Key facts
- Israeli strikes and shelling in Lebanon killed at least 47 people and wounded over 30.
- Iran postponed scheduled talks with the US due to escalating hostilities.
- A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah was reportedly agreed to take effect Friday at 4 PM local time.
- Israeli airstrikes killed three people in Jamaliyah, Lebanon, and eight in Harouf.
- Four Israeli soldiers died in southern Lebanon, prompting vows of retaliation.
- Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected truce calls and called for Lebanon to 'burn.'
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Israeli leadership a 'threat to all of humanity.'
- Israeli forces raided Jenin and Al-Mughayyir in the West Bank, detaining 14 Palestinians.
- Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian property in several West Bank towns.
- An Israeli airstrike wounded five displaced Palestinians in a tent in al-Mawasi, Gaza.
- French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Israel's operations in Gaza and West Bank settlement expansion.
- The city of Nabatieh, Lebanon, marked Ashura amidst war and destruction.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated dramatically, with Israeli strikes and shelling across southern and eastern Lebanon resulting in at least 47 deaths and over 30 wounded. This surge in violence has prompted Iran to postpone scheduled talks with the United States. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have vowed retaliation and an indefinite troop presence in Lebanon following the deaths of four Israeli soldiers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected U.S.-brokered ceasefire efforts, calling for Lebanon to 'burn,' while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Israeli leadership as a 'threat to all of humanity.' Despite these escalations, reports indicate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was set to take effect Friday at 4 PM local time, though fighting persisted. Earlier strikes in Lebanon included one in Jamaliyah that killed three people and another in Harouf that killed eight.
In parallel, Israeli forces conducted raids in West Bank towns, including Jenin and Al-Mughayyir, employing tear gas and sound bombs, leading to the detention of at least 14 Palestinians. During these operations, settlers attacked Palestinian homes, vehicles, and infrastructure in multiple towns. In Gaza, an Israeli air strike hit a tent housing displaced families in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, injuring at least five individuals. Previous incidents in Gaza included Israeli forces killing a Palestinian near the Wadi Gaza bridge and shelling wounding others north of Khan Younis.
French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticized Israel's military operations in Gaza, deeming them counterproductive and a failure that is damaging Israel's credibility. He also condemned the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a political project that undermines the prospects of a two-state solution. The city of Nabatieh in Lebanon marked the religious ceremony of Ashura amidst widespread war and destruction, with the usual large gathering subdued due to the ongoing conflict, which has devastated the city and displaced most of its residents.
The U.S. claims that a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is back on track, despite the intensified fighting that is straining U.S.-Israel relations. The conflict has had a profound impact on civilian life, as evidenced by the subdued Ashura commemorations in Nabatieh and the displacement of its residents.