Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has described Iran as a symbol of pride and dignity, expressing deep gratitude toward the country. In a message sent to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran, Qassem credited Iran’s diplomatic efforts and negotiations for compelling Israel to halt military operations across several fronts, including Lebanon. He claimed this outcome represented the first and fundamental condition of an understanding between Iran and the United States.

Qassem stated that Iran has consistently supported Hezbollah, the resistance movement, and the Lebanese people without seeking anything in return. He said Iran granted them independence in decision-making, strength to liberate land, and assistance in rebuilding society and helping citizens. He further noted that Iran is currently making sacrifices, responding to bombings in southern Beirut with counterattacks against the Zionist entity, and facing the consequences of war threats.

He concluded his message by reaffirming that Iran stands as a symbol of pride and dignity.

Lebanon’s health authorities have reported that 3,826 people have been killed and 11,851 injured in Israeli attacks since March 2. The updated figures were released recently by the Lebanese health department, which confirmed that the ongoing conflict has caused severe civilian casualties across the country.

Among the dead are hundreds of women and children, as well as emergency medical workers, paramedics, and first responders engaged in rescue operations. The health department’s report highlights the heavy toll on both civilians and humanitarian personnel.

The attacks have also triggered a major humanitarian crisis in southern Lebanon, where more than one million people have been forced to flee their homes due to Israeli military operations. The situation continues to deteriorate as displacement and infrastructure damage worsen across the affected regions.

At least 1,265 people were killed and 2,800 others injured in attacks on Iran’s capital Tehran carried out by the United States and Israel, according to a senior official from Iran’s urban administration. Mehdi Babai, head of the Tehran City Council’s Security Committee, shared the figures in an interview with the state-affiliated Student News Network.

Babai said around 50,000 residential units across the capital were damaged, though most suffered relatively minor destruction. Approximately 6,000 displaced residents have been provided with temporary housing, and about 125 injured individuals remain hospitalized. Officials reported that the strikes caused extensive impact on Tehran’s civilian infrastructure and residential areas.

Local authorities have continued rescue, medical, and rehabilitation operations to address the aftermath of the attacks, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stated that an understanding between Washington and Tehran is crucial for ensuring regional stability and security. Speaking alongside the US President during a joint briefing on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, he emphasized that Qatar is always ready to assist its friends and partners when cooperation is needed. He also reaffirmed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable paths to resolving the ongoing crisis.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said the country is working to prevent renewed tensions in the Middle East and to restore the stability that existed before the recent escalation involving Iran. He added that Qatar will continue its diplomatic initiatives to secure regional peace and prevent further conflict.

Regarding Gaza, Al-Ansari noted that Qatar remains an active mediator to ensure the effective implementation of the ceasefire. However, despite the agreement, reports indicate that Israeli attacks have continued, killing thousands of Palestinians since last October, complicating peace efforts in the region.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Haiti on Tuesday to express solidarity with the people suffering from ongoing gang violence. According to his office, this will be his first visit to the Caribbean nation since July 2023. During the trip, Guterres will meet men, women, and children affected by the violence and assess the country’s humanitarian and security conditions. He will also review national and international efforts to restore stability and support the Haitian population.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has faced years of political, economic, and security turmoil. Armed groups continue to commit killings, rapes, looting, and kidnappings. The UN reports that about 1.5 million people are displaced and over 5 million face acute food insecurity. The security crisis worsened in early 2024, forcing the resignation of the unelected prime minister and the appointment of interim leadership.

Guterres will also evaluate UN support for the newly authorized international force to combat gangs and meet Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The UN human rights chief has urged urgent deployment of the force and action against impunity.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon, saying that too many people are being killed. Speaking during a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, Trump said Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for a long time but is unable to suppress the group without harming others. He questioned the logic of destroying entire residential buildings in search of Hezbollah members, noting that many civilians live in those buildings.

Trump also proposed a new diplomatic approach to the crisis, suggesting that Syria could be more effective than Israel in dealing with Hezbollah. He said he had advised Israel to let Syria handle the matter, expressing confidence that Syria could do the job more precisely. Analysts cited in the report said Trump’s remarks reflect unease within the U.S. administration over civilian deaths caused by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. Despite his criticism, Trump emphasized that his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains excellent.

World leaders gathered in Evian-les-Bains, France, for the G7 summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, where discussions centered on the recent preliminary Iran-US agreement and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The agreement aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, reduce regional tensions, and pave the way for detailed talks on Iran’s nuclear program within 60 days. The formal signing is scheduled for Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoided direct comment on the deal but clarified that Israel has no plans to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon, Gaza, or Syria. Macron emphasized the need for a strong and lasting agreement and discussed a potential Franco-British maritime initiative to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought continued G7 support and explored the possibility of meeting US President Donald Trump.

European leaders urged Trump to maintain support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia. Trump described the Iran-US understanding as a major diplomatic success and expressed hope for broader stability in the Middle East and progress toward ending the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the United States under mediation. On Monday, he suggested that such a meeting in the U.S. would be much harder for Putin to reject. Zelensky said he discussed the idea with U.S. President Donald Trump over the phone and is waiting to see the outcome. The proposal aims to advance efforts to end the war that has continued for more than four years.

According to Zelensky, Putin has repeatedly rejected direct meeting proposals, including one during the G7 summit in France. A source from the Ukrainian president’s office told AFP that the proposal had been conveyed earlier through intermediaries, diplomats, and intelligence channels but received no clear response. Zelensky stated that if Russia rejects this opportunity as well, additional pressure will be necessary.

The conflict began in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, described as Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed near the village of Kamenka in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, according to local and defense officials. Preliminary reports suggest the crash was caused by an engine malfunction. The aircraft went down in a forested area near the Angara River, and videos circulating on social media showed smoke rising from the crash site, though their authenticity could not be independently verified.

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the crew ejected before the crash and that there were no threats to their lives or health. The ministry also confirmed that the bomber was not carrying any weapons and that no damage occurred on the ground. Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said all four crew members were hospitalized but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

The Tu-22M3 is a modernized version of the earlier Tu-22 bomber and is capable of carrying KH-22 cruise missiles and hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. The aircraft type has previously been used by Russia in operations in Syria and Ukraine.

In early February 2026, South Sudan’s army launched a counter-offensive in Jonglei State, leading to large-scale destruction in towns such as Lankien. According to reports, hospitals, markets, and homes were burned or looted, and civilians fled to nearby swamps. Satellite imagery analyzed by the Center for Information Resilience (CIR) confirmed extensive damage between February 3 and 9, while residents and aid workers described deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said everything essential for survival had been systematically destroyed.

Authorities have called the campaign “Operation Enduring Peace,” aimed at reclaiming rebel-held areas. However, residents told Al Jazeera they believed government forces were responsible for the devastation, though independent verification was not possible due to restricted access. The government denied targeting civilians, claiming its operations were defensive. The violence followed the 2025 arrest of opposition leader Riek Machar, which reignited conflict between his forces and those loyal to President Salva Kiir.

The United Nations reported that 28 health centers were damaged or looted, leaving 70 percent nonfunctional. Aid agencies warned that over 70,000 people face severe hunger, and experts fear the crisis could push South Sudan toward state collapse.

Under a new peace agreement signed by US President Donald Trump, ships will be able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without paying tolls. The United States clarified that Iran must fulfill all commitments under the deal before receiving any economic benefits. According to AFP, a senior US official said a proposed $300 billion fund may be created to help rebuild war-torn Iran, but disbursement will depend on Tehran’s progress in implementing the agreement.

The memorandum of understanding was signed electronically by President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. A US official said Trump’s personal signature was meant to signal his commitment to the peace process. Vice President Vance described the document as a brief, one-and-a-half-page text, leaving complex issues such as Iran’s nuclear program for later negotiations.

Vance also stated that international nuclear inspectors would be allowed to re-enter Iran to assist in dismantling enriched uranium stockpiles. Expert-level discussions are scheduled this week to finalize details, ahead of a formal signing ceremony planned in Geneva, Switzerland.

Around 22,000 sailors have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for nearly four months and are reported to be severely affected, according to Saman Rezaei, head of the Iranian Merchant Mariners Syndicate (IMMS). He said threats and attacks on commercial vessels have sharply increased since the start of the U.S. naval blockade, heightening maritime tensions and causing casualties among sailors, fishermen, dockworkers, pilots, and other civilians.

Rezaei emphasized that regardless of political outcomes, ensuring the safe departure of all sailors through international cooperation is now the top priority. He noted that many sailors have been killed or gone missing, and the psychological toll on them and their families during the conflict is immense.

Pointing to post-war recovery, Rezaei indicated a phased restoration process beginning with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Switzerland on June 19. Iran has pledged to begin mine clearance within 30 days, though full resumption of large vessel operations may take up to eight months due to safety checks, high insurance costs, and lingering distrust.

The head of Iran’s Merchant Marine Union, Saman Rezaei, told Al Jazeera that even after the current crisis ends, maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war state. Rezaei, who also serves as secretary general of the Iranian Merchant Mariners Syndicate under the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), said the conflict has shattered the long-standing order and structure that once made the strait a safe haven for commercial shipping.

According to Rezaei, the global shipping industry views the return to normal operations in the strait as a long and uncertain process. He noted that recovery depends on sustainable peace, visible reduction of threats, and several successful accident-free voyages. The ITF has indicated that clearing vessel congestion and rotating crews could take several weeks, possibly months.

Rezaei added that many key port, transport, trade, and oil facilities along both shores of the Persian Gulf were damaged during the war, requiring significant time and financial resources for repair and reconstruction.

Australia has pledged to conduct an independent investigation into alleged Israeli abuse of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound aid convoy. The announcement came after a meeting between representatives of the Global Movement to Gaza Aotearoa-Australia and senior Australian officials, including Foreign Minister Penny Wong, International Development Minister Anne Aly, the Australian Federal Police, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

According to the organization, the investigation will examine reports of assault, sexual abuse, and mistreatment of flotilla workers detained by Israeli forces in international waters. The flotilla was reportedly intercepted while en route to Gaza with humanitarian supplies.

Italy and France have already initiated their own investigations into Israel’s treatment of the detained activists. Italy’s inquiry includes far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who appeared in a video showing activists being pushed and forced into painful kneeling positions aboard a detained vessel.

Iranian media reported that Iranian oil tankers and other cargo vessels have begun crossing the Strait of Hormuz without any obstruction. According to Fars News Agency, several Iranian ships have started passing through the blockade zone freely. Maritime sources said a large crude oil tanker bound for an Iranian port and another vessel carrying livestock supplies have both crossed the restricted area.

The report indicated that while the naval blockade has not been fully lifted, a process toward easing it has begun. The United States is now allowing Iranian ships to travel through these waters to the open sea and return to Iranian ports. Iranian observers view this as a goodwill gesture from Washington ahead of a scheduled agreement signing ceremony on Friday, a step Tehran had long awaited.

Iranian sources emphasized that this process should continue and be maintained, seeing it as an initial test of U.S. commitment to its promises.