2 dead, 15 injured in Nabatieh following intense Israeli airstrikes

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Updated 27 June 2025
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2 dead, 15 injured in Nabatieh following intense Israeli airstrikes

2 dead, 15 injured in Nabatieh following intense Israeli airstrikes
  • Walid Jumblatt urges all parties to hand over weapons
  • Israel has breached the ceasefire, says PM Nawaf Salam

BEIRUT: A series of Israeli airstrikes targeted southern Lebanon on Friday, including a residential building in Nabatieh, located 77 km south of Beirut.

According to the Ministry of Health, the raids killed two people, including the owner of a shop located within the targeted building, and injured 15 others.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has condemned the attacks, calling them “a blatant violation of national sovereignty and of the ceasefire agreement reached in November.

“They also threaten the stability we are striving to maintain.”

According to official and security sources, the Israeli army launched a wave of violent and extensive raids on the hills surrounding Nabatieh. This marks the second-largest assault on Nabatieh since the ceasefire.

The strikes appear to have targeted ammunition depots, as prolonged explosions were heard across the area.

Rumors Nabatieh suggest that the missile that hit the building was the result of explosions at the weapons depots targeted by Israeli airstrikes.

It is said that a missile flew from the depots and hit the building, rather than it being the result of an Israeli military drone.

However, this information has not been confirmed by anyone, except the Israeli side, which denied targeting the building.

More than 20 airstrikes were launched on Nabatieh within 15 minutes. This formed a ring of fire around its forests, valleys and hills, in particularly the Ali Al-Taher hills, Jarmaq, Al-Dabshah, Kfar Tebnit heights and Nabatieh Al-Fawqa.

As explosions echoed across southern Lebanon, a security source stated that “the missiles used in this attack were likely concussion missiles given the intensity of the blasts.”

Residents claimed that the targeted sites included Hezbollah warehouses and tunnels used by the group.

Dozens of homes in Kfar Tebnit, Nabatieh Al-Fawqa and Kafr Rumman sustained damage, with windows shattered by the blasts. Rocks and debris from the strikes also blocked the Nabatieh-Khardali road.

The Israeli army carried out similar attacks in the area at the beginning of May.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said that “Israeli warplanes targeted a site used by Hezbollah to operate fire control and defense systems in Jabal Shqif, southern Lebanon.”

He claimed: “The site was part of an underground project that had been put out of service following previous Israeli airstrikes on the area. The army observed attempts to restore the site, which is why the terrorist infrastructure in the area was struck.”

Israeli Army Radio reported that “extensive raids are once again targeting underground structures in southern Lebanon after restoration efforts were detected.”

The Israeli army insists on blocking any restoration efforts or the removal of debris from the destroyed border area.

Earlier this morning, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade near two pickup trucks in the town of Ramyeh while the drivers were loading scrap metal. The drivers fled the scene, and no injuries were reported.

The ceasefire agreement faces a political deadlock because it is linked to several issues including the disarmament of Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River, Israel’s withdrawal from five occupied Lebanese hills, and the granting of social rights to Palestinian refugees.

In this context, former head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, a key political figure in Lebanon, revealed unexpectedly that “his party had handed its weapons over to the relevant authorities about three weeks ago.”

During a press conference on Wednesday evening, Jumblatt reiterated that he had informed President Joseph Aoun of his decision immediately after the latter’s election, “and of his intention to fill constitutional vacancies,” a declaration that sparked political debate on Friday.

Jumblatt announced that “the weapons that were stored at a compromised site were intended for use in acts of murder.” He explained that he “alerted the presidency and the competent agencies to take possession of this arsenal before any disaster occurred.

“The handover took place about three weeks ago, but I chose to remain discreet to preserve stability, as wars were raging in the east and west, and have now calmed down, thank God.”

Jumblatt revealed that the “weapons were gradually accumulated following the events of May 2008 between the sovereign forces and Hezbollah and its allies.”

All parties in Lebanon had surrendered their weapons after the signing of the Taif Agreement, with the exception of Hezbollah, which considered its arsenal at the time as “weapons of resistance against Israel.”

Jumblatt added: “There was great tension between the PSP and the other party (Hezbollah) which resulted in casualties on both sides. I made significant efforts with everyone and the state, and even with Hezbollah itself.

“We had contact with the party when necessary, and we were able to bring the issue to a halt. However, the weapons existed; some were purchased, and others were scattered in some areas.

“I worked to assemble the weapons in a central location, and I collected most of them, light and medium weapons, along with some 23-caliber machine guns and others. The weapons were handed over to the state.”

Jumblatt emphasized that “today, a new chapter has opened in the Middle East, and the previous means of confrontation are no longer viable.”

“All weapons must be under the authority of the state,” he added.

“Therefore, if there is a Lebanese party or Lebanese parties, or even non-Lebanese parties, that possess weapons, I hope that they will hand them over to the state in the proper form and manner.”

He also called for “the need to grant Palestinians in Lebanon their full rights to work and live with dignity, away from the policies of segregation and containment.”

“There are occupied border points and villages that have been completely destroyed,” Jumblatt said, rejecting any link between the handover of weapons and Israel’s withdrawal.

He emphasized “adherence to UN resolutions, especially Resolution 1701 and the Taif Agreement.”

Regarding Shebaa Farms — an area still occupied by Israel, which Hezbollah considers its duty to liberate it — Jumblatt highlighted the international debate over whether the territory was part of Lebanon or Syria.

He highlighted Syria’s refusal to submit relevant documentation to the UN and recalled an “agreement reached in the Lebanese National Dialogue in 2006.

“The three of us, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and I, agreed to go to Syria to demarcate the borders of the Shebaa Farms.”

He added: “If the farms are Lebanese, we would proceed to the UN, and if not, we would go to the UN to determine the farms’ fate.

“The Shebaa Farms are Syrian, occupied by Israel and fall under the scope of Resolution 242. Mount Hermon remains under occupation, partly Syrian and partly Lebanese.”


Trump hosts Netanyahu in push for Gaza deal

Trump hosts Netanyahu in push for Gaza deal
Updated 08 July 2025
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Trump hosts Netanyahu in push for Gaza deal

Trump hosts Netanyahu in push for Gaza deal
  • Netanyahu was more cagey on peace with the Palestinians and ruled out a full Palestinian state, saying that Israel will ‘always’ keep security control over the Gaza Strip
  • The US proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, two Palestinian sources close to the discussions had earlier told AFP

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump hosted Benjamin Netanyahu for dinner at the White House on Monday as he pressed the Israeli prime minister to end the devastating Gaza war.

Netanyahu’s third visit since Trump’s return to power comes at a crucial time, with the US president hoping to capitalize on the momentum from a recent truce between Israel and Iran.

“I don’t think there is a hold up. I think things are going along very well,” Trump told reporters at the start of the dinner when asked what was preventing a peace deal.

Sitting on the opposite side of a long table from the Israeli leader, Trump also voiced confidence that Hamas was willing to end the conflict in Gaza, which is entering its 22nd month.

“They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if clashes involving Israeli soldiers would derail talks.

The meeting in Washington came as Israel and Hamas held a second day of indirect talks in Qatar on an elusive ceasefire.

Netanyahu meanwhile said he had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize — the US president’s long-held goal — presenting him with a letter he sent to the prize committee.

“He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other,” Netanyahu said.

But Netanyahu was more cagey on peace with the Palestinians and ruled out a full Palestinian state, saying that Israel will ‘always’ keep security control over the Gaza Strip.

“Now, people will say it’s not a complete state, it’s not a state. We don’t care,” Netanyahu said.

Several dozen protesters gathered near the White House as Trump and Netanyahu met, chanting slogans accusing the Israeli prime minister of “genocide.”

Trump has strongly backed key US ally and fellow conservative Netanyahu, lending US support in Israel’s recent war by bombing Iran’s key nuclear facilities.

But at the same time he has increasingly pushed for an end to what he called the “hell” in Gaza. Trump said on Sunday he believes there is a “good chance” of an agreement this coming week.

“The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Leavitt said Trump wanted Hamas to agree to a US-brokered proposal “right now” after Israel backed the plan for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The latest round of negotiations on the war in Gaza began on Sunday in Doha, with representatives seated in different rooms in the same building.

Monday’s talks ended with “no breakthrough,” a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told AFP. The Hamas and Israeli delegations were due to resume talks later.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was due to join the talks in Doha later this week in an effort to get a ceasefire over the line.

The US proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, two Palestinian sources close to the discussions had earlier told AFP.

The group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel’s withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system, they said.

In Gaza, the civil defense agency said Israeli forces killed at least 12 people on Monday, including six in a clinic housing people displaced by the war.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,523 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.

 


Trump says Hamas ‘want to have that ceasefire’ in Gaza

Trump says Hamas ‘want to have that ceasefire’ in Gaza
Updated 08 July 2025
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Trump says Hamas ‘want to have that ceasefire’ in Gaza

Trump says Hamas ‘want to have that ceasefire’ in Gaza

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump voiced his confidence Monday that Hamas was willing to agree a truce with Israel, as he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push for an end to the Gaza war.

“They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if clashes involving Israeli soldiers would derail talks.


Libya authorities intercept over 100 migrants off coast

Libya authorities intercept over 100 migrants off coast
Updated 08 July 2025
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Libya authorities intercept over 100 migrants off coast

Libya authorities intercept over 100 migrants off coast
  • Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising

TRIPOLI: Libyan authorities on Monday said they had intercepted 113 migrants off the country’s coast and recovered three bodies in separate operations over three days.

The bodies of three “illegal migrants of African nationalities” were discovered on a beach in Misrata, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Tripoli, the Ministry of Interior said.

Also on Monday, security forces on a speedboat intercepted 54 migrants off Garabulli, 50 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli, the ministry added.

They were brought back to the capital’s port and handed over to the competent authorities, it said.

The day before, “as part of a plan to intensify maritime patrols during the summer,” 20 migrants “of various nationalities” were rescued off Zawiya, 45 kilometers west of Tripoli, the ministry said Sunday.

On Saturday, 39 migrants were intercepted off the eastern coast of Tripoli, the ministry reported, without providing further details about where they were found or their point of departure.

Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

It has become a hub for tens of thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe, risking their lives at sea.

Migrants intercepted by Libyan authorities — even in international waters before reaching the Italian coast, some 300 kilometers away — are forcibly returned to Libya and held in detention under harsh conditions frequently condemned by the United Nations.

 

 


Ending war in Gaza is ‘Trump’s utmost priority’

Ending war in Gaza is ‘Trump’s utmost priority’
Updated 07 July 2025
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Ending war in Gaza is ‘Trump’s utmost priority’

Ending war in Gaza is ‘Trump’s utmost priority’
  • Israel’s refusal to allow free and safe entry of aid is key sticking point in Doha truce talks

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s “utmost priority” is to end the war in Gaza and free hostages held by Hamas, the White House said on Monday before a crucial meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will this week travel to Qatar, where Israel and Hamas are holding indirect talks. Israel’s refusal to allow the free and safe entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza remains the main obstacle to progress in the ceasefire talks in Doha, Palestinian sources said. Mediators hosted two more rounds of discussions on Monday. 

The US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and discussions on ending the war entirely.

Hamas has long demanded a final end to the war before it would free remaining hostages, but Israel will not halt fighting until all hostages are free and Hamas dismantled. Trump said last week that he would be “very firm” with Netanyahu on the need for a speedy Gaza deal.

However, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza and sharply restricted food distribution. “God willing, a truce will take place,” Mohammed Al-Sawalheh, 30, from Jabaliya in northern Gaza, said on Monday after another Israeli air strike. “We cannot see a truce while people are dying. We want a truce that will stop this bloodshed.”


Syrian wildfires spread for fifth day due to heavy winds and war remnants

Syrian wildfires spread for fifth day due to heavy winds and war remnants
Updated 07 July 2025
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Syrian wildfires spread for fifth day due to heavy winds and war remnants

Syrian wildfires spread for fifth day due to heavy winds and war remnants
  • The fires have proven difficult to bring under control despite reinforcements from Jordan, Turkiye and Lebanon

LATAKIA: Syrian firefighters are facing heavy winds, high temperatures and ordnance left behind from the 13-year civil war as they try to extinguish some of country’s worst wildfires in years for the fifth day, a government minister said Monday.

The fires, which started last week, have proven difficult to bring under control despite reinforcements from Jordan, Turkiye and Lebanon that came to the war-torn country to help Syrian teams fight the blaze.

Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh said their main challenges are two locations in the coastal province of Latakia that they have been trying to control for two days.

“We have controlled other locations,” Al-Saleh told The Associated Press at the scene.

On the second day of the fire, firefighters managed to get 90 percent of the wildfires under control but explosions of left-over war ordnance and heavy winds helped spread the fires again, Al-Saleh said. He added that 120 teams are fighting the blazes.

On Monday, the Lebanese army said it sent two helicopters to help fight the fires in coordination with Syrian authorities.

Over the weekend, UN teams deployed to the Syrian coast where they are conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of the damage and to identify the most immediate humanitarian needs.

Summer fires are common in the eastern Mediterranean region, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions that then lead to blazes.

Also, below-average rainfall over the winter left Syrians struggling with water shortages this summer, as the springs and rivers that normally supply much of the population with drinking water have gone dry.