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Israel’s defence minister said on Saturday that Israeli forces had been instructed to prepare for an “extended stay” in Lebanon. Earlier, the Israeli military carried out an air strike in the Nabatiyeh area of southern Lebanon, a day after the United States announced a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Read our liveblog to see how the day’s events unfolded.
Shots have been fired in the Strait of Hormuz. The is a diplomatic and logistical condundrum of what to do next. A literal rock and a hard place, where 11,000 crew remain stuck on ships in the middle of two warring belligerents now negotiating peace, telling them opposing advice on how they can safely evacuate. The Iranian regime is telling them to leave, but to first cross via one of its islands Larak Island at the northern part of the Strait.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir denounced the US-brokered agreement with Lebanon, saying the Lebanese government could not be trusted to disarm Hezbollah.
“The agreement with Lebanon is a big mistake… Indeed, we are staying in most of the territory for now, but the state of Lebanon will not disarm Hezbollah,” he said on his Telegram channel.
“Members of the Lebanese government are Hezbollah ministers, and Lebanon cannot be trusted to take Hezbollah’s weapons … Only IDF soldiers will destroy Hezbollah, no other party will do it for us.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday hailed the US-brokered agreement with Lebanon, calling it a historic achievement that dealt a blow to arch-foes Iran and Hezbollah.
“Yesterday … we achieved a historic deal for the state of Israel after direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon,” Netanyahu said in a televised briefing. “This is a blow to Iran and Hezbollah.”
Israeli airstrikes on the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa killed at least one person and wounded two more, the health ministry said on Saturday.
The ministry’s emergency operations centre gave the toll shortly after Lebanon’s state news agency reported that Nabatieh al-Fawqa had been hit by drones and warplanes.
The Lebanese military vowed on Saturday to maintain public order, after Hezbollah supporters staged street protests against the government’s signing of an agreement with Israel.
“The army command will not allow any breach of security or threat to civil peace through actions with unpredictable consequences, road blockages, or attacks on public or private property,” the army said.
Israeli forces carried out drone and air strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon’s state news agency reported, a day after the countries signed a agreement to pave the way to peace talks.
According to the National News Agency (NNA), Israeli warplanes hit an unidentified target in Nabatieh al-Fawqa at around 6:30 pm (1530 GMT). Earlier in the afternoon, drones carried out four strikes on the town square and the Al-Manzala neighbourhood.
Israeli defence minister vowed on Saturday to respond with “great force” if Iran attacked Israel in an attempt to prevent the implementation of an agreement with Lebanon aimed at securing peace between the two countries.
“If Iran tries to attack Israel to prevent the implementation of the agreement, we will act against it with great force,” Israel Katz said in a video statement, adding that the agreement with Lebanon had dealt a “strategic blow to the Iranian axis”.
Israel’s defence minister said on Saturday that Israeli forces had been ordered to prepare for an extended stay in the so-called security zone in southern Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon agreed on a framework to end hostilities.
“The prime minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare for an extended stay in the security zone,” Israel Katz said in a video statement, referring to an area up to 10 kilometres (six miles) inside the Lebanese territory.
“The important principle established in the agreement is that there will be no redeployment by Israel in southern Lebanon, no withdrawal, as long as the terrorist organisation Hezbollah is not disarmed throughout Lebanon,” he said.
The Israeli military carried out an air strike Saturday on the Nabatiyeh area of southern Lebanon, a day after the US announced a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
The news comes as Tehran accused the Washington of a “blatant violation” of the peace deal after the latest American strikes on its southern defence facilities.
FRANCE 24 International affairs editor Leela Jacinto shares further insights.
Inflation in Iran rose sharply in June, driven by the Middle East war, reaching a peak of 88.6 percent year-on-year according to official figures released on Saturday.
According to the Statistical Centre of Iran, during the Persian month of Khordad (May 22-June 21), food prices more than doubled year-on-year. Even before the war, Iran was plagued by high inflation.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday welcomed the US-Israel-Lebanon framework agreement as a “critical step” away from conflict in the Middle East.
“I welcome the agreement between Israel and Lebanon. This is a critical step away from escalation. Because there can be no peace in the Middle East with Lebanon in flames,” she said in a statement posted on X, thanking Washington for its mediation role.
“Key next steps are the disarmament of non-state groups and preserving Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she stressed.
Von der Leyen added that “the EU stands ready to support this path to lasting regional stability, also with the continued delivery of much needed humanitarian aid with EUR100 million mobilised for the displaced.”
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem condemned the US-Israel-Lebanon framework agreement on Saturday, saying it a major mistake by Beirut and that his group deemed it null and void.
“The framework agreement in Washington is humiliating, shameful, and a surrender of sovereignty. This agreement is null and void, and the provisions of the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding must be implemented,” Qassem said in a statement, accusing Lebanese authorities of “legitimising” Israeli occupation through this “grave blunder”.
An Israeli drone struck the Nabatiyeh area in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon’s state news agency said.
The reported strike came a day after Israel and Lebanon signed a US-brokered security arrangement aimed at reducing tensions along their border following months of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah.
A maritime body overseen by the US Navy said Saturday that a route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman’s shores is expanding to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic.
The announcement by the Joint Maritime Information Center serves as another warning to Iran that the US is pushing to reopen the strait.
Iran has insisted ships must obey its orders and is warning it will start charging fees for transit through the strait, through which a fifth of all oil and natural gas once passed.
The US and Gulf Arab states have rejected Iran’s demands. The strait is considered around the world as an international waterway, despite being the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.
An Israeli drone struck the Nabatiyeh area in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon’s state news agency said.
The reported strike came a day after Israel and Lebanon signed a US-brokered security arrangement aimed at reducing tensions along their border following months of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah.
A tanker has reported being struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Saturday.
The vessel sustained damage to its bridge, but all crew were reported safe and no environmental damage had been reported at the time of the report, UKMTO added.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors announced an agreement on Friday that has been described as a step toward peace after months of cross-border fighting between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The deal marks a potential breakthrough in efforts to ease tensions following months of conflict. Camille Knight reports.
Bahrain condemned what it said were Iranian drone attacks on its territory on Saturday, the state news agency reported, saying it reserved the full right to defend its sovereignty and security.
Iran said earlier it had carried out strikes against targets linked to U.S. forces in the region, without identifying the targets or saying where they were located.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, Reuters)
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