Lebanese Shia cleric, militant, and long-time Hezbollah leader
Ashoura commemorations unfold in Tyre and Nabatieh as Lebanon and Iran-linked forces confront ongoing Israel-Hezbollah hostilities. Ceremonies proceed despite destruction, with mourners recalling Imam Hussein and highlighting loyalties amid a regional war.
Hamas has elected Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau, succeeding Yahya Sinwar who was killed in 2024. The vote follows a wartime leadership transition and reflects tensions between Gaza-based leadership and diaspora factions, with al-Hayya seen as aligned with Tehran and a continuing hardline stance.
A Buffalo jury has found Hadi Matar guilty on all counts in a federal terrorism case stemming from the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie during a talk on writers’ safety. Matar already faces a 25-year state sentence for the August 2022 attack; the federal verdict could carry a life term. Prosecutors say the act was motivated by Iran’s fatwa against Rushdie and Hezbollah ties, while the defense questions Matar’s state of mind.
Defence Minister Katz has stated that there is no real solution for Gaza without migration, saying Israel is prepared to relocate Gazans by sea, air, and other means. The idea is being discussed as part of a broader debate over displacement, with international concern growing over humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Israeli forces have demolished an extensive Hezbollah tunnel complex under the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to collapse two tunnels spanning over 2km. The blast registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor; Israel has said it will remain to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding and to hold a security zone.