Key facts
- Israel conducted strikes on military targets and a petrochemical plant in Iran early Monday.
- Iran fired missiles at Israeli locations in retaliation for an earlier strike on Beirut's southern suburbs.
- An IDF medical officer was killed and seven troops wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon.
- Israel struck the town of Al-Sultaniyah and a car in Toul, near Nabatieh.
- An Israeli strike on a military vehicle in south Lebanon killed three Lebanese military personnel, including two officers.
- Hezbollah rejected a U.S.-mediated ceasefire plan, calling it a 'roadmap for annihilation.'
- France criticized Israel's prolonged military operations in Lebanon.
- Former President Trump reportedly intervened to prevent Israeli troops from entering Beirut and a plan to bomb south Beirut.
- Iran warned that U.S. bases and Israeli assets in the Middle East are legitimate targets.
- UN peacekeepers and Lebanese troops patrol the village of Dibbine after Israeli withdrawal.
Israel conducted strikes early Monday against military targets in western and central Iran, including a petrochemical plant, in retaliation for Iran's missile salvo. This escalation follows Iran's missile retaliation for an earlier Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs. Reports indicate that former U.S. President Donald Trump advised against further Israeli attacks on Iran.
On the Lebanese front, an IDF medical officer was killed and seven troops wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed continued IDF operations, and Israel struck the town of Al-Sultaniyah. Lebanese media reported an Israeli strike on a car in Toul, near Nabatieh. The Israeli military also reported striking Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut's Dahiyeh district in response to projectiles fired from Lebanon, marking the first strike on the militant group's stronghold since an April 16 ceasefire that has not halted fighting in southern Lebanon. An Israeli strike on a military vehicle in south Lebanon killed three Lebanese military personnel, including two officers, with the Israeli military stating it acted after identifying a threat and indications of Hezbollah preparing to fire. Israel's military also reported intercepting two Hezbollah rockets and a hostile aircraft that entered northern Israel from Lebanon.
Hezbollah has rejected a U.S.-mediated ceasefire plan, with its leader calling it a 'roadmap for annihilation' and stating resistance would continue as long as the occupation persists. Hezbollah is reportedly rejecting ceasefire proposals linked to disarmament, demanding Israeli withdrawal first. Iran has made a Lebanon ceasefire a condition for any peace deal with the United States. Iran's top negotiator warned that U.S. bases and Israeli assets in the Middle East are legitimate targets following Israeli attacks on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, suggesting Iran believes only power will be understood.
France's UN Envoy Jérôme Bonnafont criticized Israel's prolonged military operations in Lebanon, calling them unjustifiable and a strategic error, with reports indicating attacks on rescue workers and medical facilities in Nabatieh. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject a Washington-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon, stating Israel should continue striking Hezbollah and "restore security to the north."
Former President Trump stated he intervened to prevent Israeli troops from entering Beirut and reportedly forced PM Netanyahu to abandon a plan to bomb south Beirut, highlighting the interplay of war and politics. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the U.S. supports Israel's intention to strike Beirut's Dahiyeh district if Hezbollah attacks persist, operations that were reportedly delayed due to U.S. involvement in Iran talks.
UN peacekeepers and Lebanese troops have taken positions in the village of Dibbine, near Marjayoun, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces after clashes with Hezbollah fighters. Reports indicate Israel is encountering significant difficulties in Lebanon, suggesting a challenging operational environment, though specific details were not provided.