Key facts
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited occupied southern Lebanon.
- Netanyahu stated Israel will not withdraw until the Hezbollah threat is removed.
- A U.S.-mediated security agreement involves Israel handing over two areas to the Lebanese army.
- A study warns Hezbollah's explosive drones challenge Israeli defense systems.
- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Jewish settlements in Gaza.
- Smotrich stated Israeli forces control approximately 70% of Gaza.
- Preparations for three Jewish settlements in Gaza are complete.
- Israel is reportedly shifting strategic focus towards Turkey.
- Turkiye and Arab nations condemned Israeli attacks in Syria.
- An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a Palestinian girl.
- Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese displaced have returned to southern Lebanon.
- Israeli drones and warplanes targeted towns in southern Lebanon, including Hadatha, Braachit, and Deir Seryan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a visit to occupied southern Lebanon, declaring that Israel will not withdraw its forces as long as the Iran-backed Hezbollah group poses a threat. This visit occurs subsequent to a security agreement mediated by the United States, which stipulates Israel's handover of two areas to the Lebanese army. Concurrently, a study from Reichman University's Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy highlights the growing threat posed by Hezbollah's deployment of explosive drones. These low-cost, difficult-to-detect unmanned aerial vehicles, influenced by tactics observed in the Ukraine war, are presenting a significant challenge to Israel's existing defense systems. In a related domestic development, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has advocated for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements within the Gaza Strip. Smotrich stated that Israeli military forces currently control approximately 70% of Gaza and indicated that preparations for three settlements are finalized, awaiting government approval. The regional strategic landscape appears to be shifting, with reports suggesting Israel is now focusing its strategic attention on Turkey, identifying it as an existential enemy and part of a new alignment with Syria and Qatar. This strategic recalibration occurs amidst regional instability exacerbated by conflicting U.S.-brokered deals involving Iran and Lebanon. In Gaza, Hamas has condemned what it terms 'international silence' following an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the death of a Palestinian girl and other casualties. The group criticized Arab governments and the Palestinian Authority for their perceived inaction amid ongoing violence and alleged war crimes. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens displaced by conflict have begun returning to southern Lebanon, prompted by a temporary cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. However, a substantial number of displaced individuals remain unable to return to their homes due to extensive destruction or the uninhabitability of their residences. Authorities are currently assessing the full extent of the displacement crisis. Further complicating regional relations, Turkiye and several Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, have issued condemnations of Israel's recent incursions and attacks within Syria's southern provinces. These actions are characterized as violations of Syrian sovereignty and international law, with concerns that they could escalate regional instability. In a move reflecting evolving diplomatic relations, the UAE has lifted its ban on its citizens traveling to Lebanon, effective June 29, 2026. The travel ban had been implemented in April due to regional developments, including the ongoing Middle East war and apprehensions regarding Iran's influence. Meanwhile, Lebanese state media reported that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted strikes on several towns in southern Lebanon, including Hadatha, Braachit, and Deir Seryan, though no casualties were reported in these specific incidents.