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The strategic hill of Ali Taher in the hills above Nabatieh, Sept. 2, 2026, in southern Lebanon. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient-Le Jour)

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Israel claims it 'took operational control' of Ali Taher | LIVE

What you need to know

Kuwait has been targeted by an Iranian missile and drone attack, following several exchanges of strikes in recent days between the United States and Iran.

Israel is continuing its strikes and large-scale destruction in southern Lebanon, with particularly heavy explosions in Kfar Tibnit.

An Israeli unit entered the village of Halta (Hasbaya), located outside the Israeli-occupied "buffer zone," during the night, where it surrounded several homes.

Intense Israeli artillery fire has also targeted the strategic hill of Ali Taher, near Nabatieh, the nerve center of recent fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.

22:50 Beirut Time

We are now closing our live blog for the night. We will be back tomorrow morning with more news updates.

22:12 Beirut Time

Israel may have entered some structures in Ali Taher, according to local sources cited by our correspondent

Local sources told our correspondent that the Israeli army may have entered some Hezbollah structures on the Ali Taher ridge, while downplaying the impact of the Israeli army's statements.

According to these sources, there are several structures in the area. These sources also indicated that a "small structure" belonging to the party in Ali Taher was recently captured by the Israeli army, without this affecting the strategic situation in the area, the sources continued. Hezbollah has still not commented on the Israeli statements on this matter.

Israeli strikes also continued in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army fired sixteen missiles at Mansouri (Sour), conducted three airstrikes, and launched flares.

A violent explosion was also carried out in Houla (Marjayoun), while Israeli artillery struck Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil).

22:11 Beirut Time

No Iranian military personnel in Ali Taher, according to Israeli security source

An Israeli military source quoted by the Maariv newspaper believes that no members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were present in the Ali Taher tunnels, contrary to earlier reports.

"Although the tunnels were built by Iran, no Iranian advisors or members of the Revolutionary Guard have been found there since the start of the army's operations in the area," the source stated.

"Some terrorists present in the tunnels on the Ali Taher ridge were killed. Others managed to escape on their own," the source added.

21:57 Beirut Time

Israel says 'taken operational control' of Hezbollah's underground infrastructure in Ali Taher Heights

Israeli army spokesperson Ella Waweya announced that Israel had "taken operational control" of the strategic Ali Taher Heights in the Nabatieh district after several weeks of operations in the area.

"In recent weeks, the 36th Division dismantled two underground tunnels in the Ali Taher Heights area, located within the security zone. Israeli forces have taken operational control of the area, both above and below ground, and cleared it of the terrorists who were there. Some were killed, others fled," she explained in a statement published on X.

"The Israeli army has completed the dismantling of Hezbollah's underground infrastructure in the Ali Taher Heights and is working to neutralize it," she continued.

"The operation to neutralize the underground infrastructure, now cleared of terrorists, is ongoing. Once the operation is complete, the Israeli army will redeploy defensively, based on an assessment of the situation," the statement added.

"The terrorists inside these facilities were preparing attacks against the State of Israel and its army. Thanks to the operations carried out in these tunnels in recent weeks, the possibility of launching attacks against Israeli citizens and the Israeli army from these tunnels has been neutralized," the statement continued.

Furthermore, the Israeli army stated that it had discovered in these underground facilities "operations rooms, weapons depots, rooms housing generators, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen, allowing the terrorists to conduct combat operations and establish themselves there for extended periods."

"This strategic infrastructure was built over a period of 20 years, financed and planned by the Iranian terrorist regime," the statement indicated.

"The Israeli army is continuing to clear the security zone in southern Lebanon and will not allow Hezbollah to carry out its plans to attack it. Any attempt by Hezbollah to carry out an action against Israeli army forces will be forcefully suppressed. The Israeli army remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon," the statement concludes.

21:26 Beirut Time

South Lebanon: Israeli artillery fire, strikes continue

The Israeli army continues its strikes in southern Lebanon, reports our correspondent in the region

In the Bint Jbeil district, artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Beit Lif, as well as Braasheet, near Beit Yahoun.

In the Nabatieh district, an Israeli army drone dropped explosives on the Ali Taher forest, while fighter jets struck Nabatieh Fawqa. Two strikes also targeted Dohat Kfar Roummane.

The town of Mansouri (Sour) was targeted by missiles fired from a Merkava tank stationed at the Blat site.

20:33 Beirut Time

Washington says it continues to facilitate dialogue between Israel, Lebanon

The United States continues to facilitate dialogue between Israel and Lebanon “on a daily basis,” a senior State Department official told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid of Axios on Thursday. According to the official, U.S. mediation has contributed to the release of several Lebanese prisoners by Israel.

“The Trump administration continues to facilitate dialogue between Israel and Lebanon on a daily basis and looks forward to the next round of negotiations in Rome later this month,” the U.S. official said, as quoted by Ravid.

The issue of the prisoners’ release was raised during the last round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, held in Rome in August, before being finalized this week during the visit to Israel by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, according to the same source.

Washington also commended the Israeli and Lebanese governments for having “demonstrated good faith” through these initial measures, hoping they would serve as “a basis for broader discussions on other civilian issues.”

The U.S. official further stated that Washington remained “committed to the implementation of the trilateral framework agreement,” he concluded.

20:32 Beirut Time

Netanyahu claims bringing down Iranian regime is 'within reach'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the fall of the Iranian regime is "within reach," in a video released by his office of a meeting with security officials.

Claiming that the "Iranian regime is fighting for its survival," he declared that, in his view, Israel has "the capability to eliminate this threat once and for all. That is, to bring down this regime. This is the main mission that remains for us, but it is close, not impossible, within reach."

20:32 Beirut Time

South Lebanon: Israel intensifies attacks in Mansouri, Houla

The Israeli army continued its demolition operations in Mansouri in the mid-afternoon, which was also targeted by artillery fire, while an Israeli drone dropped explosives on the town, according to information from our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Further machine-gun fire was directed toward Houla, where several explosions were detonated by the Israeli army. Israeli forces, supported by Merkava tanks, also advanced toward the western outskirts of the village, where they shelled the remaining houses.

Artillery fire was also reported between Haddatha and Haris, while Israeli warplanes flew at low altitude over several areas of southern Lebanon.

An Israeli airstrike targeted the outskirts of Ali Taher, near Nabatieh Fawqa. The missile fired during this strike did not explode.

19:47 Beirut Time

Release of Lebanese prisoners by Israel was discussed last month in Rome, a US official revealed

A U.S. State Department official, quoted by several media outlets, welcomed Israel's release of Lebanese prisoners and said he hoped for further discussions between the two countries. The official also indicated that Lebanon and Israel had addressed the issue of the prisoners during talks held in Rome last month under U.S. auspices.

"We remain committed to the full implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement," said the State Department official, referring to the agreement signed by the three countries that is intended to lead to Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah. He indicated that the U.S. administration is continuing its efforts to maintain a "daily dialogue" between Lebanon and Israel.

Furthermore, the release of four prisoners scheduled for today has been postponed by Israel until Friday at 11 a.m, according to the Lebanese channel LBCI.

18:45 Beirut Time

Strengthening Lebanese Army 'step in right direction,' says Israeli diplomat

The effective strengthening of the Lebanese Armed Forces is essential to enable an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the Israeli ambassador to France stated on Thursday.

"Anything that can strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and enable the plan for Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon is a step in the right direction, provided it is done seriously," said Joshua Zarka, when questioned by journalists about an upcoming preparatory meeting in Paris ahead of an international conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

"We are tired of grand pronouncements that are not translated into action," he said. "It is absolutely essential to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and prevent Hezbollah from harming Israel."

18:27 Beirut Time

Release of four prisoners in Israel postponed until Friday

While the release of four more prisoners by Israel was expected today, a Lebanese security source told L’Orient-Le Jour that this operation has been postponed until tomorrow, Friday, “in principle.”

17:55 Beirut Time

Four Lebanese, Syrian prisoners expected to be handed over to Lebanese authorities on Thursday

In addition to Malek Ghazi, released by Israel earlier in the day, Lebanese authorities are expected to receive four other individuals in the early evening, according to information confirmed by a security source to L'Orient-Le Jour.

These prisoners, whose names have not been released, are of Lebanese and Syrian nationality and are expected to be handed over to Lebanon at 6 p.m. They are civilians and not Hezbollah fighters, the source added.

16:24 Beirut Time

IRGC promise to avenge deadly US attack at wedding in southern Iran

The commander of Iran's IRGC has promised to avenge the deaths of four people killed at a wedding by a U.S. strike in the south of the country.

“The pure blood of these martyrs... will not go unavenged and will certainly be avenged,” said Ahmad Vahidi in a statement broadcast on state television.

16:13 Beirut Time

Israel links release of 5 Lebanese detainees to fate of leaders of Jewish community in Lebanon killed in the 1980s

According to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the release of the five Lebanese detainees is also linked to negotiations concerning the recovery of the remains of several leaders of the Lebanese Jewish community who were killed in the 1980s.

According to the Israeli channel i24 News, Netanyahu has asked officials to step up their efforts to locate and repatriate the bodies of these former Jewish leaders, an issue he has been following for several decades.

The channel states that “significant efforts have been made in recent months by Lebanon and Israel to locate these remains,” notably through “operations on the ground.”

15:52 Beirut Time

Israel announces release of 5 Lebanese detainees held in Israeli prisons

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the release of five Lebanese nationals that had been detained by Israel after being abducted from southern Lebanon at different points throughout Israel's war on Lebanon.

The release of the first detainee, Malek Ghazi, had already been confirmed earlier by a military source. He had been abducted from the Rashaya region of southern Lebanon in October 2025.

15:50 Beirut Time

Salam pledges to continue efforts to secure the release of ‘all prisoners’ and achieve Israeli withdrawal

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated on Thursday that the government would continue to work towards the "release of all Lebanese prisoners," to shed light on "the fate of the missing" and to secure "Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory."

“We will continue to work towards the release of all our prisoners, to shed light on the fate of the missing and to secure Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory,” he said.

Reacting to Israel’s release of a Lebanese detainee, Salam said that “the safe return of every detained Lebanese national constituted "an important step towards resolving this issue." He thanked the U.S. administration, and in particular Ambassador Michel Issa, for “the efforts made in this regard.”

The issue of Lebanese detainees in Israel — of whom there are believed to be around thirty — was officially on the agenda of the seventh round of direct negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv, held in Rome in August 2026 under U.S. mediation.

“However difficult the path of negotiations may seem, we will continue to make every effort necessary to safeguard Lebanon’s rights and the interests of the Lebanese people, particularly those of our people in the South, to ensure their safe and dignified return to their lands and villages, and to restore the State’s full sovereignty over its entire territory,” Salam continued.

15:26 Beirut Time

Israel hopes economic pressure could drive Iran to take ‘desperate measures’

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has suggested that U.S. economic pressure could drive Iran to take "desperate measures," whilst threatening to send its enemy back to the "Stone Age" in the event of an attack on Israeli soil.

Referring to the “severe economic pressure” being exerted on Iran and the regime’s “fear of an uprising and the collapse of the regime,” the Israeli minister said he saw “signs” that Tehran might be driven to “desperate measures.”

15:21 Beirut Time

Iran says 6 navy personnel killed in US attacks Tuesday

Iran's Tasnim news agency on Thursday said six members of the Iranian army's naval forces were killed by U.S. attacks on Tuesday as part of this week's renewed fighting.

"During the criminal attacks carried out by the U.S. terrorist army two nights ago on Sept. 1 on the south of the country, six members of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Navy were martyred," the report said without specifying where exactly they were killed.

14:42 Beirut Time

Residents of southern border villages call for urgent action to halt destruction

The Gathering of Residents of Southern Border Villages called for popular mobilization, an official response, and diplomatic action to address Israel's ongoing destruction of villages along Lebanon’s southern border.

In a statement, the group said the destruction, demolition and leveling of border villages was "erasing their landmarks, identity, heritage and memory," while accusing authorities of remaining silent and failing to take action "commensurate with the crime" being committed against the region.

The group called for complaints to be filed with the United Nations, the U.N. Security Council, and international legal and humanitarian bodies, as well as for a broad national effort to support border villages and their residents.

It also urged authorities to urgently halt the destruction, facilitate residents’ return and address the needs of displaced people as winter, the school year and rising expenses approach.

"There are no signs on the horizon" of an end to the destruction, the return of residents, reconstruction or compensation, the statement said, adding that there had not even been adequate efforts to provide housing allowances, social assistance or a "sustainable and decent housing and living solution" for displaced residents.

14:40 Beirut Time

Israel carries out massive explosion in Kfar Tibnit, tremors felt as far as Saida

Israel carries out massive explosion in Kfar Tibnit, tremors felt as far as Saida

Smoke following a large-scale Israeli explosion in Kfar Tibnit. (Photo provided by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah)

Israeli forces carried out a massive explosion in Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), causing strong tremors that shook homes in Nabatieh and were felt as far as Saida, more than 25 kilometers away.

A Nabatieh resident told our correspondent in the South that she felt her home shake and that her children ran out in fear.

Israeli forces also shelled the town of Houla (Marjayoun) and continued setting fire to homes in Mansouri (Sour).

14:29 Beirut Time

Lebanese detainee released by Israel, handed over to Lebanese Army in Naqoura

Malek Kamal Ghazi, a Lebanese man who disappeared in October 2025 whilst exercising in the Rashaya area has been released by Israel, according to sources cited by our correspondents in the South and the Bekaa.

Ghazi was transferred across the border at Naqoura (Sour) by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to the Lebanese Army intelligence services.

This announcement comes as, according to Israel’s Channel 12, Israel is expected to release five Lebanese detainees shortly and hand them over to Lebanon, in coordination with the United States.

The issue of Lebanese detainees in Israel was officially on the agenda during the seventh round of talks, held in Rome in August 2026 under U.S. mediation.

The parties had then exchanged initial lists of detainees and missing persons, according to the Israeli media outlet. According to its sources, Beirut reportedly requested that the first step should be the release of a group of civilian detainees.

13:56 Beirut Time

Israeli forces set fire to homes in Bani Hayyan, explosions reported

Israeli forces continue to set fire to homes in the town of Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun), and two explosions took place in the town.

Israeli military vehicles were seen moving from Houla toward Wadi Slouqi, alongside tank shelling targeting the area. Israeli forces also carried out a large explosion in Qantara (all located in Marjayoun).

13:55 Beirut Time

Qatar condemns Iranian attacks on Kuwait

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says that renewed Iranian attacks on Kuwait constituted a violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a breach of international law.

The statement added that Qatar said it stood in solidarity with Kuwait and supported measures Kuwait takes to preserve its sovereignty and security.

The ministry called for an end to military actions in the region, restraint from further escalation, and a return to dialogue and negotiations based on previously reached diplomatic understandings.

13:54 Beirut Time

Iran received more than $1B in oil revenues during 11-day period to Sept. 2, Iranian media outlet says

More than $1bn in oil revenues entered Iran during the first 11 days of the period ending Sept. 2, the semi-official Fars News Agency reports.

Citing documents reviewed by its reporter, the agency said the oil-related foreign currency was added to the country’s foreign exchange reserves during the period.

The report said the additional funds would increase the central bank’s ability to meet the country’s foreign currency needs.

It also said Iran’s oil sales during the first five months of the current fiscal year generated revenues equivalent to more than 80% of the oil income projected in Iran’s 2026-27 budget, which runs from March 21, 2026, to March 20, 2027.

12:35 Beirut Time

South Lebanon: Israeli bombing in Bani Hayyan, artillery fire on Houla

Israel carried out an airstrike in Bani Hayyan, whilst its artillery shelled Houla (both located in Marjayoun), according to our correspondent’s sources.

An Israeli drone also fired a stun grenade for the second time since this morning on the road linking Aaziyeh to Mansouri (Sour).

12:34 Beirut Time

Washington quietly extends deployment of US forces in the Middle East until 2027, according to WSJ

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has extended the deployment of around 50,000 US troops and 19 warships in the Middle East, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This decision was taken to give U.S. President Donald Trump greater flexibility and operational options in his dealings with Iran, sources close to the matter told the U.S. media outlet.

To this end, a third U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, is expected to join the two others already deployed in the region shortly, where it will remain until spring, the same sources said.

12:33 Beirut Time

Iran claims to have targeted US bases in Kuwait, UAE

The Iranian military has claimed to have targeted U.S. bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, following U.S. strikes on its territory.

“This morning, the military struck the U.S. ‘terrorist’ army’s satellite communication systems, equipment depots and fighter aircraft hangars at the Ahmad al-Jaber airbase in Kuwait using missiles and drones,” said a military statement broadcast on state television.

In the UAE, “U.S. military radar systems” at al-Minhad Air Base were targeted by missiles and drones, the source added.

12:32 Beirut Time

Hezbollah is reportedly shifting to a ‘guerrilla’ modus operandi in southern Lebanon, according to an Israeli media outlet

Hezbollah is reportedly "changing its modus operandi" in southern Lebanon and is said to be considering a shift towards a decentralized structure, involving small cells planning ambushes, alongside its use of booby-trapped drones targeting Israeli occupying forces, reports the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronoth, citing in particular a study by the Alma Center — composed mainly of Israeli army veterans — which supports this narrative.

Israeli security officials quoted in the media emphasize that the pro-Iranian group “continues to gather intelligence on Israeli soldiers, study their modus operandi, map their positions, and identify their operational methods, in preparation for a scenario in which fighting would resume in the form of infiltrations, ambushes, the launching of explosive drones, and the setting up of booby-trapped areas.”

Yediot claims that this change in modus operandi is a consequence of the offensives carried out by Israel, which have dismantled the infrastructure of the al-Radwan force — Hezbollah’s elite unit — many of whose commanders have been killed since 2023 and which was primarily active in the South. This destruction is said to have prompted Hezbollah to "abandon" its large-scale plans — notably the plan regularly cited by Tel Aviv for an attack in northern Israel — and to switch to a "guerrilla" model.

Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any attacks against Israeli forces since the theoretical "cease-fire" reached in June. The Israeli army, for its part, has accused it of launching three drone attacks on its forces, to which it responded with air strikes outside its occupied “buffer zone.”

12:29 Beirut Time

Iran warns the US against Israeli offensive on Ali Taher Hill in southern Lebanon, which is held by Hezbollah

Iran has warned the U.S. that it would respond forcefully to any widespread Israeli offensive against the Ali Taher Hill, a strategic vantage point where Iranian military personnel are reportedly entrenched alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials familiar with the content of the message told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

In the message, sent last month, Tehran threatened to respond with a large-scale attack to any full-scale Israeli offensive against the ridge – a strategic vantage point southeast of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been battling for weeks.

This message highlights Iran’s ongoing direct involvement in ground fighting in southern Lebanon, as well as its determination to retaliate against Israeli attacks in the area, as the regional war enters its seventh month.

Hezbollah declined to comment on whether Iranian forces were present at Ali Taher, Reuters adds. When questioned by the agency about this message and about possible U.S. pressure on Israel not to attack Ali Taher, a White House official stated that such reports “were not accurate.”

Hezbollah is reported to have built an underground command center and weapons depots inside Ali Taher hill, which overlooks part of south-eastern Lebanon.

In public statements, Hezbollah maintains that it still controls the hill and vows to resist any Israeli advance, whilst its officials have referred to the presence of a “facility” on the site, without providing further details. For its part, the Israeli army occupies large swathes of territory south of Ali Taher and has publicly designated this ridge as one of its “main operational axes.”

11:33 Beirut Time

Aoun deplores Israel for its framework agreement violations

President Joseph Aoun wrote on X that he told the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Baabda that Israel continues to violate the framework agreement reached during Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Washington through ongoing attacks and the destruction of southern villages.

Aoun said the Lebanese Army is "fully carrying out its duties" in areas where it has redeployed, adding that claims otherwise seek to "undermine the army and cast doubt on its role."

He said Lebanon remains committed to UNIFIL’s presence in the south, citing its important role, and would welcome another friendly country to continue its work if its mandate cannot be extended.

Sjoerdsma said, "My country stands in solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese people," adding that his visit to Nabatieh on Wednesday allowed him to see firsthand the impact of the war on residents and their communities.


11:30 Beirut Time

Kuwait’s foreign ministry condemns repeated Iranian strikes as ‘direct threat’ to its security

Kuwait has condemned the latest Iranian attacks targeting the country overnight, after reporting further missile and drone strikes at dawn.

These strikes constitute “a direct threat” to the “security and stability” of the Gulf state and to that of its citizens and residents, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

10:31 Beirut Time

Israeli vehicles reported in Kfar Shuba, strikes continue across southern towns

  • Israeli artillery fired several shells this morning toward the outskirts of Kfar Shuba, in the Khallet Fsiha area (Hasbaya). Israeli military vehicles were seen moving below the Ramtha position in the Kfar Shuba heights.

  • Israeli forces carried out machine-gun fire toward Shanouh, in the Halta heights (Hasbaya) and fired mortar shells.

  • The Israeli army carried out a detonation around Deir Siryan (Marjayoun), simultaneously with artillery shelling targeting the area.

  • Artillery shelling also targeted Mansouri (Sour).


10:14 Beirut Time

Israel abducts around 15 people, including municipality member, in dawn raid on Halta, southern Lebanon

An Israeli force entered the village of Halta (Hasbaya), on Thursday morning, where it surrounded several homes, following contact made by the Israeli side with the village mukhtar and a member of the municipality, our correspondent reports. Residents were prevented from leaving their homes, whilst the objectives and details of the operation remain unknown.

The Israeli unit raided several houses and abducted around 15 people in one of the village’s neighborhoods, according to the mayor of Kfar Shouba, Qassem al-Qadri, who was contacted by our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israeli soldiers then abducted Hatem Abdel Aal, a member of the municipality, to an unknown destination.

Located within the "buffer zone," which covers more than 600 km² of Lebanese territory occupied by Israel, the village of Halta falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the municipality of Kfar Shuba, which has also been the target of regular abductions carried out by Israeli troops in the past.

Earlier, Israeli mortar fire had already targeted the hills above Halta.

Attacks on Halta have not been common since the resumption of the war in southern Lebanon, where Israel occupies more than 600 km² of Lebanese territory. In March 2026, several houses in the village had already been searched by Israeli forces.

Furthermore, at dawn, Israeli artillery fired five shells towards the Litani riverbed, in the area of the Khardali bridge, targeting an area west of Deir Mimas and east of Beaufort Castle, in the eastern sector.

10:10 Beirut Time

Kuwait says it is under attack from Iranian missiles and drones

On Thursday morning, the Kuwaiti armed forces reported that they were facing an attack launched by Iran using missiles and drones, following several exchanges of strikes in recent days between the United States and the Islamic Republic.

“Kuwait’s air defense is currently facing hostile missile and drone attacks following Iran’s despicable aggression,” the army wrote on X. On Wednesday, Iran had attacked several bases in the Middle East, including in Kuwait, used by the U.S. military.

After a month of calm, hostilities resumed on Sunday in a scenario that has been repeating itself since the start of the war, which broke out in late February and for which there is still no diplomatic solution.

The U.S. military carried out two waves of strikes on Sunday and Tuesday evening, targeting, according to the U.S., first an attempt to mine the Strait of Hormuz and then facilities belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, notably radar and air defense sites.

The second wave of strikes killed a total of 19 people, including seven members of the armed forces as well as civilians — one of the highest death tolls in several months. Four people were also killed during a wedding in the Sirik district (south-east), where nearly 70 people were injured.

10:08 Beirut Time

Israel continues shelling and destruction operations overnight across southern Lebanon

Israel continued its destruction operations overnight in a number of villages it occupies in southern Lebanon, in addition to firing several rounds of artillery and machine-gun fire in the Nabatieh district, according to reports from our correspondent in the region.

In particular, intense artillery fire targeted the hills of Ali Taher, Doha Kfar Roummane and the Dabshe area (Nabatieh).

Israel targeted Doha Kfar Roummane again by artillery later that night.

In the Marjayoun district, Israel struck Qantara with five shells, and Wadi Houjeir with six, targeting it again after midnight. Mortar fire also targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shouba (Hasbaya).

Furthermore, machine-gun sweeps were carried out towards Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh), and towards Srebbine (Bint Jbeil).

Israel also carried out three major demolition operations after midnight in Kfar Tibnit, near Arnoun. The explosions were heard throughout the Nabatieh region and several kilometers away. Another explosion then occurred shortly after 1 a.m. in Zawtar Sharqieh.

Throughout Wednesday, Israel also carried out air strikes against houses and buildings in six towns in southern Lebanon, whilst drones attacked three towns.

Fourteen villages were subjected to artillery fire, which destroyed homes and caused fires. The Israeli army is also reported to have carried out more than 14 explosions in seven localities, destroying numerous buildings and setting fire to several houses in two villages.

10:00 Beirut Time

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