Lebanon

Netanyahu vows to maintain Israel's military presence in southern Lebanon amid U.S. pressure to withdraw.

The IDF said that "in accordance with operational needs, the IDF is deployed in the security zone, about 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory." Israeli officials also called on the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to prevent Lebanese civilians from returning to areas where IDF forces are operating.

Israeli officials fear U.S. pressure tied to the Iran track could lead to delayed weapons shipments and security restrictions

Trump urges Israel to adopt a softer approach in Lebanon amid ongoing US-Israel negotiations.

President Donald Trump said, "I gave Israel a copy of the memorandum of understanding with Iran." At the same time, he continued criticizing Israel’s conduct in Lebanon: "You don’t have to take down a building every time there’s a Hezbollah operative inside."

Arab media reported that the memorandum of understanding signed between the U.S. and Iran includes a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance pushed back against critics of the deal: "We achieved the goals President Trump set."

The Israeli Air Force intercepted several rockets launched at IDF forces in southern Lebanon and struck the launcher used in the attack. Separately, a suspicious vehicle identified in the area of operations was targeted after troops first fired warning shots.

President Donald Trump briefly addressed the memorandum of understanding with Iran, which is set to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday. He stressed: "It’s a good deal. But if Iran develops nuclear weapons, all hell will come down on them."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today that an immediate end to the fighting in Lebanon, along with an IDF withdrawal, is part of the agreement with the U.S. Meanwhile, Lebanese media reported that the IDF carried out a targeted killing in southern Lebanon.

Forces from the IDF’s 36th Division are continuing operations to clear the tunnel network and underground infrastructure built with Iranian funding and support in southern Lebanon. In one of the routes, maps were found on the tunnel walls illustrating the enemy’s deployment and the threat that had been planned against the communities of the Galilee Panhandle.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun responded to reports that Iran is trying to link Hezbollah’s war with Israel to the broader fighting in the Persian Gulf. His message was unequivocal: "Lebanon’s future is in the hands of the Lebanese, not Iran or Israel."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a recorded message in English aimed at the Lebanese people, stressing: "Israel wants peace. Once Hezbollah is dismantled, the possibilities for both peoples will be endless, and the sky is the limit."

Lebanese media aligned with Hezbollah published a piece urging President Joseph Aoun to back away from efforts to advance an agreement with Israel, while also threatening to reveal secrets tied to his past.

Iran said it is ending its military operations against Israel and added: "If you attack Lebanon, we will respond with even greater force." Earlier, President Donald Trump called for an immediate ceasefire. A senior Israeli official said: "We will also bomb Dahieh if the attacks on our communities and civilians continue."

Iran warned last week that it would strike Israel if the IDF attacked the Dahiya district in Lebanon’s capital. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said, "I approved plans to continue intensifying the blow to Hezbollah."

After Hezbollah fired toward Israeli territory, the IDF struck targets in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district. The strike was carried out on the instructions of Israel’s political leadership and was described as a direct response to the fire from Lebanese territory.

The IDF said two rockets that crossed into Israeli territory were intercepted. The military also revealed a major underground Hezbollah emergency compound in the Beaufort area.

Three Lebanese army personnel were killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon. The IDF said the area was an active combat zone against Hezbollah. In Beirut, officials condemned what they called a "barbaric attack."

Capt. Shahar Gamla, a 24-year-old officer in the Egoz commando unit from Natur, died of his wounds after being critically injured in fighting in Lebanon. On Friday, Sgt. Ohad Yaari, 21, of Rehovot, was killed in southern Lebanon.

The "ceasefire" in the north continues: four IDF reservists were moderately wounded after an explosive drone struck in southern Lebanon. At the same time, alerts were activated in Metula and Misgav Am. Metula Local Council head David Azoulay blasted the situation: "Even this morning, Metula’s children and parents went out to schools under nonstop fire."