US military says fired on ship that violated blockade; massive Israeli bombing between Bani Hayyan, Qantara in south Lebanon | LIVE

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US military says fired 2 missiles at ship 'attempting to violate US blockade against Iran

The U.S. military said it "fired two missiles" at a ship that was attempting to cross the Gulf of Oman and "violate the U.S. blockade against Iran."

"Earlier today, CENTCOM forces disabled the rudder of the M/V Vela Nova, a Panamanian-flagged vessel, as the merchant ship attempted to cross the Gulf of Oman and violate the U.S. blockade against Iran by heading to an Iranian port," U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on X.

"A U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the Vela Nova's engine room after the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from U.S. forces. The ship is no longer proceeding to Iran, in violation of the U.S. blockade, which remains in full force," the statement added.

CENTCOM noted that as of Aug. 11, it had diverted 55 commercial vessels attempting to circumvent the blockade, neutralized three uncooperative vessels and boarded two ships.

It reiterated that U.S. forces operating in the Middle East are "highly vigilant, lethal, and ready to intervene."

Israeli army continues bombing, explosives attacks in south Lebanon

The Israeli army carried out a large-scale bombing operation between the towns of Bani Hayyan and Qantara (Marjayoun district), the blasts of which were heard in surrounding villages, our correspondent in southern Lebanon reports.

An Israeli drone also dropped explosives several times on the Aita al-Jabal forest in the direction of Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil).

Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US accepts Iran's conditions, says new national security chief

Iran's new national security chief declared Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States changes its stance and accepts the conditions set by Tehran to end the war, casting doubt on hopes for a near-term reopening of the strategic waterway.

"As long as the United States does not change its behavior and accept Iran's conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened," said Mohsen Rezaei, a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Rezaei, appointed Sunday as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, indicated that Tehran's conditions had been conveyed to Washington through mediators. These conditions include an end to the war, the unfreezing of frozen Iranian assets and a cessation of hostilities in the region, particularly in Lebanon and Gaza.

Attacks on ship near Bab al-Mandeb Strait: Death toll rises to at least six

The death toll from attacks attributed to the Iran-backed Houthis against a ship near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, off the southern coast of Yemen, has risen to at least six, according to the coast guard, AFP reports.

The rebels have stepped up their attacks in this strategic waterway since announcing last month a blockade of the Saudi fleet in the Red Sea, amid renewed hostilities between the two sides.

Four sailors from the cargo ship Tihamah — three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian — died in an initial barrage that "caused a fire on board and significant damage," the coast guard of the internationally recognized Yemeni government said. A second strike then targeted the ship as rescuers were conducting an evacuation operation, killing two members of the deployed forces.

Ten people were also injured, according to the statement.

The Transport Ministry, which had earlier reported four deaths, accused the Houthis of striking the cargo ship with "three successive ballistic missiles as it crossed the strait." It specified that the ship was carrying food supplies.

Driver of car hit by Israeli drone strike dies from his injuries

A man, Ali Sabbah, died from his injuries after his vehicle was targeted Tuesday morning by an Israeli drone near the university district in Nabatieh, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israel intensifies attacks in south Lebanon

Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit, the outskirts of Dohat Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh district), and the outskirts Zibqin (Sour). Simultaneously, a drone has dropped explosive materials on a wooded area in Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil). Meanwhile, small Israeli drones have dropped two stun grenades on the villages of Rshaf and Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil). Israeli machine-gun fire was also reported toward the village of Srebbine (Bint Jbeil).

Separately, two persons have been lightly wounded as a result of the detonation of an unexploded ordnance left over from the conflict in Wadi Touline (Marjayoun district), our correspondent in the South reported citing the mayor of the village, Said Moussa. The two persons were inspecting their home in the area when the incident happened.

Lebanon-Israel talks: US official discusses obstacles to continuing discussions in Rome

A U.S. State Department official indicated that a new round of talks between Lebanon and Israel is expected to take place in the Italian capital, Rome, early next month, following the conclusion of the seventh round amid escalating tensions in southern Lebanon, while also highlighting the obstacles to continuing the dialogue.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he told Sky News Arabia on Tuesday: “We are reassured by the direction things are taking. The framework is being implemented, the first areas have entered the implementation phase, and the working groups have managed to harmonize their wording, maps and procedures.”

“We are not naive about the existing difficulties. Hezbollah is trying to derail the process, while both Israel and Lebanon are facing internal political pressures. But the mere fact that the teams sit down together, communicate directly and present different options constitutes a structural change in itself,” he added.

At least four killed in attack on vessel near Bab al-Mandeb

The Yemeni government reported at least four deaths in an attack on a vessel near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, off Yemen’s southern coast, AFP reported.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks in the strategic maritime waterway since announcing last month a blockade of the Saudi fleet in the Red Sea, amid renewed hostilities between the two sides.

The Ministry of Transport accused the Houthis of striking the Tihamah cargo ship with “three successive ballistic missiles as it was passing through the strait.”

The attack “on the vessel carrying food supplies sparked a fire, killing four crew members — three Pakistanis and one Indonesian — and injuring four others, as well as a rescue worker,” the ministry said.

Israeli artillery shelling targets Mansouri, Israeli drone drops two stun grenades on Kafra's outskirts

Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the commons of the village of Mansouri (Sour district).

Simultaneously, an Israeli drone has dropped two stun grenades on the outskirts of Kafra (Bint Jbeil).

Zawtar Sharqieh municipality calls Aoun, Salam and Cabinet to intervene immediately to halt bulldozing and demolition of homes in the village

The municipality of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh district) called Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the Cabinet for immediate intervention to halt bulldozing and the demolition of homes in the village.

"The Municipality of Zawtar Sharqieh, on behalf of the municipal and mukhtar councils, the residents of the town, and its religious, social and educational representatives, is submitting this urgent appeal to bring to your attention your national and humanitarian responsibilities in the face of the catastrophe befalling our town," the statement reads.

"We stress to the public and official authorities that all the facilities and homes being targeted are civilian objects and privately owned properties belonging to citizens. They were built through their personal sacrifices over decades and are entirely free, both above and below ground, of any military equipment or non-civilian infrastructure belonging to any party," it added.

The municipality finally called for exercising maximum international pressure to immediately halt the demolition, bulldozing and destruction operations.

Rocket attack hits training camp for Iranian Kurdish opposition northeast of Erbil

A rocket attack hit a training camp for the Iranian Kurdish opposition northeast of the Iraqi city of Erbil, security sources cited by Reuters said earlier this afternoon, blaming Iran for the assault. No casualties were reported, the sources said.

Tehran and Washington close to 'some form of agreement,' Pakistani defense minister says

The United States and Iran are close to reaching “some form of agreement,” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in an interview with Bloomberg News published Tuesday.

“Things are moving again toward a peace agreement or an agreement,” Khawaja Asif said. “The signals we have seen over the past two or three days indicate that we are close to reaching some form of agreement,” he added.

Water infrastructure damaged in Qasmieh-Ras al-Ain, Mansouri area

Photo sent by Muntasser Abdallah

An aerial photograph shows the extent of the destruction caused by an Israeli strike early Sunday on a bridge overlooking an irrigation project in Qasmieh-Ras al-Ain, in the Mansouri area (Sour district). The damage affected water facilities and related infrastructure.

Ship hit by a “projectile” in the Red Sea, casualties reported

A “projectile” struck a ship near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, off Yemen’s southern coast, causing casualties, the British maritime agency UKMTO said Tuesday, without specifying the number of casualties or whether they were killed or wounded.

“A cargo ship in the southern Red Sea was reportedly hit by a projectile of unknown origin, causing casualties,” the agency said in a statement. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have claimed several attacks against the Saudi fleet in the area since July.

Homes set ablaze in Haddatha, demolitions carried out in Qantara

The Israeli army set fire to homes in Haddatha (Bint Jbeil district) and fired machine guns at the village, our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah, reported.

It also carried out demolitions in the village of Qantara (Marjayoun).

NSSF's Nabatieh office reopens

The National Social Security Fund’s Public Relations Directorate said in a statement that it reopened its Nabatieh branch accompanying residents' return to their areas, according to the state-run National News Agency.

Less than a week ago, NSSF operations also resumed at the Sour and Tebnine offices.

"The Nabatieh office will reopen to the public as of tomorrow, gradually resuming services and receiving healthcare applications, hospital authorization requests and social inquiries," reads the statement.

According to the statement, this move comes "because southern residents who remained in their homes and returned to their villages despite extensive damage and difficult conditions deserve every possible effort to support them and facilitate their affairs."

Aoun: In any case, negotiations remain better than war's consequences

President Joseph Aoun said the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are making progress, noting that in any case, they remain better than the consequences of the devastating war, according a post published by the Lebanese Presidency on X.

Aoun's comments were made while receiving a delegation from the Maronite Foundation in the World, headed by Rose Choueiry, in the Baabda Palace.

"The scale of Israeli attacks on our country has been reduced since the framework formula was signed, which has had a positive impact on Lebanese returning to spend the summer in their homeland," he said.

"Ultimately, we will not allow Israel to remain on even a single inch of our land, nor will we allow a single one of its soldiers to remain on our territory," he added.

He finally said that his goal today is to "rebuild the state, whatever the cost, despite opposition from those seeking to undermine the foundations of the state and prevent its reconstruction.”

Israeli army carries out detonation in Majdal Zoun

The Israeli army has carried out a detonation in the village of Majdal Zoun (Sour district), according to our correspondent in the South.

Group denounces conditions of displaced people from southern Lebanon facing eviction

The Gathering of Residents of Southern Border Villages expressed, in a statement, its “solidarity with displaced families staying in shelters in Saida, Beirut and elsewhere” who are “facing eviction without alternative housing,” particularly those whose homes were destroyed, especially in border villages. The group also called on “the relevant officials to act as quickly as possible.”

“This situation puts their safety, social protection and livelihoods at risk. We demand that the competent authorities work to find solutions as soon as possible; otherwise, a new tragedy will be added to the suffering of displaced people,” the statement said. “We must not forget the homeless living on the streets and under bridges, nor those renting apartments who have not yet received housing assistance and whose fate remains uncertain and tragic given exorbitant rents and the high cost of living.”

“Residents of the border villages are approaching their fourth year of forced displacement, without work or income. Their villages have been destroyed, and there is no hope of a safe return or a lasting solution to their catastrophic situation, whether through compensation, housing assistance, prefabricated homes or any other measure. This situation is accompanied by the systematic and daily destruction and disappearance of their villages, amid alarming silence at the local, Arab and international levels,” the statement said.

Israeli army bulldozing houses and roads in Robb Thalathin

The Israeli army is bulldozing houses and roads in the village of Robb Thalathin (Marjeyoun district), according to our correspondent in the South.

Israeli tanks move between Haddatha and Aita al-Jabal

Israeli tanks advanced from Haddatha toward the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal (Bint Jbeil), accompanied by automatic weapons fire in the area, our correspondent in south Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah, reports.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army fired a stun grenade toward Syrian workers in Kafra (Bint Jbeil), causing no injuries. Another Israeli demolition was reported in Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh).

Trump says US has swept the Strait of Hormuz for mines

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States controlled the Strait of Hormuz and had cleared it of mines, Reuters reported.

“The only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy. We have a blockade that's been infallible,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Al-Rissala rescuers escape Israeli strike while responding to incident in Nabatieh

Rescuers from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association, affiliated with the Amal Movement, were targeted by a drone strike while treating four people wounded in an earlier drone strike on a vehicle in Nabatieh.

The attack damaged an ambulance but caused no casualties among the rescuers, our correspondent reports.

Israeli drone strikes car in Nabatieh

An Israeli drone targeted a car on the outskirts of Nabatieh city this morning, wounding several people, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah. Civil Defense vehicles and ambulances were dispatched to the scene.

Israeli artillery also struck the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh). A fire also spread on the outskirts of Nabatieh Fawqa, below the Tallet al-Debesh area, following Israeli artillery fire.

South Lebanon: Israel targets Ali Taher

The Israeli army continued its escalation in south Lebanon overnight from Monday into Tuesday, particularly around the strategic Ali Taher hill in the Nabatieh district, our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah reports.

On Monday evening, Israeli artillery fired several missiles at Ali Taher, which is surrounded by the Israeli army and where it could launch a battle in the near future if the Lebanese Army does not agree to enter the area, take control of it and dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

Missiles also struck Mansouri (Sour), and explosions were reported in the town’s jointly owned lands, followed by two Israeli fighter jet strikes that destroyed houses in the area. The Israeli army also blew up homes in the towns of Qantara and Adsheet Qsair (Marjayoun).

Later in the night, further strikes targeted Ali Taher, while two demolitions were reported in Taybeh (Marjayoun). The sound of the explosions and strikes was heard in villages across the Sour and Nabatieh districts.

After 1 a.m., Israeli artillery struck Wadi Hujeir from the Qantara side (Marjayoun), while artillery fire also targeted the Ali Taher forest.

Trump says relationship with Netanyahu is 'very good' despite disagreements over Gaza

Donald Trump said Monday that his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu remained “very good,” after the latter rejected the latest U.S. roadmap for Gaza. The Israeli prime minister had already expressed reservations about the text, which is intended to launch the second phase of the peace plan.

“The Israeli army will carry out no withdrawal as long as Hamas has not been genuinely disarmed,” Benjamin Netanyahu said, as he seeks to reassure his far-right allies ahead of delicate legislative elections in September.

He described the U.S. president as “Israel’s greatest friend in the White House,” while making clear that he was prepared to stand up to him: “They have ideas, some suit us and others do not, and we know how to defend our positions on these issues.”

Relations between the two leaders came under strain in the spring. Donald Trump, in strongly worded remarks, accused Benjamin Netanyahu in April of undermining negotiations aimed at securing a cease-fire with Iran.

Trump again extends maritime waiver in bid to ease oil prices

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again extended, for an additional three months, a waiver allowing foreign-flagged vessels to transport goods between U.S. ports, in another attempt to ease oil prices.

According to Bloomberg, the extension comes with new restrictions, including case-by-case reviews of requests submitted by foreign shipping companies. The vessels concerned must also limit their cargo to energy products.

Donald Trump suspended the Jones Act on March 18, a more than century-old law that generally requires shipping companies to use U.S.-built and U.S.-owned vessels when transporting goods between two U.S. ports.

The measure was intended in particular to facilitate deliveries between oil-producing areas in the Gulf of Mexico and refineries on the East Coast.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of developments in the Middle East, one month after hostilities resumed between Washington and Tehran.

We will also follow developments in south Lebanon, where the Israeli army continues to occupy several hundred square kilometers along the border.