South Lebanon: Israeli army blows up homes near Braasheet and carries out major demolitions in Bani Hayyan
The Israeli army blew up homes on the outskirts of Braasheet, in the Bint Jbeil district. “The ground shook beneath our feet and we felt tremors in the soil, like an earthquake,” a resident told our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Israeli soldiers then carried out a major demolition operation in Bani Hayyan
Tehran condemns drone attack targeting Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister’s office
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned a drone attack that targeted the office of the prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan region overnight, describing it as a “suspicious” operation, the official IRNA news agency reported.
In a statement cited by IRNA, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei “stressed Iran’s determination to preserve friendly relations with Iraq and Kurdistan” and called for efforts to “thwart the sinister plots of Iran and Iraq’s enemies” aimed at damaging their relations.
Trump says US not seeking extension of Iran memorandum
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran.
Netanyahu and Kushner agree on Gaza next steps
A three-hour meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. envoy Jared Kushner in Jerusalem on Monday ended with an agreement allowing Israel to continue targeted strikes in Gaza for now, while efforts move forward on a broader plan for the territory’s reconstruction and disarmament, according to a source familiar with the talks cited by Haaretz.
The meeting was attended by Kushner, U.S. envoy to Gaza Nickolay Mladenov, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Netanyahu described the talks as “deep and constructive,” saying the sides had agreed to establish two working groups focused on Gaza’s disarmament and demilitarization, and on public health issues.
Gaza reconstruction plan focuses on disarmament and sanitation
Israel and the U.S. agreed to begin work on sanitation infrastructure in Gaza to prevent disease outbreaks and contamination of groundwater and coastal waters, according to a source familiar with Monday’s talks cited by Haaretz.
Netanyahu said the second working group would focus on “sanitation, clean water and other public health issues, which also impact the people of Israel.”
He added that Israel and the Board of Peace agreed that Gaza’s disarmament and demilitarization must take place before any reconstruction work begins.
Israeli forces booby-trap homes in Beit Yahoun, powerful explosion rocks Zawtar Sharqieh
Israeli soldiers were seen booby-trapping homes in Beit Yahoun, in the Bint Jbeil district, ahead of their demolition, according to Lebanese reports.
Shortly afterward, a powerful explosion carried out by Israeli forces was heard in Zawtar Sharqieh, in the Nabatieh district. The blast comes amid continued Israeli military activity and demolitions in southern Lebanon.
Israeli drone strike targets Dohat Kfar Roummane
An Israeli drone has fired several missiles on Dohat Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh district), according to our correspondent in the South. Earlier, our correspondent reported that Israeli drones were flying over the region of Nabatieh at a low altitude.
Israeli army drops incendiary munitions on Dohat Kfar Roummane
A small Israeli drone has dropped incendiary munitions on Dohat Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh district), according to our correspondent in the South.
Meanwhile, our correspondent also reported that an Israeli drone was found in the village of Zibqine (Sour) after it had crashed at an unspecified earlier time.
Israeli military vehicles moving in Haddatha, artillery shelling targets Mansouri and area between Yater and Sarbine
Israeli military vehicles were spotted moving in the village of Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent in the South.
Meanwhile, Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the village of Mansouri (Sour district) and an area between the villages of Yater and Sarbine (Bint Jbeil).
Israeli official says Netanyahu, Kushner agree US general to supervise Hamas disarming
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on Monday with US envoy Jared Kushner that a US general should supervise Hamas's disarmament and said Israel would not pull troops from Gaza until then, an Israeli official told AFP.
The two sides "agreed that the first step toward the demilitarisation of the Strip would be to require Hamas to hand over its weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of an American general," the Israeli official said.
There was no immediate US confirmation of any agreement.
Israeli army carries out large detonation in Mansouri
Large detonation carried out by Israeli army in Mansouri. (Credit: Photo sent by Muntasser Abdallah)
The Israeli army has carried out a large detonation in the village of Mansouri (Sour district). The sound of the explosion was heard across villages in the Sour district.
Earlier today, Israeli airstrikes destroyed a building in the same village.
Israeli army fires 10 artillery shells at Zawtar Sharqiyeh's outskirts
The Israeli army has fired 10 artillery shells at the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqiyeh (Nabatieh district), according to our correspondent in the South.
Israeli army drops explosives on Ali Taher and outskirts of Kfar Roummane
Small Israeli drones have dropped explosives on the region of Dabsha on the outskirts of Kfar Roummane and the heights of Ali Taher (Nabatieh district). One of those dropped on Ali Taher caused a loud explosion that was heard across the Nabatieh region. In parallel, Israeli military vehicles were spotted moving in Wadi Raj, on the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh (Nabatieh).
Meanwhile, in the Sour district, Israeli artillery shelling has targeted the village of Mansouri and the outskirts of Shihine. Our correspondent also reported that the Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Mansouri earlier destroyed a building.
Elsewhere in Southern Lebanon, an Israeli bulldozer and a Merkava tank advanced toward the outskirts of Mais al-Jabal–Shaqra, in the direction of Wadi Slouqi, where the bulldozer proceeded to demolish a house.
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone has been flying at low altitude and continuously hovering over the skies of the city of Sour.
UNIFIL: 'Sharp increase' in Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, with an average of 137 projectiles per day
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a post on X that it had observed a “sharp increase” in “Israeli military activity” in Southern Lebanon over the past two weeks. Between Aug. 5 and 16, the UN force recorded “an average of 137 projectiles per day, including 208 on Saturday and 185 on Sunday,” it said.
The statement comes as UNIFIL’s mandate is due to expire at the end of this year, with several Lebanese officials calling for its extension amid continued Israeli attacks in Southern Lebanon. If its mandate is not renewed, the deployment of an alternative international force could be considered. This morning, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he would prefer, as a “first option,” for the UN force’s mandate to be extended.
Trump confirms to Fox News the existence of a communication channel with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in an interview with Fox News this morning the existence of an indirect communication channel for peace negotiations with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. “They should raise the white flag of surrender,” Trump said, confirming reports of negotiations through an indirect channel with the Revolutionary Guards that bypasses mediators and Iranian political officials. “They are good poker players, but they are dying,” the US president added.
Donald Trump said there was still time to achieve peace and that Iran could still give in to his main demand. “The number one objective is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape or form, a nuclear weapon,” he wrote on Truth Social as he gave an exclusive interview to Fox News’ Trey Yingst. “I don’t have a timeline,” Trump told Yingst. “I’m not in a hurry.”
As speculation grows that Iran may be seeking to pursue its decades-old strategy of prolonging negotiations until Trump’s political window is exhausted, potentially before the midterm elections or even until 2028, Trump rejected the idea that political considerations are influencing his military strategy as commander-in-chief. “The midterms have nothing to do with my thinking,” he told Yingst.
Trump also said Israel should not carry out strikes in Gaza, as efforts continue to advance the next phase of a plan that would include the disarmament of Hamas. “We have our own relationship with Hamas,” Trump said. “They’re giving up their weapons.” Despite Israel’s refusal to trust Hamas, which the text describes as a terrorist group, Donald Trump suggested that he could work toward peace both with a disarming Hamas and with Israel.
Iran ready to escalate tensions in Strait of Hormuz and region if diplomacy with Washington fails, Reuters reports
Iran is prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and more broadly across the region if diplomatic efforts with the United States fail, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, describing a shift in Tehran’s doctrine, which now intends to move from a defensive posture to a “fully offensive” policy.
“Putting pressure on the United States or relying on mediators to achieve lasting peace is not realistic,” the official said. According to him, Tehran has given Washington “a few weeks” to fully implement the memorandum of understanding reached between the two countries. If there is no diplomatic progress, “all Iranian entities will be ready to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the region,” he warned.
Trump threatens to bomb Oman
US President Donald Trump said the United States would “bomb the hell out of” Oman if the country intervened in or obstructed US operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement was made during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, as the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is set to expire.
“If Oman gets in our way, we’re going to bomb them very hard,” Trump said.
Iran said last week that it was negotiating with Oman over the terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthis claim attack on Saudi warship in Red Sea
Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Monday for ballistic missile strikes against a Saudi warship and four other vessels escorting it off the coast of Mokha in the Red Sea, as part of their announced blockade of the Saudi fleet, Reuters reported.
The Houthis said they had "successfully targeted a Saudi military landing ship, accompanied by four military speedboats, in the Red Sea off the coast of Mokha, with several ballistic missiles," according to their military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, as reported by AFP.
Haykal meets head of 'Mechanism,' US Gen. Joseph Clearfield
U.S. Lt. Gen. Joseph Clearfield, who heads the U.S.-led cease-fire monitoring mechanism, known as the "Mechanism," traveled to Yarzeh for a meeting with Lebanese Army commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal.
Discussions focused on developments in southern Lebanon, security arrangements related to the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and the challenges facing the Lebanese Army in carrying out its missions, particularly due to ongoing Israeli attacks, construction work and destruction by the Israeli occupation, according to the state-run National News Agency.
The two sides also discussed the need for support for the Lebanese Army, given its missions in the South and throughout the country.
Gaza: Kushner meets Netanyahu after talks with Hamas
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner, visiting Israel, began a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to advance the second phase of the U.S. peace plan for the Gaza Strip, which the Israeli prime minister has rejected.
A diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the meeting began late Monday morning.
Homes burned in Talloussa, Israeli strikes on Mansouri
The Israeli army set fire to homes in Talloussa (Marjayoun district), while fighter jets carried out two strikes on Mansouri (Sour district), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Israeli army destroys homes, trees in Mais al-Jabal
The Israeli army is carrying out earthmoving work on the western outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), where bulldozers are demolishing homes and private properties and clearing rubble, reports our correspondent in the South.
The Israeli army also removed concrete blocks that had been placed on the road connecting Mais al-Jabal to Shaqra and bulldozed eucalyptus trees in the area.
Earlier, Israeli army vehicles infiltrated the occupied village of Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun). Israeli forces typically establish positions on the outskirts of occupied villages and enter them to conduct operations, according to our correspondent.
Israeli artillery also fired from Hadatha toward the valley connecting the town to Haris (Bint Jbeil). Artillery fire was also directed at the outskirts of Talloussa-Wadi Slouqi (Marjayoun).
In addition, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on Haddatha.
Iran cites several reasons for 'long talks' with Oman
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that his country's talks with Oman to reach an agreement on navigation of the Strait of Hormuz are long due to the complexity of the subject, the number of actors involved, and efforts by some countries to undermine the process, according to Reuters. The spokesperson added that the talks will continue.
Iran considers missing pilots prisoners in Qatar
Iran's Foreign Ministry said it will consider three missing pilots prisoners in Qatar, despite denials from Doha, until their fate is officially clarified, AFP reports.
Tehran says the Iranians disappeared while taking part in an operation against the U.S. air base at Al-Udeid, Qatar, on March 2, shortly after the outbreak of the Middle East war.
On Saturday, Iranian authorities claimed for the first time that the pilots had been captured in Qatar. Until then, they had said that one pilot was killed and three others were missing after their mission. "It is imperative to obtain clarification on their situation," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said at a weekly press conference. He added that until their situation is clarified, Iran will consider them prisoners and do everything possible to determine what happened to them.
Qatar denies holding the pilots. Doha says it sent Iran an invitation in April to share details of the search and rescue operations, but that the Iranian side has yet to respond.
Drones attack office of Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister
Two drones attacked the office of the prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the KRG security agency announced, according to Reuters.
According to a KRG statement, the attacks were launched from Iranian territory. No casualties were reported.
Iran's hard-line leaders spent last two months preparing for more intense conflict with US
Iran's most hard-line leaders have reportedly spent the past two months preparing for a more intense conflict with the United States rather than relying on the memorandum of understanding reached in mid-June, according to Iranian and Arab officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Iranian leaders reportedly viewed the agreement as an attempt by the U.S. and Israel to ease pressure on the global economy and buy time before a larger attack. Their preparations include transferring greater control of the regular army to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, appointing veterans of the Iran-Iraq War and previous domestic crackdowns to key positions, expanding counterintelligence operations and accelerating missile and drone production.
Iran has also reportedly sought to strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz by attacking ships and expand operations into the Red Sea. Arab intelligence officials cited by the newspaper said communications between Iran and allied militias in Yemen and Iraq indicate a strategy aimed at escalating the war and increasing the costs for the United States.
According to the officials, Iranian leaders are increasingly considering offensive operations on their adversaries' territory, raising particular concern among smaller Gulf states such as Kuwait.
Shipping traffic slows in Hormuz after attacks on oil tankers
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend, according to data available Monday morning, following attacks on oil tankers, while talks between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the Middle East conflict remain stalled, Reuters reports.
According to Kpler's maritime tracking data, five cargo ships transited the strait Saturday, while none were recorded Sunday, compared with 31 transits over the previous weekend. Among the ships that transited the strait Saturday were an empty very large crude carrier (VLCC) with its automatic identification system (AIS) deactivated and a very large LNG carrier flying the Indian flag, which took a route via Iran. A small tanker carrying Iranian fuel oil also left the strait, according to the data.
Maritime traffic appeared to have ground to a halt after the United Arab Emirates announced that three ships operated by national oil company ADNOC had been attacked while transiting the region last week. The United States stated that it was capable of maintaining a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely.
Some ships can, however, transit the strait undetected by disabling their transponders. Even so, current numbers are a far cry from the more than 130 ships per day that transited the Strait of Hormuz before the start of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February.
Before the war, the waterway carried approximately one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.
The sharp drop in Strait of Hormuz traffic underscores the waterway’s strategic importance, with roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and LNG shipments at risk of disruption if the slowdown persists.
Kushner to meet Netanyahu today after talks with Hamas
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel to try to advance the U.S. peace plan for Gaza, which the Israeli leader has so far rejected outright, AFP reports.
Kushner, who is also President Donald Trump's son-in-law, met with leaders of the Palestinian movement Hamas in Egypt on Sunday. Hamas agreed in late July to a U.S. roadmap intended to launch the second phase of the plan, which calls for the disarmament of the Islamist movement and an Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory. Netanyahu has officially rejected the document, demanding the "genuine" disarmament of Hamas.
According to sources who requested anonymity, Kushner emphasized the disarmament of the movement during Sunday's meeting with the Hamas leadership and called for "verifiable" measures. He stated that "Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel," one of the sources said.
Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, claimed responsibility for the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israeli territory, triggering a retaliatory war in the enclave.
Kushner also emphasized that Hamas would have no future role in governing Gaza, according to the sources.
Memorandum of understanding between Washington, Tehran expires today
The 14-point memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States expires Monday. Signed remotely on June 17, 2026, by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Massoud Pezechkian, it paved the way for 60 days of negotiations aimed at "the immediate and permanent end of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon."
Despite the agreement, both sides exchanged airstrikes during the 60-day period.
The memorandum notably provides for the gradual lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran and restrictions on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. It stipulates that Iran "will never produce nuclear weapons." Washington and Tehran also commit to "guaranteeing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon."
Negotiations between the United States and Iran are at a standstill. If no agreement is reached to extend the cease-fire, military operations could resume in Iran, while the Strait of Hormuz could see further military developments.
The memorandum expires Monday, and the absence of an extension could allow military operations to resume in Iran, while further military developments remain possible in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli strike on Qantara overnight, artillery fire on Ali Taher, other locations in south Lebanon
Overnight in southern Lebanon was marked by Israeli artillery fire on the heights of Ali Taher (Nabatieh district), on terrain in Mansouri (Sour), and on Wadi Slouqi, Wadi Hujeir and Qantara (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in the South. Bursts of gunfire also targeted Haddatha (Bint Jbeil) as Israeli vehicle movements were observed in the area.
In addition, four shells hit Mansouri, simultaneously with machine-gun fire from the vicinity of Beit Siyad directed toward the town.
The Israeli Air Force also conducted a raid on Qantara (Marjayoun).
Good morning. We are now launching our live coverage of south Lebanon and the region.
We are now launching our live coverage of the situation in southern Lebanon and the Middle East, as the 14-point memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States expires today.
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