LIVE – War in the Middle East: two new Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon

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The Israeli army warns that it will strike Iran as soon as the “green light” is given, after Iranian missile fire targeted Israel, the first since the ceasefire announced on April 8.

“The Chief of Staff is currently carrying out an assessment of the situation,” indicates a military press release. “The army will strike the enemy with force as soon as the green light is given.”

The head of Iranian diplomacy, Abbas Araghchi, spoke this evening about the “latest developments” in the Middle East with his counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Turkey and Egypt, as well as with the Pakistani mediator and the Prime Minister of Qatar.

These separate meetings with the British and Turkish foreign ministers, Yvette Cooper and Hakan Fidan, as well as the commander of the Pakistani army, Field Marshal Asim Munir, focused on “Iran’s response to repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by Zionist regime (Israel, editor’s note)”, indicates without further details a press release from Iranian diplomacy.

The official Irna agency also specifies that Mr. Araghchi discussed with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane al-Thani. He also spoke with the head of Egyptian diplomacy Badr Abdel Ati, reports the Iranian press agency Tasnim.

The Israeli army will continue its operations “across Lebanon” and “intensify pressure” on Hezbollah, its spokesperson declared.

“The IDF will continue its operations throughout Lebanon and intensify its blows against the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” he assured after Iranian missile attacks on Israel in response to an Israeli bombardment on the southern suburbs of Beirut. “We will not allow continued shooting targeting citizens of the State of Israel.”

The head of Iranian diplomacy spoke with his British and Turkish counterparts and the Pakistani mediator about the “latest developments” in the Middle East.

These separate meetings with the British and Turkish Foreign Ministers, Yvette Cooper and Hakan Fidan, as well as with the commander of the Pakistani army, Field Marshal Asim Munir, focused on “Iran’s response to repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon” by Israel, indicates without further details a press release from Iranian diplomacy.

Iraq announces the closure of its airspace for 72 hours after Iranian missile attacks on Israel.

The Israeli army believes this evening that Iran made “a serious mistake” by launching Iranian missiles towards Israel, the first since the ceasefire of April 8. “The Iranian terrorist regime has made a serious mistake by once again choosing the path of terrorism,” declared Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the army spokesperson, during a short televised address. “We will not allow continued shooting targeting citizens of the State of Israel.”

Donald Trump is working to prevent escalation. The President of the United States told the media Axios (nouvelle fenêtre)that he was going to call the Israeli Prime Minister so that he would not retaliate against the Iranian missile attack. “I’m going to tell him not to retaliate. They’ve had their fill. Israel carried out its strike, and Iran carried out its strike. We don’t need another one.”

Iran announces that it will close its airspace until further notice in the western part of the country, after retaliatory strikes launched on Israel. “Following safety and security assessments (…), the western part of the country’s airspace is closed until further notice,” declared the Iranian civil aviation, in a press release relayed by the Irna press agency. She calls for people to “avoid” going to airports located in this area of ​​the country.

Iran warned that the salvo of missile attacks launched at Israel was a “warning” in retaliation for the Israeli bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs, warning that any further aggression would be met with a “stronger response.”

This is the first time since the ceasefire announced on April 8 that Israel has been the target of Iranian missiles.

The Israeli army claims to have intercepted all the missiles fired from Iran, specifying that it has detected new shots. “The Air Force has so far intercepted all the missiles fired from Iran,” said a military statement. The army “has detected new shots in the direction of the State of Israel. Air defense systems continue to identify and intercept threats,” the text continues.

The Iranian armed forces believe that Israel “crossed all red lines” by attacking Beirut. “If it expands its attacks in this region or retaliates against Iran’s actions, it will suffer even more bitter setbacks, and destructive attacks will be launched against the regime and its supporters,” declared the head of the command of the Iranian armed forces, General Ali Abdollahi, in a press release published on television.

Israel announces the closure of all schools in the country, after missile attacks from Iran. “Following the assessment of the situation (…) educational activities cannot take place,” indicates a joint statement from the Ministry of Education and the Home Front Command (branch of the army).

Hezbollah confirms having targeted several military positions in northern Israel this morning, a few hours after an Israeli strike on Beirut that Israel said it carried out in retaliation for enemy fire.

The pro-Iranian movement indicated in a press release that it had targeted “a gathering of soldiers of the Israeli enemy at the Dovev barracks”, in northern Israel at 9:30 a.m. local time.

Hezbollah also claims the attack an hour earlier on an Israeli artillery position as well as a gathering of soldiers still in the north of the country.

The Israeli army indicates that it is the target of Iranian fire, for the first time since the ceasefire announced on April 8. “Recently ago, the army identified missiles fired from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel,” said a military statement.

Warning sirens sounded across large swaths of northern Israel, according to the army.

The Israeli strike carried out on the southern suburbs of Beirut left two dead and twenty injured, announced the Lebanese Ministry of Health. “The air strike carried out by the Israeli enemy on the Mreijeh district, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, left two martyrs and twenty wounded, including four children and four women,” the ministry said in a press release.

Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip have left at least ten dead, according to figures from emergency services and medical sources. Despite the truce concluded since last October, the Gaza Strip remains prey to daily violence, with Hamas and Israel accusing each other of violating the agreement.

According to Civil Defense, a strike targeted a vehicle near the al-Buraq school in western Gaza City, killing four people. Civil Defense reported another bombing, targeting a police station in the al-Mawasi sector, near Khan Younes. In a press release, it reported five deaths and 17 injured.

At the same time, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah indicated that the body of a fisherman had been transferred to the establishment after being shot dead at sea.

Iran is once again threatening to strike American and Israeli interests in the Middle East, in retaliation for attacks carried out during the day by Israel on the southern suburbs of Beirut, stronghold of pro-Iranian Hezbollah.

“The naval blockade imposed on Iran and the green light given today by the United States to the Zionist regime make American and regime bases and assets in the region legitimate targets,” declared Iran’s chief negotiator, Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. “Our armed forces, as always, are ready” to act, he added, in a text published on X.

Donald Trump pleaded for more “surgical” strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. “I would like to see Lebanon experience a better life. I would like to see a more surgical attack against Hezbollah. I think it should be more surgical,” declared the American president in an interview with NBC.

Donald Trump praised Iran’s new leaders, saying they were “younger” and “more rational” than before. So much so that the President of the United States said he was prepared to speak directly with the new Iranian supreme leader, although no direct contact has yet taken place.

Asked about ongoing talks, Donald Trump said the United States would work with Tehran to remove and destroy its highly enriched uranium. “We will remove it and destroy it,” he announced on NBC, “with or without” help from Iran. And to warn that if no agreement was reached, Washington would “act militarily” in order to recover the uranium.

He also ruled out the possibility of unlocking Iranian assets or lifting sanctions until an agreement is reached. “That will come later,” he warned. “If they behave well, we will start discussions.”

Donald Trump has largely downplayed US action in Iran, calling the war a simple “military exercise”. “This is not a big war for us,” said the President of the United States during an interview with NBC. In his eyes, Tehran “imposed a blockade, so we imposed a blockade on them”. “We have the ultimate blockade,” he concluded on the American channel’s microphone. “I don’t consider this a war, but if you want to define it that way, I suppose you can.”

A Palestinian who worked in a hotel on the Greek island of Crete was arrested for planning “terrorist acts”, police said. Suspected of links with Hamas, the 37-year-old man would be “linked to individuals recently arrested in Cyprus for offenses linked to terrorism”, indicated the Greek police in a press release, stressing that he had “received training” from Hamas.

The man had “ordered explosives on the internet”, the police said in another press release. According to Greek media, the suspect could have targeted an Israeli cruise ship expected in Crete on Tuesday.

Iranian justice has rejected the appeal of filmmaker Jafar Panahi, sentenced in absentia in December to one year in prison for “propaganda” against the State, his lawyer announced. Justice confirmed the initial sentence handed down against this dissident, declared Mostafa Nilli, quoted by the newspaper Advances. The revolutionary tribunal was chaired by Iman Afshari, a judge known for having heavily sentenced dissidents, targeted by European Union sanctions.

The director was sentenced in December to a year in prison for “propaganda activities” against the State, a few months after winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for A simple accident. He is also prohibited from leaving the country for two years, his lawyer explained.

The Pentagon is concerned about Israeli espionage operations. An episode “difficult for Netanyahu to manage”, which could weaken the Prime Minister, analyzes Tristan Mendes France on LCI.

Israel says it is hitting the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement, after shots targeted its territory. “The army is currently carrying out a strike against terrorist command centers in the Dahieh neighborhood of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah fire towards Israeli territory,” said a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Two buildings were targeted, according to state media.

Villages in southern Lebanon are regular targets of Israeli bombings. To enter or leave, you must be accompanied by UN soldiers. LCI reporters followed these peacekeepers during their perilous mission.

A TF1-LCI team was able to travel to South Lebanon to meet UNIFIL soldiers. With French peacekeepers, they escort a group of civilians trying to return home.

The American army announced on Saturday evening that it had shot down two Iranian attack drones which it said threatened maritime traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. “Earlier today, US forces in the Middle East shot down two single-use Iranian attack drones that threatened international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command (Centcom) wrote on its X account. continue to defend itself against Iranian aggression,” he added.

Before starting the day, here is a summary of what happened yesterday. The day was notably marked by the deaths of Israeli and Lebanese soldiers, and Iranian strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain:

Welcome to this live commentary dedicated to the war in the Middle East.