Israel strikes southern Lebanon despite new ceasefire
Israeli army indicated on Saturday that it had launched new strikes against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, despite the announcement the day before of the extension of the ceasefire. “Israeli defense forces started striking Hezbollah infrastructures in several areas of southern Lebanon,” the army stated in a press release.
United Arab Emirates accelerate construction of giant pipeline
Related article: Middle East War: To bypass the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates accelerate the construction of a giant pipeline set to double the country’s export capacity
Strait of Hormuz: Iraq exports 10 million barrels of oil in April
“Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil last month via the Strait of Hormuz, compared to about 93 million barrels per month before the US and Israeli war against Iran,” said the Iraqi Minister of Oil on Saturday. Tehran has mostly closed the Strait of Hormuz to traffic since the first Israeli-American strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28. About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) transits through this waterway. Iraq reopened in March an oil export route through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline thanks to an agreement with the regional Kurdish government. According to Iraqi Oil Minister Bassim Mohamed, 200,000 barrels passed through the Turkish port of Ceyhan. “We plan to increase the total to 500,000 barrels,” he stated. Iraq aims to increase its production capacity to 5 million barrels per day.
Artillery fire in Baghdad for the advent of a new government
Artillery fire took place Saturday morning in Baghdad to mark the formation of a new government, according to an Iraqi security source to AFP.
Three loud explosions from the city center were previously heard by AFP journalists.
After long negotiations under American pressure, and amid the Middle East war context, Iraq formed a government this week, led by businessman Ali al-Zaidi, six months after the legislative elections of November 2025.
Explosions heard in Baghdad, Iraq (AFP journalists)
Strike against a civilian defense center in southern Lebanon
At least six people, including three rescuers, were killed on Friday night to Saturday in a strike on a civilian defense center in southern Lebanon that also left 22 wounded, according to the Lebanese state news agency.
