Mediators rush to restart diplomatic track between US-Iran; US ready to launch further strikes, according to CNN | LIVE

Tensions in the Gulf: diplomacy is in full swing behind the scenes, but the US remains ready for further strikes, according to CNN

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNN that diplomacy continues "behind the scenes" between the U.S. and Iran, and that Washington is "deliberately alternating between strikes and periods of calm in order to avoid escalation." However, the U.S. administration remains ready for further strikes and has drawn up a list of potential targets on Iranian territory, in order to maintain leverage, according to these officials. They emphasized that preparations were under way for further military operations, including the loading of fighter jets with ammunition aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

According to Al Jazeera, “technical discussions” are continuing between Washington and Tehran, and the mediating countries are attempting to get diplomacy back on track, whilst Axios reports that Qatar, Pakistan, and other regional mediators are “working to ease tensions and restart negotiations.” These mediators believe that previous talks had “enabled progress towards a nuclear deal” and therefore do not wish to backtrack. In this context, officials from Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia made a series of telephone calls on Wednesday with U.S. and Iranian officials in an effort to defuse the crisis, according to sources cited by the U.S. media outlet.

A regional source in one of the mediating countries also accused elements within the regime opposed to the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding of having carried out the attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which triggered the escalation.

Southern Lebanon: Israeli strike on van near Shukineh injures 2 people

Two people were injured early this morning in an Israeli drone strike on a van that was collecting rubbish on the outskirts of Shoukin and Kfar Dajjal (Nabatieh), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, Israeli artillery targeted the Houjeir Valley and the outskirts of Deir Siryan (Marjayoun).

Overnight, the Israeli army carried out explosions in Khiam (Marjayoun) which were heard throughout the region. An Israeli drone also dropped a stun grenade in Bouyout al-Sayyed (Sour).

Aoun meets with Haykal to discuss implementation of framework agreement with Israel

President Joseph Aoun met with the army’s commander-in-chief, General Rodolph Haykal, to discuss the security situation in Lebanon and particularly in the South, as well as preparations for the implementation of the framework agreement with Israel, whilst Israeli attacks on several villages and towns in southern Lebanon continue.

“The discussions focused on the ongoing preparations for the implementation of the provisions set out in the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel [mediated by the U.S.], in the designated pilot areas, where the Lebanese Army is due to deploy simultaneously with the withdrawal of Israeli forces,” the Presidency stated on X.

Under the framework agreement reached between the two countries during the fifth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, the Lebanese Army is to deploy in two "pilot zones," located around Froun (Bint Jbeil, in the central sector) and the villages of Zawtar (eastern sector, north of the Litani River), in parallel with the Israeli withdrawal, and dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure there.

On Thursday, during a meeting with the U.S. ambassador, Michel Issa, President Aoun had emphasized the need to “consolidate the 'cease-fire' in southern Lebanon and put pressure on Israel to end its military operations and comply with the provisions” of the framework agreement. He had also called on Israel to “put an end to the bombings and demolition operations” in the occupied towns of the South.

Beirut had demanded that Israel withdraw from two "pilot zones" in the south of the country before taking part in the next round of talks with Tel Aviv, scheduled for 15 and 16 July in Rome. And according to a U.S. official, the first "pilot zone" in Lebanon will be launched in the coming days.

Iran: Military facility near Bushehr hit by attack

A military facility near the southern city of Bushehr, home to Iran’s only operational nuclear power station, was targeted by an attack, an Iranian official said on Thursday, as quoted by the state news agency IRNA.

“A military facility in the vicinity of Bushehr was attacked and hit by a projectile fired by the American-Zionist [Israeli] enemy,” said the province’s deputy governor, Ehsan Jahanian, according to IRNA.

“The U.S. armed forces have not carried out any new strikes in Iran in the last few hours,” a U.S. defense official told AFP.

Trump briefed Netanyahu on latest US ‘developments’ in Gulf

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening to brief him on the latest U.S. "developments" in the Gulf, Netanyahu’s office announced.

The conversation took place “as part of regular contacts” between the two leaders, who reaffirmed on this occasion “continued coordination between their countries in various fields,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office published on the X network.

“For his part, Netanyahu emphasized the seriousness of the statements made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his aides against the existence of the State of Israel, as well as the need to establish security zones along Israel’s borders,” the statement added.

A U.S. official confirmed to AFP that the call had taken place, without providing any details on its content.

Netanyahu’s office had stated in early July that the two leaders had agreed to meet “soon” in the United States.

Supreme Leader Khamenei laid to rest amid US-Iran strikes

The late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was laid to rest early this morning in Mashhad, state television reported, following several days of funeral ceremonies marked by the resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran.

The ceremony took place without the apparent presence of his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, according to footage broadcast by state television, which showed Ali Khamenei’s coffin being carried into the Imam Reza Shrine, the holiest site of Shia Islam in Iran.

In Mashhad, the north-eastern city that is home to this shrine, a large crowd made its way under the blazing sun. A fighter jet escorted the aircraft carrying the Supreme Leader’s remains to Mashhad.

The resumption of hostilities did not dampen the fervor of the faithful, millions of whom traveled from afar and gathered in Tehran and Qom earlier this week and then in neighboring Iraq. “Everyone here is seeking revenge,” says Mohammad Afsharian, a 41-year-old shopkeeper, who believes diplomatic efforts are “as good as dead.” “Even if we were to reach an agreement with the United States, we would still have problems with Israel,” he says.

Read more on this story here.

Israel claims Iran plotting to kill Donald Trump

Israel has passed on information from its intelligence services to Washington suggesting that Iran is preparing a new plot to assassinate Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal and CNN reported on Thursday, citing anonymous sources.

Both U.S. media outlets are sparing on details. According to a source quoted by CNN, the U.S. authorities were alerted to the threat this week. According to another source speaking to the channel, the Israelis confirmed a new Iranian plan that had already been partially detected by U.S. intelligence services.

Read more on this story here.

Hello and welcome to our live blog

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of news in Lebanon and in the region.

We will be closely monitoring the situation in southern Lebanon, where Israel continues to occupy several hundred square kilometers along the border and carry out strikes.

To catch up on everything that happened yesterday, read our Morning Brief here.