutive night

Relative calm continued to prevail across the villages, towns and cities of southern Lebanon overnight from Monday to Tuesday, with no Israeli violations reported this morning, according to several sources on the ground cited by our correspondent.

The return of displaced people continued, with many coming to inspect their homes and belongings while awaiting developments in the security situation and a gradual return to normal life.

Among the few violations of the truce agreed upon this past weekend, Israeli drones on Monday dropped stun grenades over Nabatieh, at the entrances to the villages of Zawtar Sharqieh and Zawtar Gharbieh, as well as over Nabatieh Fawqa, Kfar Tibnit, Haddatha and Kfar Roummane, in the Nabatieh district. Three artillery shells were also fired near Mansouri, in the Sour district.

Around 2 a.m., Israel also fired machine guns in several neighborhoods of the town of Khiam, in the Marjayoun district.

In addition, the Sour region is expected to host the funerals today of three Hezbollah fighters killed by Israel.

Tehran wants to retain control of Hormuz as round of negotiations ends

Tehran reiterated Tuesday its desire to maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz as a round of negotiations with the Americans, which began this past weekend in Switzerland, concluded in an attempt to end the war in the Middle East.

The discussions laid "very solid foundations for reaching a successful final agreement," U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Monday. The United States subsequently announced a two-month suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil.

Vance and Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf left the Bürgenstock resort in the Swiss Alps on Monday after an 18-hour marathon session, leaving diplomats to continue "technical" discussions on site.

Those talks have also concluded, and discussions will continue later within working groups, the Iranian Foreign Ministry told the state-run IRNA on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ghalibaf reaffirmed that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to prewar levels and that the waterway would remain under Iranian control. He added that Iran would establish a communication line to guarantee safe passage through the strait, which normally carries 20% of the world's oil and LNG.

The waterway was uncontrolled before the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28. But "the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never return to what it was before the war," Ghalibaf said, emphasizing that Iran would retain control.

In remarks given to state television upon returning to Iran after talks with the United States in Switzerland on Sunday, the Iranian negotiator added that the agreement to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets had been finalized.

The technical discussions also led to the establishment of working groups focusing on, among other things, the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions.

"It was decided to establish four working groups focusing on the lifting of sanctions, the nuclear issue, the reconstruction and economic development of Iran, as well as a monitoring group," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, a legal expert, told IRNA.

Tehran announces establishment of 'conflict management unit' in Lebanon

On the Lebanese front, which Tehran has insisted on including in the discussions, a "conflict management unit" will be established to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which plunged Lebanon into war in early March.

On Monday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced that he had received a call from Vice President JD Vance regarding "the consolidation of the cease-fire in Lebanon, the cessation of Israeli military escalation and the measures to be taken in this regard."

Israel's onslaught on Lebanon, which it claims is intended to prevent Hezbollah attacks, has killed more than 4,100 people, according to authorities, and displaced more than 1 million civilians.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, for his part, that adherence to the cease-fire will be "the first real test" of the strength of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.

Catch up on the news with our Morning Brief

Our Morning Brief is ready with everything you need to know to start this Tuesday.

Good morning. We are now launching our LIVE coverage of the region.

We are now launching our LIVE coverage of developments in Lebanon and the Middle East, marked by talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland that have reportedly made "major progress," as well as developments related to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

This diplomatic breakthrough comes amid a period of calm that appears to have held in southern Lebanon since Saturday night, despite some cease-fire violations reported since it took effect.

Find our live coverage from yesterday here.