Lebanese president since 2025, former army general
Syria has invited Lebanese figures and met key Lebanese leaders, signalling a shift in Damascus-Beirut relations. Damascus rejects military intervention in Lebanon while seeking economic and security cooperation. Western leaders have floated unprecedented ideas about Syria taking a role in disarming Hezbollah, but Syria’s new government has dismissed such plans.
Iran’s Supreme Leader’s envoy defends the MoU with Washington as Tehran faces persistent conservative criticism. Iran says it is preparing for a broader, unified front against perceived U.S. and Israeli pressure while negotiating teams pursue a ceasefire and longer-term settlement. The US and Iran remain engaged, with regional actors warning of renewed tensions.
Displacements in Lebanon have begun to ease as returns surge following a ceasefire framework signed with the United States. Authorities report hundreds of thousands returning home, though Israeli activity and Hezbollah’s stance cast doubt on long-term stability. Officials say safety remains uneven across southern Lebanon amid ongoing Israeli presence in a security zone.
Rights groups warn the US-brokered Lebanon-Israel framework agreement could block victims from pursuing accountability for war crimes, with Clause 3 and Clause 13 cited as limiting access to international courts. Lebanese officials defend sovereignty while thousands remain displaced. The debate centers on accountability, justice and the future path to peace.
Israel says it is continuing operations in southern Lebanon to neutralize Hezbollah threats, with clashes around the Ali Taher ridge and ongoing tunnel-disruption efforts. The conflict has drawn in interstate tensions, with Lebanon’s government defending negotiations that aim to secure Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah demilitarization.
Lebanese Christian village leaders have rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that some southern Lebanon villages asked to be annexed by Israel. They say the claim is false and aimed at inflaming sectarian tensions. Officials emphasise safety, dignity and loyalty to Lebanon amid ongoing Israel-Hezbollah hostilities.
The US and Iran have exchanged fresh strikes this weekend and on Monday, reversing a recent interim ceasefire and re‑opening doubt over control of the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has declared the ceasefire "over," ordered further strikes and revoked a temporary oil waiver. Oil has jumped into the high $70s–$80s and global markets have fallen.
The US has carried out repeated air and naval strikes across Iran to degrade Tehran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on US bases and Gulf allies, and the IRGC has warned civilians near US forces to stay away; the exchanges have closed much of the strait and pushed oil prices higher.
The Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at 74. Officials declare days of mourning; tens of thousands attend funeral prayers in Doha before burial at Lusail Cemetery. Sheikh Hamad abdicated in 2013, leaving a legacy of rapid development and international influence.
A US-brokered framework envisions an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon with Hezbollah disarmament as a precondition. Lebanon’s political divide is intensifying as tensions rise, roadblocks persist and fears of civil strife grow amid daunting regional dynamics.
Israel is ready to move forward with two pilot zones in southern Lebanon as talks with Beirut continue under US mediation. Washington seeks a broader security framework with Syria, while Netanyahu is under pressure from Trump’s calls to redeploy. The discussions come amid ongoing clashes and regional tensions.
Syria has stepped up border security following seizures of arms, including missiles and drones bound for Lebanon. The latest operation comes after earlier interceptions and signals a broader push to curb cross-border smuggling amid regional tensions and attempts to influence international ties.
Israel’s prime minister has postponed a planned US trip to the end of the month as funeral arrangements for US senator Lindsey Graham are moved to a later date. The delay comes amid ongoing discussions with Washington over security and Lebanon, with Trump’s comments and past tensions shaping expectations for a possible meeting.
Lebanese President Aoun has travelled to Washington to present a written plan to disarm Hezbollah and secure Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon under a US-backed framework. Trump has pledged support for Lebanon and its army as talks aim to curb Hezbollah and stabilise the border, with pilot zones showing tentative progress amid ongoing Israeli strikes.
The United States is pressing Iran over the Pickaxe Mountain site near Natanz, with multiple outlets reporting continued construction, potential centrifuge activity, and warnings of imminent strikes as the war escalates. President Trump has warned of heavy action, while analysts debate the site’s depth and capabilities. International inspectors have not accessed the facility.
Lebanon, Israel, and the United States have established pilot zones in southern Lebanon as part of a framework to manage sovereignty, security, and Hezbollah disarmament. The Lebanese armed forces will clear zones of Hezbollah weapons as Israel withdraws, with verification ongoing and potential expansion dependent on security progress.
Lebanon and the United States are pressing to turn the June framework for Israel-Lebanon into a concrete plan. Washington has resumed talks on security and to secure a Lebanese army‑led presence in the south, amid Israeli operations and Hezbollah opposition. Aoun is in Washington seeking guarantees on withdrawal and reconstruction, while signs of progress remain uncertain.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem has criticised Lebanon’s participation in US-mediated talks with Israel in Rome and has rejected a June framework that ties Israeli withdrawals to verified disarmament and Lebanese army deployments in pilot zones. Technical teams have met in Rome while Israeli strikes, demolitions and clashes in southern Lebanon are continuing and Beirut is pressing Washington for verification guarantees.
Netanyahu has met with Trump at the White House for discussions on Iran’s nuclear ambitions amid ongoing US-Israeli hostilities. Talks aim to coordinate strategy on Iran, with emphasis on preventing nuclear development and managing wider regional tensions. The week features high-stakes diplomacy and looming electoral tests in both countries.
Trump has publicly escalated threats against Iran while pursuing options that include a broader military campaign with Israel or a renewed ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple outlets report that intelligence suggests Iran may have moved centrifuges and uranium to fortified underground sites, with Washington leaning toward a hardline response.
The conflict between Iran and its regional rivals has intensified. Iran-backed forces have attacked shipping, while the United States and allies respond with strikes and warnings. The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as Qatar and Gulf states report disruptions alongside rising global energy concerns.
The United States has launched pilot zones in southern Lebanon under the trilateral framework with Lebanon and Israel. The zones aim to gradually shift security responsibilities to the Lebanese Armed Forces while Israeli forces withdraw from designated areas. The deployment faces resistance, security incidents, and questions about timelines as leaders weigh the path to broader peace.
The United States has announced that direct flights to Lebanon will resume, following a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The announcement marks a shift from decades-long restrictions tied to the 1985 TWA 847 hijacking. Officials warn that actual flight schedules remain uncertain amid ongoing regional conflict and security concerns.
Lebanon says it will pursue legal action over Israeli actions in southern Lebanon as negotiations in Rome aim to move forward on the June framework. Human rights figures warn of potential war crimes amid continued demolitions and displacement.
Authorities enforce a pilot-zone withdrawal plan in southern Lebanon as residents return to damaged homes. Some families seek shelter in local shops while awaiting full rebuilding after fighting linked to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Lebanese army clearance and water deliveries are under way as the town awaits wider Israeli withdrawal.
Lebanon’s President and Turkey’s leader have discussed ways to expand Ankara’s role in security for southern Lebanon as UNIFIL’s mandate ends. While Erdogan signals interest in contributing to a post-UNIFIL framework, observers caution that Israel may oppose Ankara’s involvement. The talks come amid broader regional tensions and stalled diplomacy.
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Lebanons Legal Agenda have released investigations finding that Israeli strikes on 22 April in al-Tiri have targeted journalists Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj, described the attacks as war crimes and said Israeli forces impeded rescue efforts. Israel has denied deliberately targeting journalists and said it struck Hezbollah-linked targets.
President Trump has signed an executive order directing federal health officials to cut the federal recommended childhood vaccine list, to split the combined MMR vaccine into separate measles, mumps and rubella doses once single‑disease products are available, and to space routine immunisations across separate medical visits. Public health groups and drugmakers have said the changes lack scientific support and will increase missed vaccinations during a major U.S. measles outbreak.
Unified Syrian and Lebanese security concerns frame talks on potential cross-border operations. While Washington presses for pressure points, Damascus faces internal and regional costs. A range of options is considered, from border controls to limited troop movements, with Iran’s retaliation potential guiding calculations.
Israeli airstrikes have hit southern Lebanon early on Saturday, killing at least seven people in Ansar and four in Deir al-Zahrani, Lebanese authorities and state media have reported. Israel has said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in response to an attack that wounded Israeli soldiers; Lebanese leaders have condemned the civilian deaths. Talks under a US-backed framework are continuing.
The seventh round of talks mediated by the United States between Lebanon and Israel has stretched into a third day in Rome. Negotiators are debating prisoner releases and, controversially, the transfer of remains of Lebanese Jews buried in Beirut and Sidon. Israel ties progress to resolving long-standing disappearances and to uncovering the fate of Ron Arad. Beirut says it cannot locate such records, complicating what was meant to be a humanitarian issue.
Lebanon has passed legislation abolishing the death penalty and replacing it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour. Parliament has also approved a separate general amnesty law that will reduce some long sentences and free inmates detained more than 12 prison years while awaiting trial; the measures respond to severe prison overcrowding and political pressures.
Lebanon and Israel continue US-brokered negotiations over a June framework aimed at Hezbollah disarmament and Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Reports detail ongoing Israeli strikes, displacement in pilot zones, and Lebanese Army deployment, with authorities warning of persistent violence despite talks.
Israel has stated it will maintain a long-term security presence in southern Lebanon as part of the U.S.-brokered framework to disarm Hezbollah and gradually withdraw Israeli forces. The Lebanese army will deploy in pilot zones, while negotiations in Rome aim to advance the agreement.
Lebanon and Israel are engaged in direct talks mediated by the US, after Hezbollah-triggered conflict escalations. A framework signed in June calls for Hezbollah disarmament and a staged Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, with Greece and Athens’ arms deal cited as regional context. Lebanon seeks renewed UNIFIL support as violence persists.
Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed civilians and damaged infrastructure amid ongoing clashes with Hezbollah. The target areas include Kfar Rumman, Nabatieh, and surrounding towns as diplomatic efforts to disarm Hezbollah and withdraw Israeli forces continue under a US-brokered framework. The toll includes women, children, and rescuers, with casualties and displacement prompting international concern.
Lebanon and Israel have released five detainees amid ongoing US-brokered talks. The transfers, facilitated by the ICRC, come as Beirut and Tel Aviv pursue a broader framework to restore sovereignty and ease hostilities. Israeli operations in southern Lebanon continue alongside the prisoner deals.
The Houthis have seized the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea, expanding control over a vital waterway, while Iraqi groups are blamed for disrupting Saudi oil exports. The US has restricted tanker movements through the Hormuz Strait to protect ships, and neighbouring Gulf states discuss safer routes in Oman amid ongoing tensions.
Leaders and senior officials gather in Paris for US-mediated talks on disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and replacing UNIFIL with a multinational force. The discussions come as Israel maintains a military footprint in Lebanon and faces ongoing strikes by Hezbollah, while Lebanon seeks to strengthen its army’s authority and sovereignty. A donor conference for Lebanese forces is expected later this year or early 2027.
Ceasefire efforts have paused direct fighting, but Israeli strikes and Hezbollah activity continue in southern Lebanon, leaving hundreds of thousands displaced. In Nabatiyeh and Mansouri, residents fear renewed Israeli ground offensives as tunnels and infrastructure are targeted.
The UN mission in southern Lebanon has begun preparations for a post-UNIFIL security order as the 2026 mandate nears its end. Paris-hosted discussions, French-Italian proposals for a multinational follow-on force, and US-backed frameworks aim to prevent a power vacuum as the Lebanese army and security forces assume greater regional duties.
UN Security Council has ordered UNIFIL to begin withdrawing by year-end. Lebanon’s army is expanding deployments in the south as Hezbollah disarmament talks stall. Israeli operations persist with airstrikes, demolitions, and staged clashes near Deir Mimas as regional diplomacy intensifies.