At least 16 killed in Israeli strikes, says Lebanese media<\/p>\n
Lebanon\u2019s state-run National News Agency has said at least 16 people have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, which Israel\u2019s military said were ongoing, while Hezbollah<\/a> said there was intense fighting in the area.<\/p>\n The fighting poses a threat to the new US-Iran agreement on ending the war, which calls for an immediate halt of military operations \u201con all fronts, including in Lebanon\u201d.<\/p>\n The deal also calls for ensuring the \u201cterritorial integrity and sovereignty\u201d of Lebanon, where Israel<\/a> has been battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah.<\/p>\n Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any immediate withdrawal from southern Lebanon, saying Israeli forces will stay there \u201cfor as long as necessary\u201d.<\/p>\n As just mentioned, Donald Trump said on Thursday the US expected \u201ca \u2060complete ceasefire on all fronts, including \u2060Lebanon, Hezbollah \u200band Israel\u201d, also encouraging \u201ceveryone \u200cin the \u200cMiddle East region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations \u200cto beautifully unfold\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.15 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran\u2019s chief negotiator, said future talks with the US must respect Tehran\u2019s \u201cred lines\u201d. The ceasefire in Lebanon<\/a> has been one of these red lines for Iran since the start of negotiations.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we have demonstrated throughout previous negotiations, we remain steadfast in respecting the established conditions and red lines, and in defending the interests of the Iranian nation,\u201d Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by Iran\u2019s official IRNA news agency.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the enemy becomes excessive [in its demands], we have proven that we are ready to retaliate and will not hesitate to deliver a stinging response,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The IDF said it has launched a strike in Lebanon\u2019s eastern Bekaa valley against what it described as Hezbollah<\/a> infrastructure and \u201cin response to repeated violations of the ceasefire\u201d by the Iran-backed group.<\/p>\n The statement came after the Israeli military said four of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon<\/a>. The Times of Israel, citing the military, reported that an Israeli army tank came under a suspected Hezbollah anti-tank missile or drone attack overnight in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit, killing an IDF tank battalion commander and three other soldiers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Reacting to news of four IDF soldiers being killed in southern Lebanon<\/a>, Israel\u2019s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said \u201call of Lebanon must burn\u201d.<\/p>\n In the latest in a series of incendiary statements, Ben-Gvir said he told the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that \u201cfor every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep\u201d.<\/p>\n In a statement on social media, he said: \u201cWith all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining. All of Lebanon must burn.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben-Gvir has a long history of inflammatory comments and actions, particularly against Arabs. He sparked diplomatic outrage last month <\/a>after he shared footage of Israeli security forces abusing international activists.<\/p>\n Itamar Ben-Gvir speaking to the media in Jerusalem in April. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n When asked about the talks in Switzerland being postponed, Barrot advised not to read too much into it, telling FranceInfo: \u201cThe hardest part remains to be done, but let\u2019s not overinterpret the postponement of meetings, given that this [US-Iran] agreement has been signed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is essential now is that discussions, including at the technical level, can continue so that the first steps provided for by this agreement can be activated.\u201d<\/p>\n US vice-president JD Vance has dropped plans to travel to Switzerland, where the talks were scheduled to take place in Burgenstock before the Swiss foreign ministry said they were postponed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.55 EDT<\/p>\n The French foreign minister, Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot, has urged Israel to respect the US-Iran agreement to end war in the Middle East, as the Israeli military continues to bomb southern Lebanon<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis agreement provides for the cessation of hostilities. The Israeli government must respect it, and the United States must exert all necessary pressure on the Israeli government,\u201d he told the French news channel FranceInfo.<\/p>\n French foreign minister Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot speaking to media in Luxembourg on Monday. Photograph: Olivier Hoslet\/EPAShare<\/a>IDF says four soldiers killed in southern Lebanon<\/p>\n The IDF said four of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon as fighting intensifies between the Israeli miltiary and Hezbollah<\/a>.<\/p>\n One of the soldiers was identified as Lt Col Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, with the IDF saying he was killed in action. The military said the three other soldiers will be identified later.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.43 EDT<\/p>\n An early image on the newswires from southern Lebanon where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck Hezbollah<\/a> targets throughout the night and continues to strike this morning.<\/p>\n Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon as seen from a position across the border in northern Israel. Photograph: Jalaa Marey\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>At least 16 killed in Israeli strikes, says Lebanese media<\/p>\n Lebanon\u2019s state-run National News Agency has said at least 16 people have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, which Israel\u2019s military said were ongoing, while Hezbollah<\/a> said there was intense fighting in the area.<\/p>\n The fighting poses a threat to the new US-Iran agreement on ending the war, which calls for an immediate halt of military operations \u201con all fronts, including in Lebanon\u201d.<\/p>\n The deal also calls for ensuring the \u201cterritorial integrity and sovereignty\u201d of Lebanon, where Israel<\/a> has been battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah.<\/p>\n Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any immediate withdrawal from southern Lebanon, saying Israeli forces will stay there \u201cfor as long as necessary\u201d.<\/p>\n As just mentioned, Donald Trump said on Thursday the US expected \u201ca \u2060complete ceasefire on all fronts, including \u2060Lebanon, Hezbollah \u200band Israel\u201d, also encouraging \u201ceveryone \u200cin the \u200cMiddle East region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations \u200cto beautifully unfold\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.15 EDT<\/p>\n Opening summary: Israel strikes targets in Lebanon as US-Iran talks in Switzerland cancelled<\/p>\n Welcome to our continuing live coverage of events in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military says it is attacking Hezbollah in several areas across southern Lebanon and has been striking throughout Thursday night.<\/p>\n It said on Telegram that the strikes on \u201cHezbollah terrorists and infrastructure sites\u201d came after \u201crepeated violations of the ceasefire\u201d by the Iran-backed grup.<\/p>\n It was earlier reported that three people had been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon<\/a>, according to Lebanese state media. Hezbollah had said its fighters were engaged in fresh clashes with the Israeli military on Thursday.<\/p>\n The strikes have occurred despite the US-Iran agreement stipulating an end of the war on all fronts in the Middle East, including Lebanon.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, talks set to take place on Friday between the \u2060US \u2060and \u200bIran on implementing the 14-point agreement to end their war have been cancelled<\/a>, Switzerland\u2019s foreign ministry has announced.<\/p>\n Vice-president JD Vance has postponed his trip to Switzerland, casting uncertainly over what happens next.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Tasnim news agency said \u201cnothing has been confirmed\u201d about the Iranian delegation\u2019s trip to Switzerland. A White House spokesperson said the US looked forward to starting \u201ctechnical talks as soon as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n In other key developments:<\/p>\n Vance lashed out at Israeli critics<\/a> of the Iran deal, saying Donald Trump was Israel\u2019s only ally left in the world, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in defence aid \u2060the country receives from America. Trump \u201cis the only head of state in the entire world \u200cwho is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this \u200cmoment in time\u201d, Vance told reporters.<\/p>\n Trump said on Thursday the \u200bUS expected \u201ca \u2060complete ceasefire on all fronts, including \u2060Lebanon, Hezbollah \u200band Israel\u201d, adding in a social media post: \u201cWe \u200cencourage everyone \u200cin the \u200cMiddle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations \u200cto beautifully unfold.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s supreme leader said he approved the deal with the US despite having a \u201cdifferent view\u201d, without elaborating. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in message read on state television: \u201cIn principle, I had a different view [about the memorandum of understanding], but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable [Iranian] president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front.\u201d<\/p>\n In Khamenei\u2019s message on Thursday \u2013 his first reaction to the Iran-US deal \u2013 he claimed Trump had \u201cused all kinds of levers\u201d to secure the deal \u201cout of desperation\u201d. The US president has claimed the agreement is a victory for Washington and averts a \u201cworldwide depression\u201d.<\/p>\n Trump signs the framework agreement with Iran in the Palace of Versailles in France, beside French president Emmanuel Macron (R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (L), with US secretary of state Marco Rubio (standing L), on Thursday. Photograph: @Scavino47\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Iran announced plans to introduce a system of maritime fees in the strait of Hormuz after the 60-day period of negotiation triggered by the signing of the memorandum of understanding with the US. Tehran, claiming a historic victory over the US, said the strait was under its control and a European plan for a naval mission to escort ships though the vital waterway would not be welcome, reports <\/a>Patrick Wintour<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vance said the 60-day period in which to reach a final agreement with Iran started on Thursday. That would set a deadline for the final agreement between Iran and the US as 17 August.<\/p>\n US Central Command ended its blockade in the Hormuz strait, it announced on social media. The US naval blockade of the strait had been in effect since 13 April, with control of the waterway being a key point of conflict in the war. Marine Traffic data showed that at least seven ships had crossed the strait on Thursday.<\/p>\n The US would restart military action and \u2060reimpose a \u2060blockade \u200bagainst Iran if it did not fulfil its commitments \u2060under the signed agreement, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said at a meeting with Nato defence ministers in Brussels.<\/p>\n Khamenei said in his message that he received assurances from the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, about the deal and that it would not be accepted \u201cif the American side wants to make excessive demands\u201d. \u201cIt is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy\u2019s point of view,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she was representing the bloc\u2019s position on the Middle East, after Israel announced it was severing diplomatic relations over allegations she had compared the country to apartheid South Africa.<\/p>\n