Israel Defence Minister Warns of Continued Unrest in Beirut Without Hezbollah Ceasefire
Israel’s defence minister declared that there would be “no calm in Beirut” if Hezbollah attacks persisted and committed to establishing a military-controlled zone near the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
“The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut,”
Israel Katz stated in a release from his office, referring to the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold where he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously authorized strikes.
“At the same time, the IDF continues to operate with fire and manoeuvre against Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in ... in order to push threats away from IDF forces and from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,”
Katz added.
Iran Suspends Peace Talks with US Pending Israeli Military Halt
According to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency, Iran announced it will not engage in peace talks with the United States until its conditions for halting Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza are fulfilled.
Tasnim reported that Iran’s negotiating team is withdrawing from mediated message exchanges with the US concerning Israel’s offensive in Lebanon.
The agency further stated that Iran and its so-called “resistance front,” comprising proxy groups, intend to fully block the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, they plan to "activate" other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off Yemen’s coast, located across the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis, an Islamist armed faction controlling significant parts of Yemen and allied with Iran, have previously targeted shipping in the Red Sea and are likely part of the “resistance” mentioned by Iran.
Hezbollah Reports Ongoing Clashes Near Beaufort Castle
Hezbollah stated that its fighters continue to engage Israeli troops near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, a day after Israel claimed to have seized the fortress and raised its flag there.
A statement from Hezbollah’s operations room described their forces as being in a “battle of attrition against forces of the Israeli enemy army who are present in the area,” according to AFP.
Earlier, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, announced plans to create a buffer zone around the Litani area. Israel had controlled Beaufort Castle from 1982 until 2000, using it as a military base before withdrawing from Lebanon.
US Military Intercepts Iranian Missiles Targeting American Forces
The US military reported intercepting two Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at American forces stationed in Iraq late Sunday. No American personnel were injured.
Residents Flee Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Amid Israeli Threats
Following Israeli threats to strike Dahiyeh, the southern suburbs of Beirut, residents have been evacuating the area.
European Union Calls for Israeli Military Halt in Lebanon
On Monday, the European Union urged Israel to cease its military operations in Lebanon after Israel seized the strategic Beaufort Castle and announced plans to resume strikes on southern Beirut.
“We call on Israel to stop its military escalation in Lebanon and to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,”
EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
Iran’s Top Diplomat Warns of Ceasefire Violations Across All Fronts
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi emphasized that the ceasefire between Iran and the United States must be respected on all fronts following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order to attack Hezbollah-controlled southern Beirut suburbs.
“Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,”
Araqchi wrote on X.
Israel Orders Evacuation of Southern Lebanese Villages
Israel has issued evacuation orders for residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon, including Houmine al-Faouqa, Bnaafoul, Arab Salim, Roumine, Aazze, Arki, and Jbaa.
“Out of concern for your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by a distance of at least 1000 meters to open areas,”
said IDF Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adraee in a post on X.
Israel Intensifies Offensive in Lebanon, Captures Beaufort Castle
Israel has escalated its military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, capturing the strategic hilltop Beaufort Castle yesterday and ordering strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs today. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated Israel’s intent to “turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists.”
French President Pledges Support for US-Iran Ceasefire Talks
Following a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed France’s readiness to support ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran.
“Last night, I spoke with President Trump about the situation in the Middle East. I commended the determined efforts he is leading to quickly reach an agreement between the United States and Iran, which represents a unique opportunity to build a new security framework involving all concerned parties, in order to enable a lasting stabilization of the region.
I indicated that we are ready to fully support these efforts and to take our full part in their implementation. This is the purpose of the international mission that we have built with the British and our partners, ready to be deployed as soon as an agreement is concluded in order to contribute to securing maritime traffic in the region.
We are also prepared to bring our expertise and capabilities to the broader negotiations that must open, particularly on the nuclear aspect of an agreement. Finally, I commended President Trump’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and emphasized the importance of a robust ceasefire and our collective support for the Lebanese authorities.”
Yesterday, France called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting following Israel’s intensified offensive in Lebanon, scheduled to take place later today.
Mass Evacuations from Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Amid Rising Tensions
An AFP correspondent observed families with small children evacuating Beirut’s southern suburbs on scooters carrying minimal belongings, while others fled in cars loaded with pillows and bags after Israel ordered strikes on the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s capital.
Hadi, a 24-year-old resident, expressed his hopes for stability during the truce.
“That feeling did not last long ... Our fears intensified this morning after I received a series of messages about orders to bomb the southern suburbs, which caused widespread panic, and we immediately left the area,”
he told AFP by phone.
Beirut’s southern suburbs, Dahiyeh, have been targeted twice since April 8, when a series of Israeli attacks across Lebanon killed hundreds.
The Israeli evacuation order follows the capture of Beaufort Castle, which provides commanding views of southern Lebanon, as Israeli forces expand ground operations.
Kuwait Condemns Iranian Missile and Drone Attacks
Kuwait’s foreign ministry strongly condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks as sirens sounded across the country earlier Monday. Kuwait, a US ally hosting American bases, was targeted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who claimed to have struck a US military airbase from which attacks on Iran had originated.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the State of Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms, of the heinous and repeated Iranian attacks, which represent a dangerous escalation and a direct assault on the security and stability of the State of Kuwait, as well as a flagrant violation of the rules of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026, not to mention the grave threat they pose to the safety of civilians and vital facilities in the country,”
the ministry stated.
“The continuation and repetition of these aggressions undermine efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and threaten security and stability in the region, emphasising the State of Kuwait’s categorical rejection of these aggressive practices.”
Iran Accuses US of Ceasefire Violations Following Strikes on Syria
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of failing to comply with the ceasefire after US strikes on Syria over the weekend.
“The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of US noncompliance with the ceasefire,”
Ghalibaf said.
“Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place.”
In response to the US strikes, Iran targeted Syria with drones and missiles.
Israeli Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon Result in Six Deaths
Israeli airstrikes overnight in southern Lebanon killed six people, including a Syrian citizen in a village near Nabatiyeh, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported, citing Lebanese sources.
The Israeli military said it intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel on Sunday.
