Trump says prepared to strike Iran again at 'any time'
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ready to strike Iran again “at any time.”
Israeli strikes target vicinity of Ali Taher, southern towns
Israeli warplanes also struck the vicinity of Ali Taher, with three strikes reported within 10 minutes. Israeli warplanes carried out a strike targeting Ali Taher hill (Nabatieh), but the missile did not detonate.
Israeli warplanes carried out three strikes targeting Nabatieh Fawqa (Nabatieh). Airstrikes also targeted Qantara (Marjayoun). Heavy artillery shelling targeted Wadi Zibqin (Sour) and the outskirts of Braasheet (Bint Jbeil).
US strikes claim 18 lives and injure 108 in Iran
Iran’s health ministry said overnight US attacks killed 18 people and wounded at least 108, Iran’s state broadcaster reported.
House destroyed in Israeli airstrike in Haris, demolitions in Beit Lif and Houla
The Israeli airstrike targeting the outskirts of Haris (Bint Jbeil), destroyed a house.
Separately, Israeli forces carried out a demolition in Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil) and Houla (Marjayoun.) Two airstrikes also targeted Qantara (Marjayoun.)
Iran seizes smuggled fuel and arrests the ship’s crew members
Iranian border guards have seized a vessel carrying 382,000 litres (101,000 gallons) of smuggled fuel in the northern Gulf, Iran’s state media is reporting.
The report added that they also arrested 11 of the crew members.
US a ‘source of regional insecurity’, Iran’s chief negotiator says
The US is a “source of regional insecurity”, Iran’s chief negotiator, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said during a meeting with Hamas’s head of communications today, according to Iranian news agency Fars.
Ghalibaf also called on the US to “honour their commitments” by implementing the terms of the MoU signed in June, while stating Iran is not rejecting negotiations.
Iranian official says war highlighted new technological insights into ‘enemy’ methods
Iranian acting defence minister Brigadier General Ibn al-Reza says the war has brought the country “important achievements and lessons” from a technology perspective, state broadcaster IRIB reports.
Ibn al-Reza said that based on their findings throughout the war, they are “designing and architecting appropriate systems for possible future battlefields”.
Israeli army tanks move towards Mais al-Jabal; Israeli strikes continue in the South
Israeli army tanks moved along the northern outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Bint Jbeil), in the al-Shandibeh and Wadi al-Jamal areas, reaching the western outskirts near Doubeih Castle. The movement was accompanied by artillery shelling and machine-gun fire.
The Israeli army carried out detonations in Markaba (Marjayoun) and Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh.)
Medium machine-gun fire targeted the direction of Wadi Slouqi (Bint Jbeil.)
Israeli artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of Khiam (Marjayoun) and Mansouri (Sour.)
Israel sets fire to homes in Arnoun
(Credit: Muntasser Abdallah/ L'OLJ)
The Israeli army is setting fire to several homes in the town of Arnoun, in the Nabatieh district, with thick columns of black smoke rising from the area following a large explosion in the town shortly earlier, according to our correspondent.
South Lebanon: Israeli strike in Nabatieh kills Hezbollah member
A Hezbollah member, Mohammad Dayekh, was killed Wednesday morning in an Israeli drone strike on the town of Nabatieh, L’Orient Today’s south Lebanon correspondent Mountasser Abdallah reported. Hezbollah confirmed in the afternoon that he was one of its members. Dayekh was from the town of Jwayya, in the Sour district. Another, unidentified person was wounded in the strike.
For weeks, violence has been concentrated in the Nabatieh area, where the Israeli army is reportedly preparing an offensive on the Ali Taher hills overlooking the city. The Israeli army carried out several strikes in the area at dawn.
The Israeli army, for its part, said in a statement that it had “struck terrorist infrastructure in the Nabatieh area,” claiming the strikes were in response to “the launch of two attack drones by Hezbollah overnight” targeting its soldiers in the Ali Taher ridge area. Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any attacks, however.
Saudi Arabia condemns Iran attack on tanker in Strait of Hormuz
The Foreign Ministry says Iran hit a Saudi oil tanker while it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
The attack “resulted in fatalities among the tanker’s crew”, it added.
Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company Bahri earlier reported two Filipino crew were killed on board the oil tanker SIDR in the strait two days earlier. It confirmed it remains in continuous contact with the stricken vessel.
Gulf Cooperation Council condemns Iran’s attacks as ‘heinous’
The Gulf Cooperation Council has condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan calling them “heinous”, the secretary-general of the group said in a statement.
“These Iranian attacks represent a blatant violation of the sovereignty of states and a direct threat to their security and stability,” said Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi.
Iran fired on US allies in the Gulf early Wednesday following a night of American bombardment.
U.S. Treasury says Iranian airlines, maritime, digital assets could face sanctions
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that airlines, maritime companies and digital assets could be targeted by U.S. sanctions over Iran.
“We’re going to systematically take out bad actors,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview.
Speaking about Iran and Russia, Bessent added: “No one should support this regime.”
Iran announces new strategy to ‘break enemy' after latest U.S. strikes
Iran’s top security official warned the United States it would face a “new strategy” in the Middle East war following a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two sides, AFP reported.
“You will soon see that Iran’s new strategy on the battlefield, diplomatically and in the face of the economic blockade will break your foundations,” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on X, without providing further details
Massive Israeli explosions in Kfar Tibnit
(Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)
A massive explosion was carried out by the Israeli army in the town of Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), and its shockwave reached as far as the city of Saida, our correspondent in the south reported.
Xi ready to help Middle Eastern countries ‘ensure safety’ of shipping
Chinese President Xi Jinping, on a visit to Cairo, has announced that Beijing is ready to help Middle Eastern countries “ensure the safety” of shipping in the region, according to state media, at a time when maritime trade is at a standstill due to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.
The Chinese president also called for support for an enhanced and effective role for the U.N. in the Middle East, according to AFP and Reuters.
Iranian foreign ministry condemns ‘war crime’ following deadly strike on wedding
The Iranian foreign ministry has condemned a U.S. "war crime" following the strike on a wedding on Tuesday evening, reports AFP.
The air strike in the Hormozgan region (south-east) killed at least four people, according to the Iranian authorities.
Israeli airstrike on Nabatieh Fawqa, Houla, and Mansouri
Since midday, Israel has carried out an airstrike targeting Nabatieh Fawqa. Artillery fire has also targeted Zawtar Sharqieh, also in the Nabatieh district, reports our correspondent in the South.
Israeli forces also carried out explosions in Houla, and targeted this village and Qantara, both in Marjayoun, with artillery fire.
In Mansouri (Sour), Israel has carried out explosions, home demolitions using bulldozers, and rounds of targeted artillery fire.
US targted Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday as part of new ‘tanker-for-tanker’ policy, reports Axios
The U.S. armed forces attacked two oil tankers belonging to the Iranian government as part of a series of strikes carried out on Tuesday, U.S. officials told Axios. This is the first time the US has struck Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that this operation was part of a new "tanker-for-tanker" policy, approved by President Trump, aimed at further deterring Iran from attacking oil tankers passing through the strait.
Other officials also indicated that around 100 targets had been struck during Tuesday’s attacks.
South Lebanon: Israel sets homes on fire in Tallousa, shoots artillery fire on Qantara
Israel has set fire to homes in Tallousa (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon, whilst artillery fire has targeted Qantara in the same region.
In the Bint Jbeil district, further movements of Israeli military vehicles have been reported in Haddatha, and an Israeli drone fired a stun grenade on the village of Yater.
Hormuz: 2 oil tankers on fire after hitting mines, say the IRGC
Two oil tankers are currently on fire in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines, the IRGC have announced.
Two dead following Monday’s attack on Saudi oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Two supertankers carrying Saudi oil were struck by unknown projectiles within minutes of each other while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday, according to shipping intelligence and tracking firms Marisks and Kpler.
Two people have been confirmed dead from the attack, according to AFP.
Katz: If the Iranians attack because of our operations in Lebanon, the West Bank or Gaza, our fighter jets are ready to take off
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated during an interview on Israeli Channel 14 that Israeli fighter jets are “ready to take off” if the Iranians decide to attack Israel “because of its operations in Lebanon, the West Bank ,or Gaza, or simply because they feel like it.”
The Israeli army is on high alert against the backdrop of a fresh escalation between Iran and the United States, which reignited on Monday evening, and as several Jewish festivals are being celebrated throughout September.
“It is likely that [Iran] will attack. We are prepared for a possible attack. They like to attack during Jewish festivals,” Katz added, emphasizing, however, that Israel was “prepared for both defense and attack, in coordination with the United States."
“We take all information seriously. We do not want to be caught off guard. The Israeli army is ready to attack Iran. If we are attacked, we will retaliate forcefully, without any restraint,” he added.
Iran: Three Basij paramilitary members killed in a US attack on an island, say the Revolutionary Guards
The IRGC have announced the deaths of three members of the Basij, a paramilitary wing of the powerful armed forces, in a U.S. strike on an Iranian island in the Gulf.
“Three Basij fighters... were martyred during the attack carried out last night by American criminals against the island of Lavan,” said a commander of the IRGC, quoted by the Mehr news agency.
Ghalibaf calls US the ‘Great Satan’ following deadly attack on wedding last night
The spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, has called the United States the "Great Satan" following U.S. air strikes that killed people at a wedding in Iran last night. He also recalled the massacre of children at Minab School on Feb. 28, 2026, on the first day of U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
“Minab School: children massacred. Lamerd sports hall: children shot dead. Kouhestak wedding: children killed along with their families,” he emphasized on X.
“If a power acts like Satan, chooses its targets like Satan, and kills like Satan, it is Satan. Who protects a little Satan who does the same thing? It is THE Great Satan,” he added, referring to the United States and Israel.
IRGC reports four killed among their ranks following US strikes
The IRGC have reported four deaths among their ranks following U.S. strikes, according to AFP.
IRGC claim attack on US bases in Iraqi Kurdistan
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have announced that they have attacked U.S. bases in the Iraqi city of Erbil using drones and missiles, according to Iranian state media.
Tehran’s ideological military force “carried out a coordinated missile and drone attack on US bases in Erbil,” targeting a “maintenance center,” “technical equipment warehouses” and a “surveillance airship," according to a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.
Since the start of the war in the Middle East, the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq — where troops from the US-led coalition against the jihadists are deployed — has been the target of attacks carried out by Iran or by pro-Iranian Iraqi armed groups.
According to Iraqi Kurdish counter-terrorism forces, “coalition troops shot down ten drones laden with explosives in the airspace over Erbil province between 01:13 and 03:31” local time.
An AFP journalist heard explosions near Erbil airport, which is home to coalition forces.
Iran claims attack on US military targets in UAE and Kuwait
Iranian forces claimed to have launched attacks on U.S. military targets in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, having previously claimed responsibility for strikes on Jordan and Iraqi Kurdistan, reports AFP.
“Dozens of attack drones... targeted radar systems and U.S. military positions at the Al-Dhafra and Al-Minhad bases in the United Arab Emirates,” as well as other positions at the Sheikh Issa airbase in Bahrain, the army said in a statement. The IRGC, for their part, reported strikes on Kuwait.
Kuwait: Fire following an Iranian drone attack on a residential complex
An Iranian drone attack, carried out in retaliation for further U.S. strikes, caused a fire in a residential complex in the capital of Kuwait, the official Kuna news agency reported.
“A fire that broke out in a residential complex in the capital’s governorate has been brought under control. The complex had been targeted by a hostile drone launched as part of Iran’s malicious aggression,” said a fire service spokesperson quoted by Kuna, adding that there were no casualties.
Israeli airstrikes, shelling, and demolition operations in Mansouri; Attacks on Bint Jbeil district
Israel has intensified its attacks on the district of Nabatieh and Mansouri (Sour), with an airstrike, artillery fire, and a demolition operation reported in the village since Tuesday evening.
In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli military vehicles were observed moving in Beit Yahoun this morning, alongside automatic gunfire directed towards the village. An Israeli strike took place in Haddatha, and automatic gunfire was also reported from that village towards the neighboring village of Aita al-Jabal.
False drone alert in northern Israel
Israeli army spokesperson Ella Waweya falsely claimed that “several interceptor missiles were fired at a dummy target,” following initial alerts regarding a drone incursion overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday in several areas of the north of the country.
The Israeli army had initially reported that interceptor missiles had been launched in northern Israel after a drone had “apparently crossed the Lebanese border," before clarifying that it was actually a false alarm.
US urges its nationals in the region 'to exercise caution'
The US State Department has urged U.S. nationals in the Middle East “to exercise increased vigilance and to be alert to flight cancellations, airspace closures and potential disruptions.”
“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security situation remains complex and there is a risk of unforeseen escalation,” the State Department said in a statement published on social media and also via the US Embassy in Lebanon.
“Americans traveling to or from the region should monitor updates regarding airport and flight operations. Iran and groups supporting it may target US interests abroad or locations associated with the United States and Americans worldwide, including US companies and other institutions,” it said.
US and Iran exchange attacks; US strikes kill at least 11 people
After launching renewed attacks against Iran on Monday which continued throughout Tuesday, the U.S. effectively ended the month-long lull in hostilities between the two warring countries.
Washington threatened more devastating strikes, with the U.S. military's Central Command saying it had struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, and communications sites on Tuesday.
Iranian media reported hits on multiple targets near the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway where Tehran has threatened tankers attempting to pass without authorization. It also reported five people were killed and dozens others wounded in a U.S. strike on a wedding celebration.
Iran said it struck U.S. assets in Jordan and Iraq, according to official statements, while Iranian media reports said it also attacked Bahrain. Although the IRGC said it killed a large number of U.S. forces in Jordan, two U.S. officials told Reuters there had not been any casualties, according to initial assessments.
Jordan's armed forces said their air defense systems dealt with 13 ballistic missiles that entered the kingdom's airspace, 10 of which were intercepted and three fell in remote areas. Bahrain said Iranian drones were intercepted and destroyed.
The IRGC also said its ground forces carried out combined missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Erbil in northern Iraq, killing several U.S. personnel. Neither Iraq nor the U.S. had confirmed the attack.
In what could be one of the more significant cases of civilian casualties in the war, five people were killed and 50 wounded at a wedding near Sirik, a coastal area on the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Red Crescent reported.
The Mehr news agency said a 4-year-old child was among those killed, while the IRNA news agency, citing a provincial official, put the number of wounded at 68.
U.S. officials have yet to comment on the incident.
Read more here.
Hello and welcome to our live blog
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of news in Lebanon and the wider region.
The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire for the second day in a row, breaking a month-long pause in hostilities. U.S. strikes have killed at least 11 people in Iran, including five gathered at a wedding celebration.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its attacks on southern Lebanon, according to reports from our correspondent in the region.
Catch up on our Morning Brief here, and on yesterday's blog here.
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