US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee has levelled a stark accusation against Hezbollah, alleging that the group has been leveraging ambulances as a key component of its military operations.
In a recent social media post, Adraee emphasized that Israel will adhere to international law in its response to any Hezbollah military activities, including the utilization of medical facilities and ambulances for combat purposes.
Notably, the Israeli military has failed to present any concrete evidence to substantiate this claim.

In a phone conversation on Friday morning, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot shared their deep concern over the severe ceasefire transgressions in Lebanon. This development holds particular weight given Pakistan’s role in mediating the US-Iran ceasefire, which the country claims encompasses Lebanon, a stance disputed by the US and Israel. Israel’s most intense bombing campaign of the war against Lebanon occurred on Wednesday, mere hours after the ceasefire was declared, resulting in over 200 fatalities. France has consistently maintained that the ceasefire should extend to Lebanon. During their discussion, Dar and Barrot emphasized the importance of a complete and respectful adherence to the ceasefire terms, as per a statement released by Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

Details about the composition of the Iranian delegation bound for Islamabad remain scarce at this juncture.
The core of the negotiations is expected to revolve around the 10-point proposal that Tehran had previously submitted to the US, outlining the parameters of the talks.
The forthcoming dialogue promises to be a contentious one, with multiple areas of disagreement separating the two sides.
A key point of contention is likely to be the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that plays a pivotal role in the global energy market.
Iran, which has seen its regional influence wane following recent Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory and other areas, is now seeking to capitalize on the Strait’s strategic importance.
Iranian authorities have also hinted at imposing trade restrictions on vessels and oil tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

A rocket alert was triggered in the Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, situated in the Hula Valley near the Lebanese border, following a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon. According to Hezbollah, the militant group deliberately targeted the settlement in Kiryat Shmona with missiles as a retaliatory measure against Israel’s alleged breach of a ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan.

In a recent phone call, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed their countries’ resolve to work together in addressing the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Japanese foreign ministry, the two diplomats expressed their shared goal of stabilizing energy supplies and mitigating the situation through enhanced cooperation.

Reports indicate that a social media post attributed to Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, in which he allegedly described Israel as a “curse for humanity”, has seemingly been taken down.
The move comes after a backlash from Israel, with the office of the Israeli prime minister condemning Asif’s statement as “unacceptable”.
According to a social media post from the Israeli premier’s office, the minister’s remark was deemed “untenable” from any government, particularly one that claims to be a neutral party in the pursuit of peace.
Asif’s original post on X purportedly accused Israel of perpetrating violence against innocent civilians across the Middle East, stating that the bloodshed continues unchecked in regions such as Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s militants have launched a rocket assault on the Israeli settlements of Kiryat Shmona, Metula, and Misgav Am, according to a statement posted on the group’s Telegram channel in the early hours of Friday. The statement asserts that these attacks will persist until Israeli-American aggression against Lebanon and its people is brought to an end.

A dire situation is unfolding at Beirut’s hospitals as medical supplies dwindle and the city reels from the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes. According to Dr Salah Zeineldine, chief medical officer at the American University of Beirut Hospital, the facility was inundated with casualties within an hour, receiving approximately 76 injured individuals, six of whom succumbed to their injuries.

The Israeli military’s 10-minute bombing campaign, which targeted over 100 sites across Lebanon on Wednesday, has resulted in a staggering 303 fatalities and 1,150 injuries, as per the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health’s preliminary report issued on Thursday. The hospital has become a hub for treating victims of the Israeli attacks, with Dr Zeineldine lamenting the high number of critically injured children, including a 12-year-old and two infants, one just a few months old and the other a few weeks old, who required immediate ICU care.

Hezbollah militants have launched a barrage of rockets at the Israeli settlements of Kiryat Shmona, Metula, and Misgav Am, according to a statement issued by the group on its Telegram channel at the outset of Friday. The statement emphasized that these strikes will persist until Israeli-American hostilities against Lebanon and its people are brought to an end.

Following the declaration of a ceasefire in the region on Wednesday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been in high demand, receiving a string of congratulatory calls from world leaders who are backing Islamabad’s diplomatic endeavors. The international community is rallying behind Pakistan as the US and Iran prepare to engage in high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad on Saturday, with the aim of capitalizing on the two-week ceasefire to forge a more enduring peace agreement. The diverse group of leaders who have reached out to Sharif includes Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. These calls not only serve as a testament to Pakistan’s pivotal role in brokering a dialogue between the US and Iran, but also serve to bolster Islamabad’s position as it seeks to maintain momentum and ensure that the US and Iran remain committed to their diplomatic efforts in the days to come.