US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

Our live coverage is coming to a close, but we’re shifting gears to a new page where you can find the latest updates and ongoing stories. Here are some key highlights from today’s events:

A leading human rights organization, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), has issued a stark warning to the international community, urging swift action to prevent Israel’s alleged plan to dismantle border communities and bar hundreds of thousands of civilians from returning to their homes in southern Lebanon.

DAWN is calling on governments worldwide to take decisive measures, including enforcing an arms embargo and imposing economic sanctions, to halt Israel’s further human rights abuses and its prolonged occupation of southern Lebanon before its aggressive expansion becomes irreversible.

This appeal comes after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz candidly acknowledged that Israel intends to replicate its Gaza strategy in southern Lebanon, effectively clearing the area of its inhabitants, a move that human rights advocates describe as a form of ethnic cleansing.

Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed that the Litani River, which flows approximately 30km (18 miles) into Lebanese territory, serve as Israel’s new northern border.

According to Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, DAWN’s director for Israel-Palestine, Israel is exploiting the war with Iran as a cover to accelerate its long-planned agenda of territorial expansion in Lebanon. He emphasized that Israel’s history of unchecked aggression in Palestine and the region underscores the need for concrete consequences to prevent further escalation.

“It’s imperative that states act swiftly to prevent Israel’s land grab in Lebanon,” Omer-Man said. “Israel’s track record demonstrates that it will not stop without facing tangible repercussions – and the international community must intervene before it’s too late.”

Despite the US president’s claim that a new insurance plan for ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz would be implemented “effective immediately” nearly a month ago, Lloyd’s List, a leading shipping publication, has found that there are currently no recorded beneficiaries of the scheme. Furthermore, Lloyd’s has suggested that the plan’s conditions may be restrictive, limiting its applicability to vessels with ties to the United States. According to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the cost of insuring a $100m vessel was already approximately $250,000 per voyage prior to the current crisis.

In a bold assertion of force, Hezbollah revealed that it had executed a series of 60 targeted operations against Israeli strongholds within the past 24 hours.
The militant group’s military campaign encompassed a range of tactics, including precision-guided rocket and drone strikes against key Israeli installations, as well as defensive measures to repel Israeli incursions in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed to have successfully neutralized four Israeli tanks, highlighting the group’s capacity for effective counterattack.

A traffic alert has been issued by Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior, urging drivers traveling towards Hamad Town via the Khalifa bin Salman Highway near Saar to seek alternative routes due to a hazardous situation involving falling debris. Motorists are being advised to follow traffic guidance and take necessary precautions until the situation is resolved and normal traffic flow is restored.

Saraya Awliya al-Dam, a local Iraqi armed faction, has taken credit for a string of attacks on US military outposts in the area, asserting that its operatives have successfully executed six operations over the past 24 hours.
According to a statement disseminated through the group’s Telegram platform, its combatants are presently engaged in a campaign to dismantle American military strongholds in Erbil, although the statement lacked concrete evidence to substantiate the claim.

According to Iranian news outlet Mehr, a substantial backlog of approximately 400 oil tankers and cargo ships has developed, with these vessels awaiting clearance to traverse the Strait of Hormuz. The ships in question are currently anchored either behind the strait or in the vicinity of the Iranian islands of Larak, Hormuz, and Qeshm, as per a report filed by Mehr’s correspondent stationed on Larak Island.

Israel’s military command has confirmed that a fresh salvo of missiles has been launched from Iranian territory, targeting Israeli soil. In response, the country’s air defence systems are actively engaged to neutralize the threat, with intercept operations underway.

According to Jason Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, the US government’s communication strategy is marred by a lack of clarity as it endeavors to garner international backing for its regional goals.
Campbell told Al Jazeera that the White House’s decision to attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, whether through diplomatic channels or military intervention, has elicited a tepid response from NATO allies.
Campbell observed that the US government’s senior ranks are sending out mixed signals. He attributes this ambiguity, in part, to the administration’s recent efforts to assemble a coalition of nations to collectively reopen the Strait of Hormuz, either through sustained diplomatic pressure or, if necessary, military action.
Campbell further noted that NATO allies and other countries have responded to the White House’s Operation Epic Fury with a lukewarm reception, characterized by noncommittal statements and a general lack of enthusiasm. He suggests that this muted response is a direct result of the administration’s failure to undertake essential planning steps prior to taking action, including building a coalition and preparing for potential outcomes.

In a statement, Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, offered his organization’s full support to the Syrian people, who have been rallying across the country to condemn Israel’s recent decision to impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners. The protests, which have taken place in various parts of Syria, have been met with praise from Abu Obeida, who hailed the demonstrators as steadfast champions of the Palestinian cause.

“We extend our heartfelt admiration to the Syrian people, who have courageously taken to the streets to voice their support for the resistance and solidarity with Al-Aqsa and the prisoners,” Abu Obeida said in his statement. “Their voices have resonated with us, and we take immense pride in their unwavering commitment to the cause.”

The Israeli government’s decision to impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners has been met with widespread condemnation from across the Middle East. Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Israel has been expanding its military presence in southern Syria, carrying out regular raids in the region. The new Syrian authorities, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, have sought to resolve the issues with Israel through diplomatic means, but efforts to reach a security agreement have been hindered by regional tensions.

In a separate development, the Syrian government has announced that it has discovered and blocked two tunnels used for smuggling weapons to Hezbollah, which is engaged in fierce fighting with Israel in southern Lebanon.