Israel issues forced evacuation order for village of Mansouri in Sour district, a first since June 'cease-fire' | LIVE

Iranian Foreign Ministry says no talks have taken place with the US in recent days

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Esmaeil Baghaei said that Iranian diplomats have held no discussions with U.S. negotiators in recent days, Reuters reported.

Israeli army will continue to act 'proactively' in Gaza, says chief of staff

The Israeli army will continue to act "proactively" in the Gaza Strip, its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, warned on Wednesday, pledging to "continue pursuing those responsible" for the Oct. 7 attack carried out by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

"The Israeli army will continue to act proactively and in accordance with the principle we have established: in all situations, to protect communities and residents and safeguard their security. We will not allow a threat to form along our borders, like the one we experienced on Oct. 7, 2023," Zamir said during a visit to troops in the Palestinian territory, according to a military statement.

US lifts sanctions on 3 entities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Treasury says

The United States has lifted terrorism-related sanctions imposed on two aircraft and three airlines with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to information published Wednesday on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website, Reuters reported.

Person killed in Tibnin drone strike identified

The person killed in the Israeli drone strike that targeted the village of Tibnin (Bint Jbeil district) on Wednesday afternoon has been identified as Ali Mohammad Khatib, from the village of Labaya in the Bekaa, according to our correspondent.

Israeli army fires 2 mortar shells near Kfar Shuba

Two Israeli mortar shells struck the outskirts of the village of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya district) in south Lebanon, according to our correspondent.

Iran and Oman agree on maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran says

After several days of talks, Iran and Oman have agreed on the geographical coordinates of a maritime route that ships will use to transit the Strait of Hormuz, while a joint announcement is being finalized, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Baghaei added that the agreement between Tehran and Muscat alone would not guarantee the security of the strategic waterway and remained contingent on "the absence of third-party interference," including by the United States.

Evacuation order for Mansouri is first issued by the Israeli army since June 14

The forced evacuation order issued by the Israeli army on Wednesday afternoon for the village of Mansouri (Sour district) is the first such order since similar notices were issued on June 14 for other villages in south Lebanon — five days before a new cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel was announced.

Mansouri is one of the first villages bordering the "Yellow Line" established by Israel in south Lebanon, which demarcates an occupation zone spanning more than 600 square kilometers of Lebanese territory, although the village itself lies north of it. No strikes have so far been reported in Mansouri since the Israeli army ordered its evacuation.

Several dozen families who had returned to the coastal village have once again been forced to flee after recent Israeli bombardments targeted the area before the evacuation order was issued.

The framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel on June 26 provides for the creation of "pilot zones" in south Lebanon. President Joseph Aoun said ahead of the latest round of negotiations in Rome that the Israeli army's daily destruction of infrastructure in occupied villages, particularly through controlled demolitions, poses "a threat" to the sustainability of the agreement.

Senior Iranian source says agreement with Oman on Strait of Hormuz is imminent

According to a senior Iranian diplomatic source cited by Al Jazeera, only "one or two issues" remain unresolved in talks between Iran and Oman aimed at reaching an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz.

The source said the remaining issues "do not appear to be particularly complex." "Barring malicious interference by other parties, an agreement could be reached as early as today or tomorrow," the source added.

The same source also said that any closure or reopening of the strait would depend on "possible actions by the United States."

For now, no visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad is planned, the source said, adding that such a trip could be scheduled soon depending on developments in the diplomatic process.

Israeli army launches new artillery strikes in Sour district

The Israeli army fired three artillery shells at an area between the villages of Zibqin and Majdal Zoun, in the Sour district, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.

Army clears unexploded ordnance from several villages in south Lebanon

The Lebanese Army's specialized engineering unit dismantled several unexploded munitions and missiles dropped by the Israeli army in the villages of Majdal Selm, Qabrikha (Marjayoun district), Braasheet, Deir Antar (Bint Jbeil district) and Shoukin (Nabatieh district), the army said in a statement.

The ordnance was transported to a secure location for later disposal "to ensure the safety of citizens," the statement said.

The army also stressed "the need to exercise the utmost caution in areas that have been subjected to Israeli attacks" and urged residents to report any suspicious objects to the nearest military center.

Updated toll in Tibnin: At least 1 killed, 11 injured

The Israeli airstrike which targeted a prayer hall in the village of Tibnin has killed one person and wounded 11, according to our correspondent in the South.

The Ministry of Health, for its part, said in a statement that the provisional toll stood at one person killed and 12 injured.

Several injured from Israeli strike targeting prayer hall in Tibnin

Damage caused by Israeli drone strike on prayer hall in Tibnin. (Photo shared by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah)

An Israeli drone strike has targeted a prayer hall near the cemetery of the village of Tibnin (Bint Jbeil), with at least seven people injured, our correspondent in the South reports.

Israel announces a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon

Dozens of families forced to flee Mansouri following Israeli strikes and forced evacuation order

The mayor of Mansouri, Haidar Madihli, has told our correspondent in the South that Israel carried out four airstrikes on buildings and villas in the Ghazaleh neighborhood on the outskirts of Mansouri (Sour) prior to the forced evacuation order, causing severe damage to the targeted structures.

He noted that the strikes caused a notable displacement movement, with several cars loaded with belongings and personal items leaving toward the city of Sour via the coastal road. He added that the today's evacuation order prompted the remaining families to leave their homes and head toward the city of Sour as a first step.

The mayor said that around 120 families living in Mansouri returned after the "cease-fire" on June 20 but that the number gradually declined as targeting operations and airstrikes increased, reaching around 60 families, before dropping in recent days to only between 40 and 50 families.

He noted that the municipality would contact the relevant authorities to try to provide temporary shelters, including schools, to accommodate the displaced.

Israel orders forced evacuation of southern Lebanese village of Mansouri (Sour)

The Israeli army has issued an evacuation order to residents of the village of Mansouri (Sour). This is the first evacuation order issued by the Israeli army in several weeks.

Take a look back at how Israel divided Mansouri by its Gaza-style "yellow line" in this special report by Yara Sarkis here.

Israel sets forests on fire in Houla; Artillery shelling causes fire to erupt in Zibqine Valley

Fire in the Zibqine Valley. (Photo shared by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli forces are setting fire to forests and fruit-bearing trees in the western neighborhoods of the village of Houla (Marjayoun), with the flames reaching homes, our correspondent in the South reports.

Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the Nafkha area in Wadi Zibqine (Sour) following Israeli artillery shelling that targeted the area some time ago.

Iran says it will support any decision by Palestinian leaders in Gaza negotiations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday Tehran would support any initiative or decision taken by Palestinian leaders in ongoing indirect negotiations between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel, Iranian state media reported.

Israel strikes Mansouri; fires flares on Ali Taher and artillery shells on Shebaa

Israeli airstrike on the Mansouri communal lands. (Photo shared by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli warplanes carried out a strike on the common lands of the village of Mansouri (Sour).

The Israeli army has also fired illumination and incendiary flares over the Ali Taher hill.

In parallel, Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the area of Shaab al-Qaleb in the village of Shebaa (Hasbaya).

Rasamny announces launch of project to build temporary crossing at Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr bridge over Litani River

Photo released by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport

During his visit to the villages of Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr and Zawtar Gharbieh, Minister of Public Works Fayez Rasamny announced the launch of a project to build a temporary crossing at the Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr bridge over the Litani River, which would reconnect the districts of Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil.

He also announced the start of reconstruction work on the damaged retaining wall along the Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr public road to and ensure the public safety.

The minister added that the ministry would also begin rehabilitating and repairing public roads in the villages most affected, particularly Ghandourieh, Zawtar Gharbieh, Burj Qalaway, Qalaway, Srifa, and Froun.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Michel Menassah, who accompanied Rasamny, affirmed that the land of the South would return to its people.

"I tell you from Zawtar Gharbieh that the army, which is the spearhead of Lebanese legitimacy, demonstrates that as long as it advances into towns, legitimacy is present," he said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights states that Iran has executed at least 56 people since March

At least 56 people have been executed in Iran since March 19 on charges relating to national security, including 27 in cases linked to the protests that took place earlier this year, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday.

Volker Türk added, in a statement, that the number of executions and death sentences has risen since March. He called on the Iranian authorities to suspend all executions and to move towards the abolition of the death penalty, reports Reuters.

Tehran will support any measure or decision taken by the Palestinian leadership as part of the negotiation process, says Pezeshkian

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stated, during a telephone conversation with the head of Hamas’s political bureau, that Tehran will support any measure or decision taken by the Palestinian leadership as part of the negotiation process, according to Iranian state media, as reported by Reuters.

In a video posted on social media overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel had not accepted a U.S.-backed plan for Gaza, even after receiving assurances that an Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory would only take place after Hamas had been completely disarmed.

Israeli bulldozers encroaching from Houla towards Wadi Slouqi, and on outskirts of Kfar Shuba

Israeli bulldozers are moving in the village of Houla (Marjayoun), encroaching toward Wadi Slouqi, according to our correspondent in the South.

Israeli bulldozers and tanks are also advancing and carrying out bulldozing works on land on the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya), with three D9 bulldozers and three Israeli Merkava tanks, accompanied by several Humvee vehicles, seen advancing towards the southern outskirts of the village, according to our correspondent.

The bulldozers are carrying out earthworks in the area, whilst Israeli machine guns have been firing sweeps towards the wooded area of Rabaa al-Tabn, in the same sector, since the early hours of the morning.

Subsequently, two Merkava tanks moved towards the north-east of the village, in the Shammis area, where they took up positions.

Meanwhile, a small Israeli drone fired a stun grenade on the outskirts of the same village.

Israel bulldozes water well in Wadi Slouqi

Israel has bulldozed a water well in Wadi Slouqi, which supplies water to the village of Mais al-Jabal and the town of Bint Jbeil, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon and Israel begin their second day of talks in Rome

Lebanese and Israeli negotiators have just resumed talks as part of the second day of this seventh round of negotiations, which began in Rome on Tuesday, according to several local media outlets.

The Israeli army claims to have destroyed another Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army claimed, in a post published on X by its Arabic-language spokesperson Ella Waweya, that it had destroyed an "underground infrastructure stretching for several tens of meters" in Srebbine (Bint Jbeil), southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army claims that this infrastructure was being used by Hezbollah to plan and carry out attacks against its forces.

It also claimed to have discovered an arms cache containing launchers and rockets belonging to Hezbollah, as well as dozens of other weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, anti-tank missiles, and various items of military equipment.

Field report: 6 years after the Beirut Port tragedy, hope for justice is tempered by doubt

A few 100 parents of victims and supporters, including ministers and members of Parliament from across the political spectrum, gathered at the site to honor the memory of those killed and demand the truth.

The sixth commemoration of the double explosion at the Beirut Port, which killed more than 235 people and injured over 7,000 in 2020, looked different from the previous five. While the rituals remained largely the same and the emotion was just as palpable, this year’s somber anniversary came with a promise: the publication of the indictment within 60 to 90 days, as Justice Minister Adel Nassar previously announced.

Read Suzanne Baaklini's field report here.

The Houthis claim attack on Saudi oil tanker in Red Sea

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said on Wednesday that they had attacked a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of Yanbu, a Saudi port on the Red Sea, as part of the blockade they had announced against the Saudi fleet.

The group “successfully targeted the Saudi oil tanker ‘Wafa’ in the northern Red Sea, off the coast of Yanbu, with several ballistic missiles,” said their military spokesman Yahya Saree in a video address, adding that this was the eighth vessel targeted since the blockade was announced, on July 22, against the Riyadh-led fleet, which supports the Yemeni government.

Defense and Public Works Ministers on tour in Southern Lebanon this morning

According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Michel Menassah and Minister for Public Works and Transport Fayez Rassamny have arrived in southern Lebanon for a tour that began at the Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr bridge, in the Nabatieh district, and is due to take them to Zawtar Gharbien, amongst other places, to assess the extent of the damage and destruction caused by Israel in the area. The Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr bridge, which spans the Litani River and links the districts of Bint Jbeil and Nabatieh, has been bombed on several occasions by Israel.

The two ministers are also due to observe, from a distance, several sites located in the "yellow zone" occupied by Israel, according to the program reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Lebanon: More than 800,000 displaced people have returned to their home regions, according to the UN

More than 800,000 people displaced in Lebanon by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah have returned to their home regions since hostilities subsided in June, the U.N. has said.

This figure was released during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, following the start in Rome of a seventh round of U.S.-sponsored talks between Lebanon and Israel, which are due to continue until Thursday.

According to OCHA, the U.N.’s humanitarian agency, “821,077 people had begun to return to their home areas as of 30 July” in Lebanon, with a further 360,000 remaining displaced, including around 26,000 being accommodated in public shelters.

Israel continues to carry out dynamite blasts and bombings in southern Lebanon

Despite the ongoing negotiations in Rome, Israeli forces continue to raze villages in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Loud explosions caused by dynamite blasts could be heard on Tuesday evening in Haddatha, then at dawn on Wednesday in Haddatha and Aita al-Jabal (Bint Jbeil).

The Israeli army also fired machine-gun rounds towards Haddatha and shelled the outskirts of the village with its artillery between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Flares were also fired into the sky over Haddatha around midnight.

On Tuesday evening, an Israeli drone also bombed Nabatieh Fawqa, in the district of Nabatieh.

At around 9 a.m., the Israeli army blew up houses in the village of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh).

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz boasted that the Israeli army had completely destroyed 24 villages in southern Lebanon, claiming that their inhabitants had “nowhere to return to,” in an interview given on Sunday evening to the Israeli broadcaster Channel 14.

Ship sinks in the Red Sea

A ship sank on Tuesday in the Red Sea following an attack, according to a local Yemeni official and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, against the backdrop of a naval blockade of Saudi ports by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

“The Red Sea province coastguard rescued the crew of an Indian cargo ship on Tuesday after it sank following an attack by a booby-trapped vessel off the coast of Hodeida,” a Yemeni port held by the Houthis, said an official from the Yemeni town of Mokha. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack, stating that 13 sailors on board had been rescued.

Tuesday’s update on the new front that has opened up between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen can be found here

Hello and welcome to our live blog

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East, where the United States and Iran are once again attempting to reach an agreement to end the war launched on Feb. 28 by Washington and Tel Aviv, which has since spread across the region.

We will also be monitoring the situation in southern Lebanon, where Israel continues to occupy several hundred square kilometers along the border, whilst Lebanese and Israeli officials are negotiating in Rome with a view to achieving a lasting end to the war on Lebanon.