DIRECT. War in the Middle East: strikes in Lebanon; Beijing calls Pakistan for mediation

RECAP. Summary of the day

– By one vote, the American Senate once again rejected a resolution which aimed to order the withdrawal of American forces engaged in the conflict against Iran.

– The Israeli army intensified its strikes in Lebanoncausing 12 deaths during the day on Wednesday according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, despite the truce in progress since April 17. The Lebanese Simon Karam and the Israeli Yechiel Leiter, two veterans of politics, will lead negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Washington from Thursday.

– Iran believed it had “Le droit de riposte” after the arrest in early May by Kuwait of four Iranians. A spokesperson for the Iranian army also estimated that Tehran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz could generate “Important” economic benefits.

– The world draws on its oil reserves at record speedwarned the International Energy Agency (IEA), estimating that“Further price volatility appears likely as the peak summer demand period approachesâ€.

8:05 p.m. – US Senate refuses to order an end to the war in Iran

The American Senate narrowly rejected on Wednesday a resolution which aimed to order the withdrawal of American forces engaged in the conflict against Iran, the Republican majority refusing to limit the military powers of Donald Trump.

The text, similar to other resolutions carried by the Democratic opposition in recent weeks, received 49 votes in favor (including three Republican senators) and 50 against. For the first time since the start of the war, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski voted to request a withdrawal of American troops against Iran.

7:40 p.m. – Iran says ‘has the right to retaliate’ after Kuwait arrests

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that Iran had “Le droit de riposte” after the arrest in early May by Kuwait of four Iranians.

“Kuwait illegally attacked an Iranian boat and arrested four of our nationals in the Persian Gulf. This illegal act took place near an island used by the United States to attack Iran.”a copy by Abbas Araghchi on X. “We demand the immediate release of our nationals and we reserve the right to retaliate.”he added.

19 h 42 – Netanyahu is the president of the emirate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during the war between his country and Iran and was received there by Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his office announced on Wednesday.

« En plein déroulement de l’opération [militaire israélo-américaine contre l'Iran lancée le 28 février]Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates and met the president there » of the federation, one of the rare Arab countries to have normalized its relations with Israel within the framework of the so-called Abraham Accords, indicates an official press release.

7:01 p.m. – Lebanon says more than 10,000 homes destroyed

More than 10,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged in Lebanon since the ceasefire between pro-Iranian Hezbollah and Israel came into force, the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) said. Despite the truce, Israel continues its massive strikes, particularly on southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah continues to claim attacks against Israeli targets.

“Since the ceasefire (…) we have noted that 5,386 homes had been completely destroyed and 5,246 damaged.”declared the director of the CNRS, Chadi Abdallah, during a press conference.

18 h 57 – La Bourse de Paris termine en légère hausse

The Paris Stock Exchange ended slightly higher on Wednesday while awaiting new developments on the conflict in the Middle East and benefiting from enthusiasm around tech stocks with Donald Trump’s visit to China. The CACÂ 40 rose by 0.35%, settling at 8,007.97 points.

In the absence of new geopolitical developments in the Middle East, “Stock markets are in another universe, everything is driven by the capex (investment spending, editor’s note) of artificial intelligence.” (IA), explained Célia Levy, director of bond management at Delubac AM.

16 h 45 – La reconstruction de Gaza prendra « une génération »

The reconstruction of the Gaza Strip will take « une génération »declared Nickolay Mladenov, senior representative for Gaza to the Peace Council created by American President Donald Trump, in Jerusalem. “If you look at (…) the tens of millions of tons of rubble that need to be removed, the number of people– more than a million – who need some form of permanent shelter and basic access to water and sanitation, this is (…) the work of a generation for Gaza. »declared the Bulgarian diplomat before the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem (FPA).

He added that Hamas must disarm but is not asked to “disappear as a political movementâ€declared Nickolay Mladenov, senior representative for Gaza to the Peace Council created by American President Donald Trump, in Jerusalem.

“We are not asking Hamas to disappear as a political movement (…) on the other hand, what is not negotiable is that armed factions or militias with their own military command structures, their own arsenals or networks of tunnels, can exist in parallel with a Palestinian authority of transition »said the Bulgarian diplomat during a meeting with the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem (FPA).

4:22 p.m. – Gaza, the ceasefire “works†says the “Peace Councilâ€

The high representative for Gaza of “Conseil de paix” put in place by Donald Trump affirmed that the ceasefire works but is “Loin d’être parfait”during a meeting in Jerusalem with the foreign press.

“We have a ceasefire. He holds. It’s not perfect. It’s far from perfect.”said Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, adding that there is “violations every day, and some of them are very seriousâ€.

11:44 a.m. – Deadly Israeli raids south of Beirut

The Israeli army intensified its strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, four of which targeted cars south of Beirut, killing 12 people according to a new report from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, despite the truce in progress since April 17.

Eight people, including two children, were killed in strikes which targeted three cars about twenty kilometers south of Beirut, according to the health ministry. Two cars were targeted on the extremely busy highway which connects Beirut to the south of the country and a third was targeted on a road in the same sector, according to the National Information Agency.

A fourth strike targeted a car at the entrance to Saida, the large southern city, about forty km south of Beirut, according to ANI. One person was killed and another injured, according to the health ministry. From the same source, Israeli strikes in the region of Tire (south) hit three cars, causing three additional deaths.

11:21 a.m. – Israel announces wave of strikes in South Lebanon

The Israeli army announced that it had launched a new wave of strikes on Hezbollah objectives in southern Lebanon, despite a truce concluded with the Lebanese government and intended to put an end to fighting with the armed group.

“The IDF began striking Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon.”declared the army in a press release, a few hours after having issued new evacuation orders for several villages in the region.

10:27 a.m. – Italy sends two minehunters near the Persian Gulf

The Italian Defense Minister announced the deployment of two mine-hunting ships closer to the Persian Gulf, so that they can intervene quickly to secure the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit.

“Purely as a preventative measure, given the time required for the transfer and redeployment of assets, we plan to position two minesweepers relatively closer to the strait†of Hormuz, Minister Guido Crosetto explained to Parliament. These two ships will be deployed “initially in the Eastern Mediterranean, then in the Red Sea, as part of the Mediterraneo Sicuro (Safe Mediterranean) and Aspides missions already underwayâ€a précisé le ministre.

Guido Crosetto insisted that the precondition for any military deployment would not be a ceasefire “temporary” currently in force between Iran and the United States “but a real, credible and stable truce, or even, better still, a definitive peaceâ€.

10 h 27 – Les réserves de pétrole baissent à une vitesse record

The world is drawing down its oil reserves at record speed, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned as war in the Middle East continues to reduce supplies from the Gulf.

“Global oil stocks are already contracting at a record paceâ€underlines the IEA, estimating that a “Further price volatility appears likely as the peak summer demand period approaches.”.

10:19 a.m. – Israeli strikes south of Beirut

Two Israeli strikes targeted two cars on the busy highway linking Beirut to southern Lebanon, despite the truce in progress since April 17, according to state media.

The two strikes occurred near Jiyé, about twenty km south of the capital, said the National Information Agency (ANI, official) without giving an assessment. An AFP photographer saw a charred car in the middle of the highway and rescuers carrying a body.

On Saturday, two similar strikes targeted two cars on this highway in the same sector.

8:20 a.m. – Iranian hanged for alleged ties to Mossad

A man was hanged in Iran after being found guilty of establishing links with Israeli intelligence services, Mizan, the judiciary’s news outlet, announced.

This is the latest execution since the start of the war in the Middle East, triggered by an American-Israeli attack on February 28 against Iran. Arrests and executions have since multiplied in the country. “Ehsan Afreshteh, a spy trained by the Mossad in Nepal and who sold sensitive information to Israel, was executed”Mizan said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Pakistan to « intensifier » his mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, and expressed his country’s intention to continue to support him, reported Xinhua.

Wang Yi spoke by telephone with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, the state agency said. American President Donald Trump is expected this evening in China, Iran’s essential strategic and economic partner.

6:15 a.m. – 13 dead in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

The Ministry of Health announced in a press release the death of 13 people, including a soldier and two rescuers, in Israeli strikes targeting three localities in southern Lebanon.

“A strike on the town of Nabatiyé left five (dead) including two Civil Defense rescuers and two injuredâ€another in the town of Jebchit left four dead “Including a soldier and a Syrian national”and a third in Bint Jbeil killed “Four citizens including a child and a woman, and 12 injured including a woman”indicated the ministry. The Lebanese army announced earlier in a statement the death of a soldier killed in an Israeli strike in Jebchit.

RECAP – The essential news of the night

• Iran has rejected allegations from Kuwait, which said it had foiled an attempt to infiltrate the Revolutionary Guardsthe ideological army of Iran, in the emirate.

• France will “Take an initiative at the United Nations” to propose a “Cadre” with a view toa mission “Totally neutral and peaceful” for future security of the Strait of Hormuz, announced Emmanuel Macron in an interview with TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale.