Naim Qassem tops news as Hezbollah’s secretary-general since Oct 2024; longtime cleric and co-founder of Hezbollah. Brief bio: born Feb 1953, Lebanese Shia leader.
Lebanon has opened discussions for direct talks with Israel to end the fighting sparked by Hezbollah’s March 2 attack and Israel’s subsequent strikes. Beirut has begun appointing a negotiating delegation, while regional tensions and displacement continue to rise amid calls for an international, monitored ceasefire.
Lebanon is forming a delegation for direct talks with Israel amid ongoing conflict, with no set date. Lebanon seeks clarity on Israel's commitment to a ceasefire, while France offers to facilitate negotiations. The talks aim to end hostilities and disarm Hezbollah, but key issues remain unresolved.
Israel has intensified military actions in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions following rocket attacks. Over one million Lebanese displaced, with ongoing airstrikes and ground operations. Diplomatic efforts, including French-led talks, aim to de-escalate the conflict triggered by Hezbollah's retaliation for Iran's leader's killing.
As of late March 2026, Israel has intensified its military campaign in southern Lebanon, ordering all residents south of the Litani River to evacuate. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed destruction of five bridges used by Hezbollah and ordered demolition of homes near the border to create a buffer zone. Israel aims to control territory up to the Litani River to prevent Hezbollah attacks, while Hezbollah vows to resist. The conflict has displaced over one million Lebanese and killed more than 1,000 people.
Israel has launched extensive strikes across Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and threatening a ground invasion. Israeli officials plan to control territory up to the Litani River, displacing over a million civilians. Lebanon responds with fierce clashes, while international calls for restraint grow. The conflict deepens regional instability.
As of late March 2026, Israel has intensified its military campaign in southern Lebanon, expanding a security buffer zone up to the Litani River to counter Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks. The offensive includes ground advances, airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, and destruction of infrastructure. Over 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced, with more than 1,200 killed. Israel aims to secure its northern border and weaken Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Ayman Ghazali, a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen, attacked Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, on March 12. He drove his truck into the building, exchanged gunfire with security, and then killed himself. The attack was linked to Hezbollah ideology, following recent family deaths in Lebanon and a series of targeted assaults on Jewish sites.
Since early March 2026, Israel has launched intensified airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, killing over 2,000 people and displacing more than one million. Israeli forces are encircling and assaulting the strategic town of Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah continues rocket attacks into northern Israel. Lebanon and Israel have held preliminary talks in Washington to seek a ceasefire.
Israel and Lebanon have held direct talks in Washington for the first time in 43 years, aiming to disarm Hezbollah and establish peaceful relations. Despite a US-Iran ceasefire, Israel has refused to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon and continues strikes. Hezbollah and Iran reject negotiations without a ceasefire, while Lebanon demands an end to hostilities first.
Israel has launched extensive strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon as peace talks are scheduled for Tuesday in Washington. Despite US pressure to limit fighting, Israel is maintaining its military operations. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials condemn the attacks, which have caused significant casualties and displacement. The situation remains tense as regional and international actors call for restraint.
In a rapid, coordinated strike, Israel has hit Beirut and other Lebanese areas, with over 100 targets struck in less than 10 minutes. At least 300-plus people have been killed, including many civilians. Residents describe scenes of destruction and fear, with a mass displacement risk and concerns about further attacks.
Lebanon and Israel have held their first direct talks in over 30 years in Washington, mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The discussions focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing long-term security, despite ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's intensified attacks on northern Israel. Lebanon demands a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal, while Israel insists on Hezbollah's disarmament and rejects a ceasefire.
Lebanon and Israel have held their first direct talks in 43 years, focusing on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations. The negotiations follow recent Israeli military strikes and ongoing tensions, with Lebanon emphasizing the need for a ceasefire and peace. The US, Israel, and Lebanon have described the discussions as productive, but disagreements persist.
Lebanese civilians are experiencing ongoing displacement and destruction following Israel's recent military escalation and a ceasefire. Thousands are returning to damaged areas, with many uncertain about the future. The conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties and mass displacement, with tensions remaining high as the ceasefire holds.
Lebanon and Israel remain in direct discussions brokered by the United States, while Hezbollah is engaging in renewed hostilities in southern Lebanon. The surrounding conflict has killed thousands and drawn in regional powers, with the ceasefire extended but fighting continuing. Analysts say outcomes depend on Washington-Tehran dynamics and on Hezbollah’s willingness to disengage.
The US is facilitating talks at the State Department between Lebanon and Israel, the first since a fragile ceasefire began last week. Lebanon's government emphasizes negotiations, while Hezbollah rejects direct talks. Israeli military actions continue in southern Lebanon, and regional tensions remain high amid ongoing conflict.
Israel observes Memorial Day on April 21, 2026, with ceremonies honoring fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Recent events include protests, controversial torch-lighting, and ongoing security challenges linked to conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Leaders emphasize military achievements while families of the fallen express frustration.
Israel has launched strikes in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley after attacks by Hezbollah amid a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that remains in force. Hezbollah targets have included drones and rockets, while Lebanese and Israeli authorities address the scale and implications of ongoing hostilities under the ceasefire terms.
Since mid-April's US-brokered ceasefire, Israel has continued air and drone strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon and near Beirut while Hezbollah has been firing explosive drones and rockets at Israeli forces. Lebanese authorities have reported rising civilian casualties and infrastructure damage as US-facilitated Israel–Lebanon talks proceed in Washington (25 May 2026).
Hezbollah has declared that its weapons are an internal Lebanese matter and not part of upcoming talks with Israel, even as two days of Washington-hosted negotiations aim to address the latest fighting and broader relations between the two states. The group says it will turn the battlefield into hell for Israeli forces if hostilities continue, while signaling willingness to cooperate with the Lebanese government on five core demands. Talks in Washington are set to resume this week, with indirect and direct formats debated amid continuing clashes.
Lebanese President Aoun has urged reaching an end to the Lebanon-Israel war, saying he is prepared to "do the impossible" to stop the fighting. Health authorities report the death toll in Lebanon has neared 3,000, with ongoing Israeli strikes, evacuations, and Hezbollah operations continuing in south Lebanon and northern Israel amid a 45‑day ceasefire extension.
The United States and Iran have described a framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and dispose of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Negotiations are unfolding in stages, with a 60-day window for finalizing remaining nuclear terms, while broader issues are staged for later rounds.
Israel has escalated its offensive in southern Lebanon, with airstrikes killing dozens, mass displacement orders, and threats of further heavy retaliation. The clash polarises regional diplomacy as Washington seeks to broker a broader deal with Iran, while Lebanon and Hezbollah resist Israeli occupation and pursue withdrawal. A cabinet dispute in Jerusalem signals divergence over response tactics, even as the conflict widens.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict has intensified with Israeli strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon amid a renewed ceasefire and negotiations in Washington. Hezbollah is engaging with drone and rocket attacks, while evacuation warnings and civilian displacement increase in Nabatieh and other towns. The United States and Iran are pursuing a broader deal as clashes continue near the Lebanon border.
The ceasefire that began on 16 April has been strained as Israeli air and ground operations expand across southern and eastern Lebanon. Civil casualties and damage continue to mount, with dozens killed or injured in the latest round of strikes. Negotiations mediated by the US, Pakistan, and Qatar are under renewed focus as regional tensions rise.
Hezbollah has said it trusts Iran to press Washington to include Lebanon in any US‑Iran deal while Israel has continued strikes in southern Lebanon and Dahiyeh. US‑hosted talks between Lebanon and Israel are continuing in Washington as fighting and diplomatic manoeuvres have kept the ceasefire fragile and direct negotiations contested.
A US-mediated Israel–Lebanon ceasefire has been announced contingent on a complete halt to Hezbollah fire and the removal of its operatives from southern Lebanon. Lebanese and Israeli officials have agreed pilot zones to be held by the Lebanese army, but Hezbollah has rejected the arrangement and cross-border attacks have continued.
Ceasefire negotiations in the Lebanon-Israel front have stalled after Hezbollah rejects a US-backed pact, insisting on Israel's withdrawal. The flare-up has displaced over a million people and kept northern Israel on alert as regional powers push for de-escalation.
The United States has struck Iranian coastal radar sites after four Iranian drones were believed to target regional maritime traffic. Iran has retaliated with missiles aimed at Kuwait and Bahrain, with several intercepted by U.S. forces. The conflict expands alongside Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon as indirect talks for a ceasefire stall.
Lebanon remains on the frontline as Israeli strikes hit southern towns, killing civilians and displacing thousands. Iran-backed Hezbollah has claimed attacks while Israel vows to press the campaign amid a fragile ceasefire effort brokered by the United States.