DIRECT. War in the Middle East: strikes in Iran; the United States ensures the reopening of Hormuz

RECAP. The results on the 87th day

• Israel announced that it had targeted the new leader of the armed wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, who had been recently appointed to this post after a strike that killed his predecessor.

• The Israeli army has confirmed that it has expanded its ground operations against pro-Iranian Hezbollah beyond the « ligne jaune » that it established in southern Lebanon to demarcate an area that it controls.

• The Iranian authorities have restored « partiellement » access to the Internet after a cut of almost three months due to the war, triggered on February 28 by the Israeli-American attack, indicated the cybersecurity monitoring NGO Net Blocks

8:19 p.m. – Israel says it has targeted the new head of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza

Israel announced that it had targeted the new leader of the armed wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, who had been recently appointed to this post after a strike that killed his predecessor.

L’armée israélienne “Today (Tuesday) carried out a strike in Gaza targeting Mohammed Odeh, the new leader of the armed wing of the Hamas terrorist organization and one of the architects of the October 7 massacre.”indicates a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, without specifying whether he had been killed. “He was appointed about a week ago to replace Ezzedine al-Haddad, who was eliminated in a strike.”On May 15, the text continues.

17 h 24 – Israël étend ses opérations terrestres au-delà de la « ligne jaune »

The Israeli army has confirmed that it has expanded its ground operations against pro-Iranian Hezbollah beyond the « ligne jaune » that it established in southern Lebanon to demarcate an area that it controls.

L’armée “operates in a targeted manner beyond the forward line of defense in order to eliminate direct threats to citizens of the State of Israel and soldiers (…) in accordance with echelon directives politics »she said in a press release, after press information to this effect.

16 h 36 – « Rétablissement partial » de l’accès à Internet en Iran

The Iranian authorities have restored « partiellement » access to the Internet after a cut of almost three months due to the war, triggered on February 28 by the Israeli-American attack, indicated the cybersecurity monitoring NGO Net Blocks.

“Real-time data shows partial recovery of Internet connectivity in Iran (…) after 2,093 hours of near-total isolation from international networks.”indicated on X Net Blocks, saying that he was not « pas clair » if it meant the end of the “Plus longue coupure nationale d’Internet”.

“The first step towards free and regulated access to cyberspace has been taken”declared Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, adding that with this measure, the demands of the Iranians “will be satisfied”.

2:54 p.m. – Iran accuses US of violating ceasefire

The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday accused the United States of having violated the fragile ceasefire in the south of the country, a statement that comes after the announcement of American strikes. “The American terrorist army, continuing its illegal and unjustified actions since the ceasefire (…), has committed over the last 48 hours a flagrant violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region.”declared the ministry in a press release, without specifying the nature of the facts.

The US Middle East Command (Centcom) announced earlier that it had struck missile launch sites in southern Iran overnight, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had shot down an American drone and fired on planes trying to enter the country’s airspace.

2:29 p.m. – Oil tanker hit by explosion off Oman

An explosion near the waterline damaged an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, the British maritime safety agency UKMTO said on Tuesday, as tensions remained high around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

“The crew and ship are safe, although the captain reports that some bunker fuel has spilled into the sea.”wrote the agency on X.

2:25 p.m. – At least 11 dead in strike Monday in Lebanon

An Israeli strike targeting the town of Machghara, in eastern Lebanon, on Monday evening left at least eleven dead, including two children and a woman, the health ministry announced.

The ministry clarified that this was a preliminary assessment, adding that “Rubble clearance operations continue”. Fifteen people were injured, including a child, according to the same source. The Israeli army claimed to have targeted Hezbollah objectives in this area.

1:52 p.m. – Seven dead in Gaza in two Israeli strikes

Two Israeli strikes killed seven people in the Gaza Strip, hospitals in the Palestinian territory reported, with the Israeli army saying it targeted Hamas members in one of the cases.

“Five martyrs and several injured were transferred to hospital after an Israeli drone strike targeted a group of civilians east of Al-Maghazi.”reported civil defense, a first aid organization operating under the authority of the Islamist movement Hamas.

Later, the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, in the south of the territory, said it had collected two bodies after the Israeli army “I saw a vehicle” in this city, near a roundabout in the al-Bouraq district.

11 h 44 – L’armée israélienne appelle à évacuer Nabatiyé

The Israeli army called on residents of Nabatiyé to evacuate in anticipation of strikes against pro-Iranian Hezbollah in this town in southern Lebanon, already targeted the day before.

“You must evacuate your homes immediately and move north of the Zahrani River.”an Arabic-speaking military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, told X.

11:12 a.m. – Markets worried after US strikes

The Paris Stock Exchange was falling at the end of the morning, with hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the war in the Middle East having been dampened by the announcement of American strikes in Iran. The Parisian CACÂ 40 index lost 0.91%, after finishing sharply higher the day before.

After falling by around 5% the day before, oil prices are rising again after the American strikes.

10:28 a.m. – Iran claims to have shot down an American drone

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have shot down a US drone and fired on other aircraft that entered the country’s airspace. American devices “entered Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf region, and air defense units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps identified and shot down an MQ-9 drone.”indicated the latter in a press release published on their Sepah News site.

Air defense also “Shot on RQ-4 drone and F-35 fighter jetâ€they added, without specifying the date of these incidents.

10:16 a.m. – Iran threatens Gulf countries with US bases

American bases are no longer protected by the Gulf countries, said Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written statement broadcast by state television.

“It is certain that there will be no turning back and that the nations and territories of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases.”declared Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since taking office in early March.

The United States is losing influence in the region, “moving further and further away from their former status every dayâ€he added in this message published on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eid.

9:48 a.m. – China calls for ceasefire to be respected

China called « les parties concernées » to respect the ceasefire after the announcement by the United States of strikes against missile sites in southern Iran, despite the continuation of negotiations.

“We urge the parties concerned to respect their commitments regarding the ceasefire, to resolve their differences by peaceful means, to continue to seek through dialogue and negotiation a solution that takes into account the legitimate concerns of all parties.”said a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, during a regular press briefing.

6:22 a.m. – Hormuz will reopen “one way or anotherâ€

The head of American diplomacy maintained that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen “One way or another”after the announcement of American strikes carried out in southern Iran which cast doubt on the possibility of a peace agreement.

“The straits must be opened. They’re going to be opened one way or another.”Marco Rubio launched. “What’s happening there is illegal, it’s illegal, it’s unbearable for the whole world, it’s unacceptable.”added the Secretary of State.

6:12 a.m. – Rubio says Iran deal remains possible

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that an agreement with Iran was still possible, despite the latest US strikes against missile sites in the south of the country.

“There were some discussions in Qatar today, so we will see if we can make progress. I think the discussions revolve a lot around the precise wording of the initial text, so it will take a few days.”declared Marco Rubio. “The president expressed his desire to achieve (by agreement, Editor’s note). Either he will make a deal or there will be no deal.”added the Secretary of State.

6 h 05 – American Frappes en Iran

The American army announced Monday evening that it had carried out strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and ships attempting to place mines, despite the ceasefire in force in the war between the two countries.

“US forces today conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces. Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines.”declared the American command for the Middle East (Centcom).

L’armée américaine a précisé “Exercise restraint during the ongoing ceasefire”while Washington and Tehran have reported progress in their ongoing negotiations to reach an agreement in recent days.

The news of the night

– Benyamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would intensify the offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah pro-Iranian, as the United States and Iran attempt to finalize the terms of an agreement to end hostilities in the Middle East.

– Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian ordonné le rétablissement de l’accès à l’internet international en Iransuspended since the attacks launched by the United States and Israel against the country, local media reported.

– Pro-Iranian Hezbollah said it led multiple attacks successive attacks against three barracks and a military post in northern Israel, “in response to the violation of the ceasefire†by Israel which says it wants « intensifier » the offensive in Lebanon.