Final body recovered from Nabatieh’s Ghandour Hospital rubble; Yemeni army shells Houthis in Mokha | LIVE

Final body recovered from Ghandour Hospital rubble after 6 days

Hezbollah rescue teams concluded their search of Ghandour Hospital’s rubble Friday after recovering the final body, according to our corresponden. The hospital, destroyed by Israel on Sunday, was out of service at the time. The strike’s final death toll stands at four.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon. Around 5:30 p.m., an airstrike targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, followed shortly by another. Two more strikes hit Mansouri (Sour), and another targeted Wadi Slouqi, near Shaqra (Bint Jbeil).

After 4 p.m., Israeli artillery fire targeted Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), then Mansouri.

Two more demolition blasts hit Mansouri after 8 p.m. At the same time, Israeli forces directed heavy machine-gun fire toward a river area in Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh), while renewed artillery fire targeted Nabatieh Fawqa.

Trump invokes 9/11 to defend Iran war: ‘That is what we are fighting for today’

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed Friday that the United States would never forget the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and would continue to “fight,” speaking at a Pentagon ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center.

“Today, we renew the sacred vow we first made in their name a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget. That is what we are fighting for today,” said Trump, who chose not to attend commemorations in New York.

“We have no choice. There can be only victory. We fight with strength. We fight to win. ... We salute the service members working at this very moment to ensure that the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran, can never, ever acquire a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Yemeni armed forces are bombarding areas near the strategic city of Mokha, which the Houthis seized Thursday

A military spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government said its air force struck targets along the Taiz-Mokha road, a crucial coastal supply route, and urged civilians to avoid the area.

The Yemeni army declared the area a “military zone” Thursday after the Houthis captured Mokha, giving them control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast.

US ‘will fight to the end’ against Iran, Hegseth says in 9/11 speech

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces control the Strait of Hormuz and will defeat Iran as the conflict enters its seventh month.

“We control the Straits. We will fight this fight to the end and ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” he said in a speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Israeli artillery shells hill near Syria’s Beit Jinn

The Israeli army fired several artillery rounds at Tell Beit al-Warda hill, near the Syrian border town of Beit Jinn in the Mount Hermon region, known in Arabic as Jabal al-Sheikh, according to Syria’s official SANA news agency.

Hezbollah honors fighter killed at Ali Taher; Israeli demolitions continue in Mansouri

Hezbollah paid tribute in a statement to fighter Hussein Ali Mortada, who was reportedly killed Sunday by the Israeli army during the capture of Ali Taher hill, southeast of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out another series of demolitions in Mansouri (Sour district), a village straddling the so-called “Yellow Line” that has been targeted by dozens of demolition operations in recent days.

Occupying troops also conducted a sweep with automatic weapons fire and artillery shelling near Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil district), targeting an area where a rescue team from the Al-Rissala Scouts, a civil defense unit affiliated with the Amal movement, had deployed. The fire forced the team to retreat, our correspondent reported.

An Israeli drone also dropped a stun grenade in Yater (Bint Jbeil district).

Houthis control Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast, government official says

The Houthis now control Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast and have seized the last remaining islands in the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a Yemeni official told AFP.

“Everything that was under our control on the west coast has fallen,” he said, hours after the Iran-backed rebels seized Mayyun Island, also known as Perim, in the heart of the strait.

Iran plans Gulf talks, announces Oman deal on Hormuz shipping

Iran is organizing a meeting with the foreign ministers of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei announced.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday in Oman to discuss safe commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian officials said.

Baghaei also confirmed that Tehran had reached an agreement with Oman to establish temporary routes through the strait to “ensure the safety of maritime navigation.”

Bab al-Mandeb shipping ‘safe’ except for Saudi vessels, Houthis say

Maritime navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remains safe for all shipping companies except Saudi vessels, which are banned from the area, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Friday on Telegram.

“We will continue to respond to the blockade with a blockade and to escalation with escalation until the aggression ceases and the blockade imposed on our people is lifted,” he said.

Pressure on Iran at ‘critical and dangerous stage,’ Pezeshkian warns

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that U.S. pressure on his country had “reached a critical and dangerous stage,” speaking in India on the eve of the BRICS summit.

“Iran has endured heavy sanctions in recent years; this pressure has reached a critical and dangerous stage in recent months following military aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel,” he said, adding that “the world today is going through a period of unprecedented complexity.”

“When a country faces political and military pressure affecting its trade, energy, infrastructure, and financial system, the repercussions extend beyond its borders,” Pezeshkian said.

Iran, whose economy has been weakened by decades of international sanctions, was attacked by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28. In retaliation, Iran blocked the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil transited before the war. The blockade, still in place six months after hostilities began, continues to drive up global hydrocarbon prices.

Israeli armored vehicles advance near ‘Yellow Line’ in Mansouri amid renewed demolitions

Israeli armored vehicles deployed in the occupied village of Mansouri, south of Sour, continue to maneuver in the area and were seen advancing toward the Stadium district and Rabeh neighborhood, according to our correspondent.

Already heavily damaged by large-scale demolitions and frequent Israeli bombardment in recent days, Mansouri was hit by three more demolition blasts this afternoon, as well as automatic weapons fire.

Meanwhile, Israeli artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba (Hasbaya district) and Khiam (Marjayoun district).

Netanyahu praises Trump’s Iran blockade, says Tehran is ‘weaker than ever’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump for the blockade and economic pressure imposed on Iran, which he described as the “main source of instability in the world.”

In a post on X, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel had made “historic progress” over the past year, helping to make Iran and its “axis of evil ... weaker than ever.”

“The people of Israel stand with the people of the United States and President Trump in the fight against the forces of terror,” he said.

The United States and Israel triggered the current conflict with Iran by attacking it on Feb. 28, killing its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries on June 17, but it failed to halt regular exchanges of fire in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic remains heavily disrupted.

Missiles target Yemen’s Mokha port, government official says

Six missiles targeted the Red Sea port of Mokha a day after the Houthis seized the city, a Yemeni government official told AFP, without specifying their origin.

The Houthi-affiliated Almasirah television channel earlier reported Saudi strikes on the city’s airport.

Zamir in Nabatieh region: ‘Yellow Line remains entirely under our control, unchanged’

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited the “36th Division’s operational zone” in occupied southern Lebanon, where he said “the Yellow Line remains entirely under our control, unchanged,” referring to the line on maps marking the occupied “buffer zone” in the South.

His statement came a day after Hezbollah tunnels beneath Ali Taher hill in Nabatieh district were destroyed and occupying forces withdrew a few kilometers south. The Ali Taher ridge lies within the “buffer zone.”

“Last night, we destroyed the underground terrorist infrastructure beneath Ali al-Taher — Hezbollah’s primary command, control, and combat infrastructure, built with Iranian support,” Zamir said.

“Any attack on northern communities or the Israeli army forces protecting them will be met with an immediate and powerful response,” he warned.

Iran: Supreme leader's advisor hails Houthi advance in Yemen as 'resounding victory'

An advisor to Iran's supreme leader described the advance of Tehran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen as a "resounding victory" on Friday, following their capture of a key island in the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, AFP reports.

"Congratulations on this resounding victory for Ansarullah," wrote Mohammad Mokhber on the social network X, using an alternative name for the Houthis— Y emeni fighters who receive military and financial support from Iran and are at war with government forces in Yemen.

Israeli tank shells Mais al-Jabal; troops move on outskirts

An Israeli Merkava tank shelled Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), according to our correspondent in the south. Israeli forces also moved along the town’s northern outskirts in the Wadi al-Jamal area, accompanied by artillery fire targeting a house and machine-gun fire.

Separately, Israeli forces again carried out four explosions in Mansouri (Sour).

Houthi advance in Yemen: CENTCOM chief travels to Saudi Arabia for 'urgent coordination meetings'

The commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for “urgent coordination meetings regarding the Houthi advance in Yemen” toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to two sources familiar with the matter cited by Axios.

The same outlet reported earlier that Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, a key U.S. ally, had urged U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday to launch strikes against the rebels, but Trump declined.

On Friday, the Houthis seized the key island of Mayyun in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait after entering the port city of Mokha, located 70 kilometers north of the strait.

The Houthis had previously controlled much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, as well as the major port city of Hodeidah, about 200 kilometers north of Mokha. However, they did not previously hold territory directly overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Smoke seen rising near Saudi Arabia’s critical East-West pipeline, Reuters reports

Satellite imagery cited by Reuters showed smoke near Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, one of the country’s key energy assets.

Saudi Arabia’s government did not immediately report any incident in the area.

The East-West Pipeline has become vital ⁠to Saudi Arabia since the ⁠outbreak of the war, as state oil giant Aramco used it to ⁠ramp up crude flows from ⁠its eastern coast ⁠to the Red Sea in its west, diverting crude from the Strait ‌of Hormuz.

’We are prepared to continue the campaign and keep striking Hezbollah,’ Katz says

“We are prepared to continue the campaign and keep striking Hezbollah, including in other locations,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, AFP reported.

Israel said Friday it was prepared to continue strikes against Hezbollah after destroying Ali Taher, a large underground complex used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Following Thursday’s destruction, “there is now a solid security zone, stronger than ever, that protects our communities,” Katz added. The zone also allows the Israeli army to “maintain control and threaten Hezbollah deep inside” Lebanese territory, he said.

At least 46,000 displaced by Yemen fighting since last week, UN says

At least 46,000 people have been displaced since the fighting resumed between Iran-backed Houthi group and pro-government forces in southwestern Yemen last week, the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said.

“Families are being forced to flee for the second or third time in this conflict, with almost nothing left,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope in a statement. “As fighting spreads, reaching people with lifesaving assistance is becoming harder. We urgently need safe, unimpeded access.”

“All parties must protect civilians and humanitarian workers, and safeguard the supplies, vehicles and facilities we depend on to deliver help,” added Pope.

Iran’s president ‘not in favour of continuing the war’

Speaking at a meeting with the heads of the country’s top universities, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said he does not favour continuing the war, but that the country must build resilience against future challenges “so that we are not forced to negotiate with the enemy from a different position”, ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency) has reported, with the president adding that universities should help the government “in economy, management, culture, literature, and all fields”.

He said he had no conflict with anyone, “not left or right, not religious or non-religious”, adding that solving problems “has nothing to do with people’s beliefs or convictions”.

Ghalibaf says Yemeni people will ‘triumph’ after Houthis capture Mocha

Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has backed Yemen’s Houthis in a post on X.

“The brave Yemeni people will certainly triumph,” Ghalibaf wrote Thursday.

The statement came after Houthis seized the crucial Red Sea city of Mocha, expanding control over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of the world’s most important trade routes.

Two Israeli explosions in Mansouri

Two Israeli explosions took place in Mansouri (Sour.) (Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)

Saudi Arabia launches 2 airstrikes on Mocha airport

Saudi Arabia launched two airstrikes on Mocha airport, Houthi-affiliated Massirah TV reported.

On Thursday, Yemen’s Houthis seized the crucial Red Sea city of Mocha, expanding control over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important trade routes.

Israeli army confirms it used 'more than 1,100 tons of explosives' in Ali Taher

The Israeli army confirmed, in a video by its Arabic-speaking spokeswoman Ella Waweya, "more than 1,100 tons of explosives" to destroy the tunnels under the hill of Ali Taher, in South Lebanon.

In her statement, the military spokesperson added that the destroyed underground network "comprised eight tunnels with a total length exceeding 5,400 meters." She indicated that Israeli soldiers found "dozens of explosive drones and other drones, machine guns and anti-tank missiles, as well as hundreds of mines, RPG rockets and explosive devices, in addition to other military equipment."

After massive explosions at Ali Taher, Israeli army pulls back in the Beaufort area

After destroying tunnels beneath the Ali Taher hill, the Israeli army withdrew from the ridge and redeployed farther back in the Beaufort area, a few kilometers from the ridge and still within the Nabatieh district, according to the Israeli radio station GLZ’s military correspondent.

The Israeli army nevertheless said that “the Yellow Line remains unchanged”: “the ridge continues to be controlled remotely through fire and observation.” The army “does not intend to allow fighters to return to the area and says it will strike in the event of any attempt to return to the site,” according to the Israeli radio station.

The previous day, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had said that his army had “completed the establishment of the security zone in southern Lebanon” following the massive explosions of the tunnels beneath the hill.

The Israeli radio station also provided details about the “takeover” of the ridge, which it said lasted “three months” and followed the capture of Beaufort Castle at the end of May. “The Israeli army kept the operation secret and deliberately ambiguous, fearing retaliation from Hezbollah and Iran,” according to the radio station.

Around 50 Hezbollah fighters were reportedly inside the tunnels. “They fought to the end: most were killed inside the tunnels or while attempting to escape, while a few fighters managed to flee,” according to the Israeli army.

At this stage, the Israeli army says it has detected no attempt by Hezbollah or Iran to retaliate, but says it is “preparing for any eventuality.”

Yemen: Houthis seize a key island in the Red Sea and control the Bab el-Mandeb area

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have seized a key island in the Red Sea and now control the Bab el-Mandeb area, a local official told AFP.

Araqchi, Munir discuss efforts to de-escalate U.S.-Iran war

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Pakistani army chief Asim Munir discussed finding ways to restore diplomatic efforts to de-escalate Tehran's conflict with the U.S. on all fronts, a Pakistani security official told Reuters on Friday.

The two spoke by phone on Thursday and the conversation was focused on the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the possibility of getting back to talks, and Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the official said.

The Pakistani military did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment.

Blasting of Ali Taher: Villages in the Marjayoun district covered in dust and debris

Combination of photos. (Credit: NNA)

The villages of the Marjayoun district have been covered in dust and debris since massive explosions carried out by the Israeli army the previous evening on the Ali Taher hill, located a few kilometers farther north, according to the National News Agency (NNA). Photos show vehicles covered in a thick layer of orange-colored dust.

Faced with this debris, some of which reached homes, residents of the few villages that remain inhabited despite the Israeli occupation have called on the South Lebanon Water Establishment to ensure a water supply so they can clean their homes and surrounding areas.

The villages that remain inhabited in the region are Deir Mimas, Bourj al-Mlouk, Qlayaa, Jdeidet Marjayoun, Boueida, Debbine, Blat, and Ebel al-Saqi.

Mansouri, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Hadatha targeted by Israeli army

Israeli forces carried out an explosion in Mansouri (Sour) and targeted the town with artillery shelling. Israeli artillery fire also targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while an Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb over Hadatha (Bint Jbeil).

Rocks and soil block road from Kfar Tibnit to Khardali

Rocks and soil were scattered by the Ali al-Taher explosions, blocking the road from Kfar Tibnit to Khardali (Nabatieh), our correspondent in the south reported.

The Lebanese army does not usually use this road, as Kfar Tibnit is occupied by the Israeli army, our correspondent in the south reported. It generally takes the Kfar Roummane-Jarmak-Khardali route or the Kfar Roummane-Jarmak-Aishiyeh-Marjayoun route.

Ali Taher area before and after the massive explosions overnight

Ali Taher area before and after yesterday’s massive Israeli explosions on the area. (Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)

Israeli artillery shells Beit Yahoun at dawn

This morning, Israeli artillery shelled the southern town of Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil) with four shells after 6 a.m.

Israeli military vehicles were also seen moving in Wadi Slouki , while Wadi al-Hujeir (Marjayoun) came under artillery fire in the early morning hours.

Extensive damage to Ali Taher area after massive Israeli explosions overnight

Observations by residents of Nabatieh showed clear changes to the landscape of the Ali Taher heights, the morning after the massive Israeli explosions on the area, with parts of the vegetation cover disappearing as a result of repeated explosions and shelling targeting the area in recent weeks.

Residents in the Marjayoun area also documented extensive destruction, particularly on the eastern side of the Ali Taher heights overlooking the Kfar Tibnit-Khardali road (Nabatieh), Marjayoun and Israeli settlements. The damage was extensive and clearly visible, with vegetation completely wiped out across large sections of the heights, stretching for an estimated two kilometers.

35 explosions in Mansouri Thursday

According to a tally of Israeli attacks recorded Thursday by L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the south, Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on five southern towns, while 18 towns came under artillery fire.

Israeli forces also carried out a series of explosions targeting homes, buildings and infrastructure in eight towns. Mansouri (Sour) recorded the highest number, with 35 explosions, followed by Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun) with 14.

Explosive bombs were also dropped on the two southern towns.

Overnight Israeli strikes hit towns across Sour, Nabatieh, Marjayoun, and Bint Jbeil districts

Israeli forces carried out a series of attacks across south Lebanon overnight, according to our correspondent in the south.

After 10:30 p.m., Israeli artillery shelled Mansouri (Sour), while an airstrike targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa (Nabatieh). Israeli warplanes also struck Wadi Slouki toward Qantara (Marjayoun).

After 11:30 p.m., Israeli artillery shelled Wadi Slouki , while an explosion carried out by Israeli forces was reported in Srobbine, opposite Yater (Bint Jbeil).

Around midnight, Israeli forces conducted machine-gun fire toward Srobbine and Hadatha and shelled Wadi Zibqin (Bint Jbeil).

After 1 a.m., heavy and sustained Israeli artillery fire targeted the area between al-Dabsha and Ali Taher and also hit Nabatieh al-Fawqa (Nabatieh).

After 2 a.m., artillery fire and explosions were heard across several southern villages, targeting the outskirts of villages as well as valleys and hills. Israeli forces also blew up homes in Baraachit (Bint Jbeil).

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the situation in South Lebanon, the day after a large-scale blast carried out by the Israeli army on the Ali Taher ridge in the Nabatieh district, where it says it destroyed "Hezbollah tunnels".

We will also be following developments in Yemen, where Houthi rebels this morning captured a town near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as well as in Iran and the region.