Syria says it is ready for diplomacy, expects talks with Israel to resume soon
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus is “extending its hand” for diplomacy and urged Israel to seize a “historic opportunity” to reach an agreement.
Shaibani said Syria currently does not trust Israel and that its priority is to halt Israeli attacks.
He said contacts with Israel were cut after Israel attacked a Syrian airbase on Aug. 18.
Despite the tensions, Syria expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon, Shaibani told Reuters.
Iran says Pakistan's army chief to visit Tehran on Monday
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. Baghaei said the visit was in continuation of Pakistan's efforts to strengthen peace and security in the region.
Pakistan has taken on the mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the U.S. aimed at ending their war.
Iranian president acknowledges country is facing 'many difficulties'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that Iranian society is facing “many difficulties” as the United States seeks to increase pressure on Iran’s economy through a new round of sanctions.
“I am aware that our society is currently facing many difficulties. We are doing everything we can to prevent the situation from getting worse,” Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state television.
His remarks came after the United States vowed Thursday to “make the Iranian regime collapse” through its newly announced sanctions campaign, nearly six months after the war began.
On Sunday, Pezeshkian addressed the U.S. campaign in his speech. “We are engaged in an all-out war on the economic, military and security fronts. He [U.S. President Donald Trump] says openly that he is imposing the most crushing or most formidable sanctions on Iran,” he said.
Iran says it will consider countries joining Washington’s 'economic war' an enemy
At the regional level, and as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed that Washington would make the Iranian regime “collapse” through new sanctions, an Iranian official said Tehran would consider any country taking part in Washington’s “economic war” an “enemy.”
“Any country participating in imposing economic restrictions” on Iran will be “considered an enemy,” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Wednesday evening.
“We tell all countries around us and all countries in the world: Do not join the economic war waged by the United States,” Rezaei said on state television after Washington announced strengthened economic sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran.
If the countries concerned refused to “distance themselves” from the United States, Iran would “harm” their interests, he added.
“We have not attacked any American economic interests yet,” and “so far, we have only targeted military bases. But if they want to impose economic sanctions on us, the United States has oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere, and we will strike them,” Rezaei continued.
“If Donald Trump takes action against us, our confrontation will be like an earthquake,” he further warned.
Israeli attacks continue this morning in southern Lebanon
Israeli fire continued to target Ali Taher from dawn, while Israeli drones flew intensively over southern Lebanon. Artillery fire also targeted an area between Beit Yahoun and Braasheet in the Bint Jbeil district, as well as the outskirts of Mais al-Jabal in the Marjayoun district, according to our correspondent.
Demolitions were also reported near Mansouri in the Sour district and Kounin in Bint Jbeil.
Israeli army carries out large-scale demolitions overnight across southern Lebanon
In addition to the ongoing attacks on Ali Taher, the Israeli army carried out a series of demolitions overnight targeting homes and buildings on the western outskirts of Mais al-Jabal, Qantara and Taybeh in the Marjayoun district, as well as Kounin and Haddatha in Bint Jbeil, according to our correspondent.
Airstrikes also targeted Mansouri in the Sour district and the outskirts of Sribbin in Bint Jbeil, two villages located along the “yellow line” marking the buffer zone established by Israel in southern Lebanon.
Machine-gun fire and artillery also targeted several other villages in the south overnight, including Bayt al-Siyed and Mansouri in the Sour district.
Israel targets Ali Taher with powerful missiles and white phosphorus
Southern Lebanon experienced a major Israeli escalation marked by intense airstrikes, sustained and targeted artillery fire, and dozens of demolition operations targeting villages along the occupied border area, according to our correspondent.
The explosions were heard across large parts of the south, including as far away as Saida.
The Ali Taher ridge, a strategic height in the Nabatieh region where a Hezbollah base is reportedly located, remains at the center of the attacks, as well as ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain a broader offensive.
The Israeli army carried out several strikes with heavy, high-explosive missiles on the Ali Taher hills and near the adjacent Dabsheh area. Dozens of artillery shells, some containing white phosphorus, were also fired at the area and at Dohat Kfar Roummane. Fires broke out in the area.
A series of airstrikes also targeted homes on the outskirts of Nabatieh Fawqa, below Ali Taher, causing extensive damage. A resident of Ansar, several kilometers away, said the blasts were “enormous” and sounded as though they had occurred only about 100 meters from his home.
Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in southern Lebanon
Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in southern Lebanon, which has come under heavy Israeli fire, with Israel focusing its attacks in particular on the Ali Taher ridge in the Nabatieh district.
We will also follow tensions across the region as the United States announces a future “economic” offensive against Iran.
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