Lebanon

• A drone strike in the Sudanese city of El Obeid hit an empty fuel tanker parked near a school on Tuesday, resulting in injuries to students. • The United Nations reported on Wednesday that ongoing fighting in the city continues to endanger civilians and cause significant damage to local infrastructure. • This incident highlights the escalating risks to non-combatants and educational facilities amidst the broader Sudanese conflict.

Defence minister says troops are not withdrawing even though Tehran sees end to conflict in Lebanon as part of any deal with USThe Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, has said that Israeli troops would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, further complicating Iran peace talks as fighting in Lebanon continues to be an obstacle to permanent peace.Speaking on stage in an interview in Tel Aviv, Katz said that Israeli troops would remain in south Lebanon – echoing sentiments from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Continue reading...

The Iranian ambassador to the UN in Geneva described Israeli attacks on Lebanon as a red line in negotiationsHello and welcome to our live blog of the Middle East.The Iranian ambassador to the UN in Geneva has just warned that Tehran’s red line in negotiations with Washington is that Israel will cease attacks on Lebanon, including the capital of Beirut. The ambassador added that Iran “will respond” if Israel violates the memorandum of understanding established on Thursday in any way, including with attacks on Lebanon and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.JD Vance said the talks with Iran created a “good foundation for a successful final deal” to end the war. “The final deal is the house,” the US vice-president told reporters. “We set the foundation. We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people.”When asked how soon IAEA inspectors could come to Iran, JD Vance said nuclear inspectors were called at 2am last night – but no one picked up the call. “As you can expect, not many people are answering their phone at two in the morning,” the vice president said.US secretary of state Marco Rubio will begin a trip to three Gulf countries on Tuesday amid negotiations with Iran to end the war in the Middle East, his spokesperson said. Visiting the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, Rubio will discuss “the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” state department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.Tehran ⁠did not negotiate on its nuclear ⁠programme ⁠and did ​not accept any ⁠new commitments in Sunday’s talks with the ⁠US in ​Switzerland, ‌foreign ministry spokesperson ‌Esmaeil Baghaei told ‌the official IRNA news agency on Monday. Iran’s interaction with the International ‌Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue in ​accordance with current procedures, subject to the approval ⁠of Iran’s parliament ​and the decisions ​of ​the Supreme National ​Security ‌Council, ​Baghaei added. Continue reading...

• An emergency session focused on the situation in Lebanon has been added to the ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Iran and the United States in Switzerland. • The addition of this session comes amid escalating tensions and instability within Lebanon, necessitating urgent high-level discussions. • This development highlights the critical role of Iran-US relations in managing regional conflicts and the potential for diplomatic intervention to prevent further escalation.

Outbreak of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has forced mediators to cancel US-Iran peace talks in SwitzerlandIsraeli strikes on southern Lebanon have killed at least 16 people, local authorities said on Saturday, despite reports of a renewed ceasefire aiming to end persistent violence that threatens the new agreement between the US and Iran.Lebanon’s civil defence agency said its personnel transported “16 dead and 12 wounded” to hospital, adding that they had been working “since the early morning hours” in the Nabatieh district in response to “ongoing attacks targeting the area”. Continue reading...

Mona Khalil led decades-long effort to protect nesting site for turtles near her home in south of the countryThe Lebanese marine activist Mona Khalil, who became a beloved figure in the country for a decades-long effort to protect a nesting site for turtles near her home, has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike.Khalil, 76, ran a sanctuary called the Orange House Project near the Mediterranean city of Tyre. She hosted volunteers in her house to clean and monitor a mile-long beach and welcomed tourists to stay and learn about conservation. Continue reading...

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing significant political backlash and criticism from the United States following continued military attacks in Lebanon. • These operations are seen as defying existing peace agreements and escalating tensions with Iran, which supports Lebanese militant groups. • The situation is critical as Israel attempts to balance its security goals against the risk of a wider regional war and deteriorating diplomatic ties with Washington.

JD Vance lambasted Israeli critics of the proposed deal, but did not travel to Europe as planned. Plus, at 82 years old, Keith Richards still gives some of the best interview quotes in townGood morning. Talks set to take place today between the US ⁠⁠and ​Iran to implement a peace deal were abruptly cancelled. The White House said the US still looked forward to “beginning technical talks as soon as possible”. Hezbollah-linked media reported Tehran was delaying sending its delegation due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.The talks were set to begin in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, while reopening the strait of Hormuz. The centre of the strait is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.What is happening in Lebanon? Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces near Nabatieh with several salvoes of rocket fire after Israeli shelling. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes, killing at least 18 people and injuring 33. Iran has said Israel’s attacks on Lebanon must end as part of any peace deal.What did JD Vance say to Israeli critics of the deal? In sharp words, the vice-president said: “Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left ‌in the entire world.”Why does Trump’s Iran entanglement echo the Jimmy Carter years? In this excellent analysis piece Robert Tait reminds us that one of Trump’s earliest political forays was lambasting the Democratic president during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. Trump, Tait says, now finds himself in a position that uncannily resembles that of his predecessor – unable to bend Iran to his will despite superior US military power. Continue reading...

IDF claims continuing strikes come after Iran-backed group repeatedly violated ceasefire; JD Vance cancels trip as US-Iran talks set for Friday cancelledUS-Iran talks in Switzerland abruptly called offJD Vance tells Iran deal critics in Israel: Trump is your only ally left in the worldWelcome to our continuing live coverage of events in the Middle East.Israel’s military says it is attacking Hezbollah in several areas across southern Lebanon and has been striking throughout Thursday night.Vance lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal, saying Donald Trump was Israel’s only ally left in the world, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in defence aid ⁠the country receives from America. Trump “is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time”, Vance told reporters.Trump said the ​US expected “a ⁠complete ceasefire on all fronts, including ⁠Lebanon, Hezbollah ​and Israel”, adding in a social media post: “We ‌encourage everyone ‌in the ‌Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations ‌to beautifully unfold.”Iran’s supreme leader said he approved the deal with the US despite having a “different view”, without elaborating. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in message read on state television: “In principle, I had a different view [about the memorandum of understanding], but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable [Iranian] president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front.”In Khamenei’s message on Thursday – his first reaction to the Iran-US deal – he claimed Trump had “used all kinds of levers” to secure the deal “out of desperation”. The US president has claimed the agreement is a victory for Washington and averts a “worldwide depression”.Iran announced plans to introduce a system of maritime fees in the strait of Hormuz after the 60-day period of negotiation triggered by the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the US. Tehran, claiming a historic victory over the US, said the strait was under its control and a European plan for a naval mission to escort ships though the vital waterway would not be welcome, reports Patrick Wintour.Vance said the 60-day period in which to reach a final agreement with Iran started on Thursday. That would set a deadline for the final agreement between Iran and the US as 17 August.US Central Command ended its blockade in the Hormuz strait, it announced on social media. The US naval blockade of the strait had been in effect since 13 April, with control of the waterway being a key point of conflict in the war. Marine Traffic data showed that at least seven ships had crossed the strait on Thursday.The US would restart military action and ⁠reimpose a ⁠blockade ​against Iran if it did not fulfil its commitments ⁠under the signed agreement, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said at a meeting with Nato defence ministers in Brussels.Khamenei said in his message that he received assurances from Pezeshkian about the deal and that it would not be accepted “if the American side wants to make excessive demands”. “It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s point of view,” he added.Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the agreement’s signing ceremony in Switzerland, which was due to take place on Friday, was cancelled as it is understood that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has already been signed remotely.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was representing the bloc’s position on the Middle East, after Israel announced it was severing diplomatic relations over allegations she had compared the country to apartheid South Africa. Continue reading...

• UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported on Tuesday that violence and exchanges of fire in Lebanon have significantly decreased compared to the previous weekend. • In the Gaza Strip, OCHA warned that critical shortages of fuel, engine oil, and spare parts are severely hindering water production, wastewater treatment, and waste management. • To combat a growing pest infestation, the UNDP is leading pesticide applications while UNICEF and UNRWA manage public awareness and safety campaigns.

Israel’s continued military operation in southern Lebanon puts at risk the agreement reached between Iran and the US on SundayFull report: Iran says peace deal dependent on Israel’s withdrawal from LebanonAnalysis: Where does Iran deal leave US-Israel relationship?Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.Iran’s military has threatened to respond to Israel after strikes in southern Lebanon killed four people, despite an agreement being reached between Tehran and Washington to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon.A US-Iran deal aimed at ending the Middle East war will be signed at Switzerland’s mountainside Burgenstock resort on Friday, the Swiss foreign ministry confirmed to AFP. The site, located near Lucerne in central Switzerland, is difficult to access and therefore easily secured. It “was proposed by the Pakistani and Qatari mediators, as well as by the US and Iran”, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said.Two months of final negotiations will begin immediately after the initial deal between the US and Iran is signed. Negotiations will continue for a 60-day window after the ceremony, officials told AFP, leading to a plan for the lifting of economic sanctions and decisions on the fate of Iran’s nuclear programme.Trump said that he would send the deal with Iran to the US Congress for a review. “I like the idea, send it to Congress please,” he said at the start of a meeting with the UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the G7 summit. “I mean who wouldn’t approve it.”Speaking at the G7, Trump has said the strait of Hormuz will be open by Friday and that the full text of the peace deal will be released in a “formal setting”. Trump also said he expects the “second stage” of the deal “to go quickly”.The US will allow Iran to immediately start selling oil and fuel again as part of the deal to end the war, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Iran can only sell oil if they keep to the terms of the deal, as US official told Reuters. It includes the free flow of navigation in the strait of Hormuz and not obtaining an nuclear weapon.An Iranian deputy foreign minister said the two-month US naval blockade on Iranian ports had been lifted ahead of the planned formal signing of a deal ending the war. “The lifting of the blockade was something we had emphasised from the outset. It has now begun, and the blockade has been lifted prior to the formal signing” scheduled for Friday, said Iranian deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, according to the government’s website.Qatar, a key mediator between the US and Iran, said it believed the framework peace agreement could deliver security to the Middle East. “We are cautiously optimistic that the signing of the memorandum of understanding will lead to the next phase of regional security through the talks that will take place on the nuclear programme and on other issues,” foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari told reporters in Doha, as he praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts. Continue reading...

• Iran has threatened a "harsh response" following recent military attacks targeting Lebanon. • Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be "more responsible" regarding operations in Lebanon. • The situation highlights escalating regional tensions as Iran warns of retaliation against Israel's military actions.

Abbas Araghchi says ‘war has not fully come to an end’ without Israeli forces leaving territories occupied during present conflictMiddle East crisis – live updatesIran’s top diplomat has said a peace deal with the US would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, as concern grows that Israel could undermine diplomatic efforts to finally end the Middle East war, with Donald Trump even criticising his ally and war partner as irresponsible.“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” said the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi. Continue reading...

Comments by Israel Katz come after announcement of interim deal between Washington and TehranMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsraeli military forces will not withdraw from a vast swathe of territory they have seized in southern Lebanon, the country’s defence minister has said, hours after Donald Trump and officials in Iran announced a new preliminary agreement between Washington and Tehran to end hostilities on “all fronts” in the Middle East pending a final settlement in about two months.Israel Katz’s remarks were the first official Israeli comments after the announcement of the interim deal. Iranian and US officials are to meet on Friday in Geneva for a signature ceremony, diplomatic sources in Pakistan, the principal mediator, said. Continue reading...

• Ongoing hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have led to increased strikes on Lebanese hospitals and essential services. • The targeted attacks on healthcare infrastructure are severely deteriorating the humanitarian situation for civilians across the region. • These strikes matter as they cripple the medical system's ability to treat casualties and manage chronic illnesses during an active conflict.

• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk announced that investigators will probe potential breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law by all parties involved in the Lebanon conflict. • The escalation, featuring Hezbollah attacks and an extensive Israeli air and ground campaign, has resulted in over 3,660 deaths and the displacement of more than one million people. • This conflict opens a new front in the Middle East, intensifying fears of a wider regional war and creating a severe humanitarian crisis.

• Fresh Israeli strikes in Tyre have killed eight people, highlighting the fragility of the current ceasefire and the ongoing risk of escalation. • A UN-led assessment released Tuesday estimates that buildings in Beirut and Mount Lebanon have suffered over $365 million in damages. • The report, conducted by the UNDP and the National Council for Scientific Research, notes that the destruction generated approximately 649,000 cubic metres of debris.

People flee historic district of ancient city after airstrikes hit residential areas and damage archaeological sitesMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael has bombed the city of Tyre, killing eight and injuring at least 32 people, and struck dozens of other villages in south Lebanon as it issued forced evacuation orders for the historic Christian quarter of the ancient city for the first time.Israel struck the al-Masaken neighbourhood without warning on Tuesday morning, sending smoke plumes high above the city’s buildings and igniting fires. Further airstrikes were carried out across the city and a series of bombings hit Abbasieh, a village north of Tyre. Continue reading...

Israel claimed it was attacking Hezbollah command centers in response to attacks on northern IsraelWe are seeing reports of Israeli attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs, Dahiyeh, with at least three explosions heard so far. ⁠The ⁠Israeli military claimed about an hour ago in a post on X that it was striking Hezbollah infrastructure ⁠in the Lebanese capital, without providing evidence.In a joint statement, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military ​had struck “terrorist” headquarters ​in Beirut’s ⁠southern ​suburbs in apparent retaliation for Hezbollah firing toward northern Israel earlier. Continue reading...

Thousands flee including from village hosting at least 2,500 displaced people, one day after Hezbollah rejects ceasefireThousands fled their homes after Israel issued forced evacuation orders for nine villages in southern Lebanon before strikes that killed six people on Friday, a day after the Hezbollah militant group rejected a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.Hundreds of families left Anqoun, a village hosting at least 2,500 displaced people, after the Israeli military said it would soon operate against what it said were Hezbollah targets there, ordering residents to leave. The roads leading to Sidon, the closest large city, were choked with cars as families sought shelter. Continue reading...

• US-Iran war talks remain clouded by uncertainty as both Washington and Tehran issue conflicting messages regarding the status of negotiations. • In Lebanon, fighting persists between Israel and Hezbollah, indicating that the fragile ceasefire agreement is failing to hold. • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Shlomi in northern Israel on Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to border security while emphasizing a diplomatic approach of flexibility and firmness.

In today’s newsletter: ​Global powers​ are focused on oil markets and elections​ but those living through conflict in the Middle East feel abandonedGood morning. It’s been another week of brinkmanship via Truth Social and ceasefires broken before they’ve been announced.While US president Donald Trump claims an agreement with Iran could happen soon, for those living in the Middle East it does not feel like peace is anywhere near. People have seen more bombs dropped in Lebanon this week; and the death toll continues to rise, national economies falter, and displacement abounds.UK politics | Andy Burnham has signalled he would begin transforming the broken social care system this year if he became prime minister, he has said in an interview with the Guardian, accusing Westminster of “flinching away” from tackling difficult policy problems.Environment | Humanity can raise living standards, reduce inequality and keep global heating within a 2C rise, according to a sweeping vision for planetary survival.Ukraine | The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.England news | The poorest and most nature-deprived communities in England will be further left behind in their access to green spaces if proposed changes to planning laws go ahead, a report finds.UK news | Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor received private income from subletting three cottages on his Windsor Royal Lodge estate while paying a “peppercorn rent” to the crown estate, a report into royal property arrangements has revealed. Continue reading...

Lebanese government agrees ceasefire but Israeli drone strikes continue. Plus the story of the man who launched Cuba’s first independent magazineGood morning.Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities, the Trump administration has announced – but it comes with caveats. Not only is the deal contingent on a complete cessation of fire from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah armed group, and on the evacuation of all its fighters from the area south of the Litani River – but Hezbollah have not been part of the talks.Where has Israel been targeting? William Christou in Beirut reports that three hospitals in southern Lebanon have been attacked by Israel in under a week, wounding more than 150 people and killing nine. Analysts and human rights experts have said the attacks on healthcare facilities were aimed at degrading the conditions for life in south Lebanon.What did Israel say about it? The military said it had struck “Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Tyre” and acknowledged a hospital was “affected incidentally”. It accused Hezbollah of “taking over” one of the hospitals it struck.Is that number significant? Yes, the 90-day threshold is important because the 1973 War Powers Resolution lays down that a president must seek congressional approval to continue waging war after hostilities have continued that length of time. Trump’s White House has rejected that argument, citing a temporary ceasefire that has been in place since 8 April – although it has been broken several times by the US, Israel and Iran. Continue reading...

The country’s defence minister said the IDF will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and will not allow the ‘return of the population’Israel and Lebanon agree to renew ceasefire as Trump seeks to overcome barriers to Iran dealIsrael Katz said the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was a “great achievement in Lebanon, on the ground and also on the diplomatic level”.“We promised security to the residents of the north and we delivered,” the Israeli defence minister said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel. Continue reading...

The US said the ceasefire was contingent on a complete cessation of fire from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militiaIsrael and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities, the Trump administration has announced, as the US looks to overcome one of the largest barriers to reaching a broader deal to end the war with Iran.The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia and the evacuation of all its operatives from the country’s south, a joint statement released by the US state department said after negotiations in Washington. Continue reading...

• Israeli strikes in Lebanon have resulted in at least 1,070 deaths and 2,966 injuries, according to the Ministry of Public Health. • The conflict has displaced over one million people, representing approximately one-fifth of Lebanon's total population. • This mass displacement has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, compounded by the fact that nearly 25% of the population are already refugees from the Syrian civil war.

• The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect issued Atrocity Alert No. 485, highlighting populations at risk of mass atrocity crimes in Lebanon and Mali. • In Lebanon, reports indicate that Israel expanded its control and increased population displacement on June 1, occurring just one day before the fourth round of direct talks between the two nations. • These developments are critical as they suggest a disregard for ceasefire efforts and increase the risk of further humanitarian crises and atrocities.

Warplanes carry out dozens of airstrikes and Israeli army issues evacuation warning for city of NabatiyehIsraeli warplanes have launched dozens of strikes across southern Lebanon despite a new agreement supposedly brokered by Donald Trump aiming to bolster the tattered ceasefire in Lebanon.The US president said on Monday that he had stopped an imminent Israeli strike on Beirut and that he had spoken to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and representatives of Hezbollah and both agreed that “all shooting will stop”. Continue reading...