Israel’s defence minister stated that there would be “no calm in Beirut” if Hezbollah attacks persisted, vowing to establish a military-controlled zone in the vicinity of south Lebanon’s Litani River. “The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut,” Israel Katz declared in a statement from his office, referring to the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold where he and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had previously ordered strikes. Katz added, “At the same time, the IDF continues to operate with fire and manoeuvre against Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in Lebanon … in order to push threats away from IDF forces and from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists.”
Cars were seen in traffic on a highway as residents fled following an Israeli threat to strike Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon.
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Iran’s top diplomat announced on Monday that the ceasefire already in place between Iran and the United States is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for attacks on Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs. “Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X.
Israel has issued evacuation orders to residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon, including Houmine al-Faouqa, Bnaafoul, Arab Salim, Roumine, Aazze, Arki, and Jbaa. “Out of concern for your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by a distance of at least 1000 meters to open areas,” IDF Arabic language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stated in a post on X.
Israel has intensified its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, capturing the strategic hilltop Beaufort castle yesterday and ordering strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs today. Israel plans to “turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” according to Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz.
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed France’s readiness to support US-Iran ceasefire talks, following a phone call with US President Donald Trump last night. In a post on X, the French president said: “Last night, I spoke with President Trump about the situation in the Middle East. I commended the determined efforts he is leading to quickly reach an agreement between the United States and Iran, which represents a unique opportunity to build a new security framework involving all concerned parties, in order to enable a lasting stabilization of the region. I indicated that we are ready to fully support these efforts and to take our full part in their implementation. This is the purpose of the international mission that we have built with the British and our partners, ready to be deployed as soon as an agreement is concluded in order to contribute to securing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. We are also prepared to bring our expertise and capabilities to the broader negotiations that must open, particularly on the nuclear aspect of an agreement. Finally, I commended President Trump’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and emphasized the importance of a robust ceasefire and our collective support for the Lebanese authorities.” Yesterday, France called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting following Israel’s intensified offensive in Lebanon, which will take place later today.
Israel’s defence minister reiterated that there would be “no calm in Beirut” if Hezbollah attacks continued and vowed to establish a military-controlled zone in the area of south Lebanon’s Litani River. “The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut,” Israel Katz said in a statement released by his office, referring to Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold where he and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier ordered strikes. Katz added, “At the same time, the IDF continues to operate with fire and manoeuvre against Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in Lebanon … in order to push threats away from IDF forces and from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists.”
An AFP correspondent observed families with small children packed onto scooters with just a bag or two leaving Beirut’s southern suburbs, while others fled in cars carrying belongings including pillows and bags, after Israel ordered strikes on the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s capital. Hadi, a 24-year-old, expressed his hope for some stability during the truce. “That feeling did not last long … Our fears intensified this morning after I received a series of messages about orders to bomb the southern suburbs, which caused widespread panic, and we immediately left the area,” he told AFP over the phone. Beirut’s southern suburbs, Dahiyeh, have been struck twice since April 8, when a series of Israeli attacks across Lebanon killed hundreds. The Israeli order came a day after its troops seized the Beaufort castle, which offers sweeping views of south Lebanon, as the military expands its ground operations.
Kuwait’s foreign ministry has condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks, as sirens sounded across the country earlier this morning. Kuwait, a US ally hosting US bases and installations, was targeted after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards told state media they had aimed at an airbase used by the US military from which attacks on Iran had originated. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the State of Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms, of the heinous and repeated Iranian attacks, which represent a dangerous escalation and a direct assault on the security and stability of the State of Kuwait, as well as a flagrant violation of the rules of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026, not to mention the grave threat they pose to the safety of civilians and vital facilities in the country,” the ministry stated in a post on X. “The continuation and repetition of these aggressions undermine efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and threaten security and stability in the region, emphasising the State of Kuwait’s categorical rejection of these aggressive practices.”
Iran’s chief negotiator has accused the US of not complying with the ceasefire following US strikes on Iran over the weekend. “The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of US noncompliance with the ceasefire,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X. “Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place.” Iran responded to the US strikes by targeting Kuwait with drones and missiles.
Israeli airstrikes overnight on southern Lebanon resulted in six fatalities, including a Syrian citizen in a village near the city of Nabatiyeh, AP reports, citing Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The Israeli military, meanwhile, reported intercepting two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported, the military said. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel on Sunday.
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