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Flames rise from the hills of Ali Taher (Nabatieh), after Israel began conducting heavy strikes on the area on Thursday night, Sept. 10, 2026. (Photo provided by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Muntasser Abdallah)

Live Middle East

Massive Israeli explosions on Ali Taher cause shockwave measuring 4.1 on Richter scale; Israeli media says over 1,100 tonnes of explosives used | LIVE

What you need to know

Saudi civil defense lifts an emergency alert in southwestern Khamis Mushait province.

Israeli artillery fire targets the outskirts of Kfar Shuba in Hasbaya, continued attacks on Mansouri.

Oil tops $100 after new Gulf strikes.

22:47 Beirut Time

Israeli has resumed its strikes on southern Lebanon, including in the vicinity of Ali Taher

Israel has bombed Nabatieh Fawqa on two occasions, targeting the woodland that separates the town from the hills of Ali Taher.

Two further strikes targeted the coastal village of Mansouri (Sour), as well as Wadi Zibqine.

In addition, Israeli forces carried out another large-scale strike on Khiam (Marjayoun).

22:45 Beirut Time

High alert in Israel following massive explosions on Ali Taher, according to Israeli media outlet

Israel has raised its alert level following a series of major explosions on the Ali Taher hill, allegedly targeting "Hezbollah tunnel infrastructure," and is reportedly fearing an Iranian retaliation, according to the Israeli website Ynet.

A week ago, Iran had warned the United States that it would respond forcefully to any Israeli offensive against Ali Taher Hill, three officials familiar with the content of the message told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

22:19 Beirut Time

Iran Embassy in Austria reaffirms commitment to 'peaceful nuclear program'

The Iranian Embassy in Austria states that Tehran "will not relinquish its legitimate right to a peaceful nuclear program."

In a statement published on X, the embassy accused the United States and Israel of disrupting the “verification mechanisms” by launching attacks on the country’s nuclear sites.

This statement follows yesterday’s adoption by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of a resolution to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for refusing access to inspectors from the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

The embassy claims that the United States and Israel have used this “disruption as a pretext to secure the adoption of a resolution by the IAEA Board of Governors against Iran."

Tehran claims to have suspended U.N. inspections at some of its nuclear sites in response to the U.S.-Israeli strikes carried out last June on Iran.

22:03 Beirut Time

Israel's explosions on Ali Taher cause shockwave measuring 4.1 on Richter scale

Lebanon's Seismological Center reports that the explosions on Ali Taher caused a shockwave measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale, recorded at 9.08 p.m. local time in southern Lebanon, 13 km west-south-west of Nabatieh Tahta, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicenter was at a depth of 10 kilometers.

21:54 Beirut Time

Israeli media says over 1,100 tonnes of explosives used on Ali Taher Hill

As Israel conducted massive explosions on Ali Taher (Nabatieh) on Thursday night, sending shockwaves that could be felt as far as Saida, situated some 40 kilometers from Beirut.

According to the Israeli website Ynet, Israel is reported to have blown up "tunnel infrastructure" on the Ali Taher hill using more than 1,100 tonnes of explosives, following threats from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

21:28 Beirut Time

Israel begins intense bombing of Ali Taher Hill, tremors heard from afar

Residents of the Nabatieh area felt tremors after the Israeli army began intense bombardment of Ali Taher, a strategic point south of Nabatieh.

Our correspondent in the region said the first site they blew up is believed to be a Hezbollah tunnel near Kfar Tibnit, with three explosions reported on the area.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Thursday that the Israeli army had “destroyed Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure” on the Ali Taher hill in southern Lebanon, thereby, he claimed, completing the establishment of the Israeli “security zone” in the south of the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also stated that Israel was in the process of "dealing with" the Ali Taher ridge, over which he claimed Israeli forces gained "operational control" a week ago.

21:24 Beirut Time

New round of Lebanon-Israel talks scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday in Rome, according to Israeli TV

An eighth round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon is due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Rome. The aim of this round is reportedly to establish a “force tasked with ensuring that the pilot areas have been completely cleared of any Hezbollah presence,” according to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan. So far, only three "pilot zones" were identified by Washington at the end of July.

In accordance with the framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, brokered by the U.S., the Israeli army is to withdraw from these areas, whilst the Lebanese Army is to deploy there to dismantle infrastructure and confiscate Hezbollah’s arsenal. On Wednesday, the Lebanese Army presented a detailed report on its activities in the "pilot zones."

The last round of talks took place last month, from August 4-6, also in Rome. It was marked by an Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon.

No date had subsequently been officially set for the next round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told the Iraqi channel Shams TV that a round of talks would take place in Rome "soon."

21:06 Beirut Time

Another Israeli air strike on southern Lebanon

Israel has bombed an area between Wadi Zibqine and Wadi Hassan in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent in the region.

Two further Israeli artillery strikes have also targeted Wadi Slouqi and Mansouri (Sour).

21:05 Beirut Time

Israel kills at least 4,383 people in Lebanon since March 2

Israel has killed at least 4,383 people and injured 12,406 others in Lebanon since March 2, according to the latest figures released by the Health Ministry.

The Ministry has recorded two further deaths and four additional injuries since its previous update on Monday. Notably, one person who was injured in an Israeli drone strike on Zibdin (Nabatieh) on Wednesday later succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead.

In total, Israel has killed at least 8,948 and injured 30,638 others since the start of its ongoing onslaught against Lebanon in October 2023.

20:59 Beirut Time

Iran claims to have carried out strike against US unmanned vessel in Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have claimed to have carried out a strike against a U.S. unmanned vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media, Reuters reports.

20:38 Beirut Time

Protecting Yemen’s coastline is in interest of international community, says head of Yemen’s Presidential Council

The chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Council, backed by Saudi Arabia, said on Thursday that protecting Yemen’s coastline was in the interests of the international community after Houthi fighters, backed by Iran, seized the strategic town of Mokha on the Red Sea.

“Protecting Yemen’s coastline and restoring state control over its territory, ports and waters is in the common interest of Yemen, Egypt, the Arab countries, and the international community,” said Rashad al-Alimi during a meeting with the Egyptian ambassador, according to the Saba news agency.

20:36 Beirut Time

Israel resumes strikes on southern Lebanon

Our correspondent in southern Lebanon has reported several Israeli air strikes on the South over the past hour.

Israel has also bombed the coastal town of Mansouri, south of Sour, three times, after having targeted it dozens of times over the past three days. The explosions caused by the release of high-shockwave missiles were heard as far as Sour and its surroundings.

Israel also bombed an area between the villages of Haddatha and Haris (Bint Jbeil).

Further artillery fire has also been reported in Dohat Kfar Roummane, south of Nabatieh. Israeli troops have also set fire to homes in Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil).

20:33 Beirut Time

According to the Houthis, Riyadh has carried out 64 air strikes on Yemen in 24 hours

Yemen’s Houthi rebels reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia had carried out several dozen air strikes in Yemen over the past 24 hours, after the pro-Iranian fighters seized control of a strategic town on the Red Sea.

“Saudi enemy aircraft carried out ... 64 air strikes across the provinces of Taiz, Hodeida, Marib and al-Jawf, using F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets” that took off from bases in Saudi Arabia, said Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree, as quoted by the Saba news agency.

19:43 Beirut Time

From Cyprus, Israel's president says he ‘dreams’ of meeting with his Lebanese counterpart

Whilst on a visit to Cyprus, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he “dreams” of meeting Joseph Aoun in Cyprus. “My dream would be for the President of Israel and the President of Cyprus to be able to meet with the President of Lebanon,” he said on the sidelines of his meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

“I believe we must move towards peace in our region whilst ensuring that terrorism is rejected and eradicated, and that life flourishes between nations and peoples for the well-being of the entire region and the whole world,” he added.

19:10 Beirut Time

Yemen: Houthi-affiliated media reports further Saudi air strikes

A Houthi-affiliated media outlet reported on Thursday that Saudi air strikes had taken place in western Yemen, after the pro-Iranian fighters seized control of a strategic town on the Red Sea.

“The Saudi enemy carried out ten air strikes” in the province of Taiz, the Almasirah channel said, according to AFP, whilst the Houthis launched a major attack this week against the kingdom, Yemen’s neighbor and a supporter of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

19:04 Beirut Time

Hezbollah mourns victim Wednesday’s Israeli strike on Zibdin as member of the party

On Thursday afternoon, Hezbollah issued a statement announcing the funeral of Haidar Nemer Tabaja, a native of the village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr (Sour), who succumbed to injuries sustained from an Israeli strike on Wednesday that targeted his vehicle in Zibdin (Nabatieh).

19:01 Beirut Time

Israel continues its shelling of Mansouri and artillery fire on the vicinity of Nabatieh

Israeli forces are continuing their relentless shelling of the village of Mansouri (Sour), which has been hit by four reported shelling incidents in the last two hours, according to our correspondent in the South.

More than twenty explosions had already rocked the coastal village — split in two by the so-called "Yellow Line" marking Israel's occupation — since Thursday morning, following destruction on a similar scale over the past two days.

Another Israeli strike was reported a short while ago on the village of Deir Siryan (Marjyoun).

Furthermore, several Israeli artillery strikes targeted a forest on the outskirts of the village of Kounin, as well as the villages of Dohat Kfar Roummane, hit twice, and Kfar Tibnit, all in the district of Nabatieh.

The outskirts of Ainata (Bint Jbeil) were also targeted by Israeli artillery, as was Mansouri (Sour).

18:03 Beirut Time

Houthis claim shipping in Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb remains ‘safe’

The spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Mohammad Abdulsalam, stated on Thursday that shipping and international trade in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remained “safe and uninterrupted”, whilst fighting with government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, has intensified further following the Houthis’ capture of the Red Sea port of Mokha.

The Houthis have also landed on the Hanish Islands, situated halfway between the Yemeni and Eritrean coasts in the middle of the Red Sea, two Yemeni government military sources told Reuters.

“Yemen poses no threat to shipping... The operations currently being carried out by the Houthis are defensive and have been limited to previously announced targets,” the spokesperson assured in a message on X. He also stated that “these operations would cease as soon as the attacks on Yemen stopped and the blockade was lifted.”

16:04 Beirut Time

Israeli strike on Zibdin Wednesday: 1 person succumbs to wounds

An Israeli airstrike Wednesday in Zibdin (Nabatieh) initially killed one person and injured two, according to a toll obtained by our correspondent. One of those injured, identified as Haidar Tabaja, died of his wounds Thursday.

Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continued. Artillery fire targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, followed by two airstrikes, one around 2:30 p.m. and another around 3 p.m. Further explosions were heard in Mansouri (Sour) and Beni Hayan (Bint Jbeil).

In the Bekaa Valley, Israeli aircraft have been circling at low altitude since 3 p.m. over an area north of Baalbeck, including the villages of Makneh, Shaath, Younin, Rasm al-Hadath and Hrabta, our correspondent in the Bekaa reports.

15:14 Beirut Time

Security patrols in Nabatieh ‘reassure residents,’ municipality head says

Nabatieh Municipal Council President Abbas Fakhreddine welcomed State Security patrols in the city’s streets Thursday.

He said the move “complements the measures recently taken by the Lebanese Army” and has “helped foster a sense of security and calm among the population following the recent escalation and the deadly strikes in Kfar Remmane,” in comments to our correspondent.

Sunday’s strikes on Kfar Roummane killed 13 people, including many women and children.

Fakhreddine said the presence of security forces “encourages people to stay in their homes,” though he questioned whether patrols alone could prevent Israeli attacks.

“I received a call from Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who assured me that security forces would remain on the ground,” he said.

Fakhreddine said he had asked Salam and Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar to reinforce the security presence and revitalize official institutions in the city so they could provide basic services to residents.

14:29 Beirut Time

Transport vessel reports being approached by speedboat off Yemen

The UKMTO said it had received a report of an incident 98 nautical miles southwest of Al-Mukalla, Yemen.

The British Royal Navy organization (UK Maritime Commercial Operations) specified on its website that a cargo ship reported having been approached by an unidentified fast boat.

The body is advising vessels to navigate with caution and report any suspicious activity to the UKMTO, while authorities investigate the incident.

14:15 Beirut Time

General Security, State Security deploy on roads in Nabatieh

Personnel from Lebanon’s General Security and State Security agencies deployed along several roads in Nabatieh, the capital of the district of the same name, according to our southern Lebanon correspondent, citing eyewitnesses.

The deployment followed the earlier arrival of Lebanese Army units in the city.

According to available information, “members of both security agencies are currently unable to return to their centers in Nabatieh” because of the security situation following the recent escalation in the city.

The General Security center is in the Universities District, an area repeatedly targeted by airstrikes and shelling. The State Security center, located at the Grand Serail, was destroyed in a previous Israeli strike that killed and injured personnel.

The deployment is part of a “strengthening of the security presence observed in the city following the escalation that affected several of its neighborhoods and surrounding areas.”

Earlier in the day, the interior minister pledged that the state “will not abandon” Nabatieh, which was subjected to deadly bombardment last weekend after Israel seized nearby Ali Taher hill. The pledge followed calls from residents for the Lebanese Army to enter and take up positions in the city.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut welcomed the calls and commended the Lebanese authorities’ efforts to restore the country’s sovereignty.

14:12 Beirut Time

Video: Israeli attacks on Mansouri in Sour, Mais al-Jabal Marjayoun


14:12 Beirut Time

Katz renews threat: Any Iranian attack on Israel will draw ‘powerful response’ targeting energy infrastructure

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz Katz has again warned that any IranianIranian attack on Israel would be met with a “powerful response.”

“Given the possibility that Iran — under the strain of economic strangulation and intense pressure — might decide to act against Israel, I am once again issuing this warning to Iran’s leaders: Any attack on Israel, for whatever reason and wherever it occurs, will be met with aa powerful response. This will inflict damage on Iran on a scale it has never before experienced, particularly by targeting the key energy infrastructure that supplies resources and capabilities to Iran’s war and terror apparatus, as well as to the citizens of the State of Israel,” Katz said in a video.

12:39 Beirut Time

South Lebanon: Dozens of new controlled demolitions in Mansouri, Bani Hayan

The number of Israeli explosions in Mansouri (Sour district) and Bani Hayan (Marjayoun district) continued to rise, with 22 in Mansouri and 14 in Bani Hayan since this morning alone, according to our correspondent.

In the past hour, six consecutive controlled demolitions were heard in Mansouri and at least three in Bani Hayan. Around 12:30 p.m., two additional explosions were recorded in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district).

Separately, an Israeli airstrike targeted an area between Zibqine and Shihine (Sour district).

12:37 Beirut Time

Houthi attacks: Pakistan says no military response discussed under Mecca agreement

Pakistan said no discussions took place on a potential military response by Islamabad under the Mecca agreement following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. However, it added that Pakistan “will act when the time comes,” Reuters reported.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s comments came in response to a question about how Islamabad intended to fulfill its obligations under a joint defense agreement signed with Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The agreement, signed last month, stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three.

“Nothing of the sort is currently under consideration ... When the time comes, we will act in accordance with the agreement,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said during a weekly news briefing.

11:23 Beirut Time

Iran-backed Houthis seize Yemen’s Red Sea city of Mokha, sources say

Iran-backed Houthi fighters seized the Yemeni city of Mokha on the Red Sea, moving closer to the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, three Yemeni government sources told Reuters on Thursday.

11:23 Beirut Time

No military response discussed under Mecca agreement over Houthi attacks, Pakistan says

Pakistan said no discussions have taken place on a potential military response by Islamabad under the Mecca agreement to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. However, it added that Pakistan “will act when the time comes,” Reuters reported.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s comments came in response to a question about how Islamabad intended to fulfill its obligations under a joint defense agreement signed with Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The agreement, signed last month, stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three.

“Nothing of the sort is currently under consideration ... When the time comes, we will act in accordance with the agreement,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said during a weekly news briefing.

11:22 Beirut Time

US Embassy: ‘Every day, Lebanese make it clear they prefer state institutions over Hezbollah’s weapons'

The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon welcomed expressions of support from the Lebanese people for the state, particularly following calls for the army to deploy to the Nabatieh region after the capture of nearby Ali Taher hill.

“Every day, the Lebanese people make it clear they prefer Lebanese state institutions over Hezbollah’s weapons.  Southern Lebanon does not belong to regional actors or militias,” the embassy said on X, alluding to Iran’s support for Hezbollah.

“The United States applauds these communities and supports the government of Lebanon in its stated goal to assert sovereignty, enforced by the [Lebanese Army], and ensure that the decisions of war and peace lie exclusively with the Lebanese state,” it added.

After Israel captured Ali Taher hill, a strategic position for Hezbollah, residents and activists in Nabatieh, as well as political figures, expressed fears that the city, north of the Litani River, could become the target of an Israeli offensive and campaign of destruction similar to those in several border towns, including Bint Jbeil and Khiam. In response, the Lebanese Army conducted several patrols in the city and was warmly welcomed by residents.


11:21 Beirut Time

Iran uses missiles with maneuverable warheads, signaling greater appetite for escalation, WSJ reports

At least three times in the past week, Iranian forces have launched missiles at U.S. warships — including an aircraft carrier — directly targeting the U.S. Navy in a manner not seen since the war began. On Wednesday, Iran also fired a significant salvo of missiles at U.S. forces stationed in Jordan, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The attacks on the warships came much closer to hitting their targets than previous attempts because Iran used maneuverable warheads, according to people familiar with the attacks.

Iran launched the medium-range ballistic missiles from various sites across the country, the sources said. The missiles can travel hundreds of kilometers at extremely high speeds and use advanced technology to maneuver in flight toward moving targets, making them a greater threat than other Iranian weapons.

The risk-taking marks a clear escalation from the measured attacks Iran has carried out for weeks against commercial vessels in the strait and less sensitive U.S. targets in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

The attacks are pushing the conflict into a more dangerous phase, the U.S. outlet noted. A missile strike on a U.S. warship would almost certainly trigger an extremely forceful U.S. response and risk reigniting a full-scale war.

11:19 Beirut Time

Israeli demolitions in Bani Hayan and Mansouri

The Israeli army continues to blow up homes in southern Lebanon. This morning, it carried out demolitions in two separate incidents in Bani Hayan (Marjayoun) and Mansouri (Sour), our southern Lebanon correspondent reports.

An Israeli Merkava tank also took up a position atop a hill in Braasheet (Bint Jbeil).

Machine-gun fire targeted Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya) as an incendiary bomb was dropped on a neighborhood in the village.

A fire also broke out in Wadi al-Joz (Shebaa) due to Israeli attacks.

11:18 Beirut Time

Houthis report about 40 Saudi strikes in Yemen

Saudi Arabia has carried out about 40 airstrikes in Yemen in recent hours, the Iran-backed Houthis claimed Thursday, following fresh rebel attacks on the kingdom.

“Saudi enemy aircraft carried out approximately 40 strikes over the past few hours in the governorates of Taiz, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf and Marib,” said Saba, the rebels’ news agency.

11:12 Beirut Time

Top Trump advisers warn Iran war could last through his term

Senior White House advisers have privately discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump the possibility that the war with Iran could drag on until the end of his term, according to U.S. officials cited in an exclusive Wall Street Journal report published Thursday. The warnings contradict Trump’s public assurances of a swift victory in the conflict, which has been underway since Feb. 28.

The Journal also reported that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others discussed with Trump in the Oval Office and Situation Room the likelihood that Tehran would continue to withstand U.S. pressure despite the blockade and other military tactics, potentially extending the conflict beyond Inauguration Day in January 2029.

On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that the war would end “immediately” after the November midterm elections, “because they [the Iranians] won’t hold out much longer.”

11:11 Beirut Time

Saudi Arabia lifts Khamis Mushait alert amid clashes with Houthis

Saudi civil defense authorities lifted an “emergency alert” issued for Khamis Mushait province in the country’s southwest Wednesday morning, the fourth such alert in 24 hours, as clashes intensified with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Reuters reported.

Civil defense officials said the danger had passed shortly after the alert was issued.

At least 73 people have been injured across four cities in southern Saudi Arabia, including Khamis Mushait, during recent Houthi attacks on the world’s top oil exporter, the Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday.

The armed group claimed to have attacked an air base in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in neighboring cities, marking one of the most significant attacks on Saudi Arabia since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began in February.

The coalition said the Houthis continued their attacks on national facilities and infrastructure Wednesday.

11:10 Beirut Time

US military aircraft damaged in overnight strikes on Jordan air base, CBS reports

Several U.S. military aircraft were damaged during overnight strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, CBS reporter Jennifer Jacobs reported Wednesday on X.

An A-10 Thunderbolt, nicknamed the “Warthog,” was hit and lost a wing. About eight F-15s also sustained minor damage before being returned to service, she added.

U.S. forces in Jordan fired more than 30 Patriot missiles to defend against Iranian attacks. The damage occurred after the United States attacked five Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran’s attack on a U.S. Navy warship.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have attacked eight oil tankers, two warships and the base in Jordan.

10:57 Beirut Time

Turbulent morning in south Lebanon; 40th Israeli demolition of the day in Mansouri

The early hours of the day in southern Lebanon saw multiple Israeli attacks across several areas, our correspondent reports. At 8:30 a.m., artillery fire targeted the area around Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya).

Around 7 a.m., two explosions shook Beni Hayan (Marjayoun). Artillery fire targeted Wadi Zibqine (Sour), Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh), Braasheet (Bint Jbeil) and the heights of Halta (Hasbaya). Heavy machine-gun fire targeted Haddatha (Bint Jbeil) and, once again, Halta.

The night was no less turbulent. Around 10 p.m., Israeli aircraft carried out a strike on Wadi Slouqi (Marjayoun), followed by strikes on Mansouri (Sour) and Nabatieh Fawqa. Artillery fire hit Kfar Roummane (Nabatieh).

Around 11 p.m., the 40th demolition operation of the day took place in Mansouri, a village heavily targeted in recent weeks. It was not the only area affected: Explosions occurred around the same time in Wadi Qaiss (Khiam, Marjayoun) and twice in Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil).

Meanwhile, a drone dropped explosives on Beni Hayan. Heavy machine-gun fire targeted Zawtar Sharqieh and Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil). Artillery fire also targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, while fire from an Israeli Merkava tank targeted an area between Braasheet and Beit Yahoun. After midnight, Israeli machine-gun fire targeted Majdal Zoun (Sour) and Halta (Hasbaya).

After 1 a.m., artillery fire struck Wadi Zibqine (Sour), and an explosion shook Wadi Slouqi.

10:53 Beirut Time

Houthi drones, missiles again target Saudi Arabia

Drones and missiles launched by the Houthis targeted infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, a day after a major attack by the Yemeni rebels injured 73 people in the kingdom, the Riyadh-led military coalition announced.

“On Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, the militia launched several ballistic missiles and drones toward the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jazan,” coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X. He reported no casualties.

10:52 Beirut Time

New Gulf strikes; oil tops $100

Iran claimed to have attacked more than a dozen vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, sending oil prices soaring, and announced plans to soon extend the zone requiring navigation authorization beyond the strategic waterway.

Tehran justified the attacks by citing U.S. strikes on five Iranian oil tankers the previous day and again warned its adversary.

“The aggressive actions by the United States against Iranian commercial vessels ... constitute ... a clear threat to regional and international peace and security,” the Foreign Ministry said, citing “legitimate self-defense.”

The Revolutionary Guard claimed to have targeted two U.S. vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 other ships in the Gulf region as they attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway Tehran has blockaded since the Middle East war began in late February.

The U.K. maritime agency UKMTO reported several vessels on fire at various locations, though there was no immediate word on casualties.

10:43 Beirut Time

Good morning. We are now launching our LIVE coverage of the region.

We are launching our live coverage of developments in Lebanon, particularly in the South, where the Israeli army has begun a deadly escalation following the fall of the strategic Ali Taher ridge.

We will also track developments between Iran and the United States as the war enters its seventh month and negotiations remain stalled.