France and Pakistan have voiced deep concern over Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon and what they described as violations of a declared ceasefire. The issue was discussed during a phone call on Friday morning between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. According to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, both ministers emphasized the need for full implementation and respect for the ceasefire to restore stability in Lebanon.

Pakistan had previously acted as a mediator in the recent ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, claiming that Lebanon was included in the deal. France also supported including Lebanon in the ceasefire framework. However, the United States and Israel rejected this claim, asserting that the Iran-U.S. understanding had no connection to the Lebanese situation. The Israeli airstrikes, launched just hours after the ceasefire announcement, killed at least 254 people, including women and children.

Both France and Pakistan warned that continued Israeli attacks could undermine Pakistan’s mediating role and jeopardize the broader peace process. They called on the international community to take swift and effective action to address the escalating crisis.

Uncertainty surrounds the planned talks between the United States and Iran over ending the ongoing war, though Pakistan is fully preparing to host the meeting in Islamabad. Representatives from Washington and Tehran are expected to meet in the Pakistani capital, where strict security measures have been implemented, including road closures around the Red Zone that houses government buildings and embassies.

According to BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet, a senior Iranian foreign ministry official said the meeting has not yet been finalized. Reports that an Iranian delegation had already arrived in Islamabad were denied, and related social media posts were removed. Despite this, Pakistan’s preparations suggest that the talks may proceed as planned.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that discussions will not take place until a ceasefire is achieved in Lebanon. Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh reiterated this position in an interview with the BBC’s ‘Today’ program.

Israel has reported that 24 people were killed and more than 7,000 injured following a series of missile attacks launched by Iran during ongoing hostilities. According to the Times of Israel, Iran fired around 650 ballistic missiles toward Israel, many carrying cluster bomb warheads that caused widespread damage across populated areas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that more than half of the missiles contained cluster bomb warheads, dispersing numerous small explosives over wide regions. Among the dead were 20 civilians and foreign nationals inside Israel, as well as four Palestinians in the West Bank. The Israeli Health Ministry confirmed the casualty figures.

The report detailed that Iran launched about 80 missiles on the first day of the conflict, 60 on the second, and 30 on the third, continuing with 10 to 20 missiles daily in subsequent weeks. At least 16 warhead-equipped missiles struck populated areas, causing significant destruction.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced on Thursday that the country’s daily oil supply capacity has fallen by 700,000 barrels, equivalent to about 10 percent of its current exports, following attacks on its East-West pipeline. The ministry confirmed that one of the pipeline’s pumping stations was among the targets, disrupting the flow of crude oil across the kingdom.

This marks the first official Saudi statement acknowledging damage to its energy infrastructure caused by Iranian attacks. The announcement comes as the United States and Iran prepare for high-level peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. The East-West pipeline has become increasingly vital for Gulf oil transport since Iran took control of the Strait of Hormuz and restricted vessel movement through the waterway.

The ministry also reported that the Manifa and Khurais oil processing centers were hit in the same wave of attacks, further straining Saudi Arabia’s energy operations.

At least a dozen US military bases across the Gulf region have been severely damaged in Iran’s retaliatory strikes following attacks by the United States and Israel, according to a report published on April 10, 2026. The damage is described as so extensive that the bases have become more of a liability than an asset for US forces. The New York Times previously reported that the affected installations were nearly uninhabitable, though the Trump administration has not acknowledged the extent of the losses.

Mark Lynch, director of the Project on Middle East Political Science at George Washington University, stated during the Arab Center Washington DC’s annual conference that Iran had rendered the physical architecture of US dominance ineffective within a month. He added that no comprehensive or accurate report on the scale of the damage has been made public. Access to bases in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman remains tightly restricted by both the Pentagon and host governments.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that secrecy around the sites is being maintained to protect the security of US bases used in operations against Iran.

Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar, stated that the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Israel includes a provision to halt attacks in Lebanon. He questioned why confusion was being created over Lebanon’s inclusion, asserting that it is a clear part of the proposal.

Earlier, the White House had clarified that Lebanon was not included in the two-week ceasefire agreement announced between the United States and Iran. White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt said this during a briefing, noting that US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken by phone on Tuesday night. Netanyahu expressed support for the ceasefire efforts and was described as an important partner in the discussions.

The differing statements from Pakistan and the White House highlight uncertainty over the scope of the ceasefire and whether it extends to Lebanon, a point that could affect regional stability if not clarified.

A planned meeting between the United States and Iran has fallen into uncertainty following continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The talks were scheduled to take place on Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, but Iran’s delegation has yet to leave Tehran. Abbas Aslani, a senior fellow at the Middle East Strategic Research Center, confirmed to Al Jazeera that Iran refuses to engage in any dialogue while the attacks persist.

According to Aslani, Tehran has made it clear that no discussions will occur in Islamabad as long as the situation in Lebanon continues. The ongoing conflict has pushed the diplomatic initiative into deep uncertainty. Beyond the violence, Tehran attributes the delay to a shift in the US position, noting that Washington has signaled a move away from a ten-point peace plan previously approved by the US president.

Aslani added that this change has created a renewed trust deficit among Iranians, reinforcing fears that the United States cannot be relied upon to keep its commitments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed officials to begin direct talks with Lebanon as soon as possible. Despite agreeing to the idea of direct negotiations, Netanyahu made it clear that there will be no ceasefire in Lebanon and that military operations against Hezbollah will continue. The directive marks the first time Netanyahu has accepted Lebanon’s request for direct discussions.

The report notes that the pace of Israeli military operations in Lebanon has slowed in recent hours, with no major attacks reported in Beirut since Wednesday. This development follows a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, after which Israel continued its strikes in Lebanon. The situation reflects a complex regional dynamic involving multiple actors and ongoing hostilities.

It remains uncertain whether the proposed talks will lead to a reduction in hostilities or a broader diplomatic breakthrough, as Israel maintains its military stance while expressing readiness for dialogue.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have intensified their ground operations in southern Lebanon, focusing on encircling the strategically important town of Bint Jbeil. According to the latest reports, Israeli troops attempted to advance into the outskirts of the town within the past 24 hours. In response, Hezbollah claimed to have launched multiple attacks targeting Israeli forces near the town’s entrance, asserting that it halted the Israeli advance.

Hezbollah stated that it carried out more than 50 military operations in the past day, including several cross-border strikes inside Israel. The group had briefly reduced rocket attacks following reports of a regional ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, believing Lebanon would be included. However, after Israel clarified that the truce would not affect its Lebanon campaign, Hezbollah resumed full-scale resistance.

Military analysts cited in the report noted that Bint Jbeil holds both strategic and symbolic significance for Hezbollah. Control of the town would give Israel a major tactical advantage in southern Lebanon, raising fears that fighting in the area could escalate further in the coming days.

A US Navy surveillance drone, the MQ-4C Triton, went missing over the Strait of Hormuz area on Friday after issuing an emergency alert during flight. The aircraft, valued at more than $200 million, disappeared shortly after transmitting a 7700 emergency code and beginning a rapid descent. The drone had been conducting a three-hour surveillance mission over the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and was reportedly returning to its base when contact was lost.

According to the report, the drone was seen losing altitude quickly after turning slightly toward Iran before vanishing. It remains unclear whether the aircraft crashed or was shot down. The incident occurred shortly after a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, adding to the sensitivity of the situation.

The disappearance raises questions about the stability of the ceasefire and the security of aerial operations in the region, though no official explanation has yet been provided.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the protection of hospitals in Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes continued overnight across the southern regions, including Sidon and Nabatieh. Surveillance drones were reported over Beirut, and the Israeli military issued new forced evacuation orders for the southern suburbs, extending to the Janah area where thousands of displaced people had taken refuge.

WHO expressed deep concern that two major hospitals in Janah, currently operating at full capacity, are at risk. The facilities are treating around 450 patients, and with other hospitals already overcrowded, transferring these patients elsewhere is nearly impossible. The pressure on Lebanon’s health system has intensified since last Wednesday’s attacks, which injured more than a thousand people.

Many of those ordered to leave Janah had previously fled from other conflict zones, facing displacement for a second time. Israel claims its operations target Hezbollah positions, but the proximity of evacuation orders to civilian infrastructure and hospitals has drawn widespread international criticism.

The United States and Israel jointly launched an invasion of Iran on February 28, 2026. US President Donald Trump attempted to justify the operation by portraying it as a moral struggle between good and evil, but the American public has largely viewed the war as unnecessary. Evangelical Christian leaders in the United States have intensified efforts to present the invasion as a religious war, seeking to rally support among believers.

A two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, following rising domestic dissatisfaction over the conflict. The war has negatively affected Trump’s popularity, driven by higher fuel prices and American military casualties. Despite this, Trump continues to emphasize the war’s spiritual significance, describing a recent pilot rescue as an “Easter miracle” and claiming divine blessing for the joint US-Israeli campaign.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several conservative evangelical pastors, including Trump ally Robert Jeffress, have cited biblical verses to justify the invasion and highlight Israel’s role in Christian prophecy. They argue that the existence of modern Israel is essential for the prophesied return of Jesus Christ.

The fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is on the verge of collapse following renewed accusations from both sides just hours before a planned high-level meeting in Islamabad. According to AFP, tensions have escalated over disagreements involving the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon, with both nations refusing to compromise on key issues.

US President Donald Trump accused Iran of failing to uphold its commitment to ensure oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz, warning against any collection of fees from oil tankers. Meanwhile, Tehran insists that continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon violate the ceasefire terms, while Washington and Tel Aviv maintain that the truce applies only to direct US-Iran hostilities, not to Hezbollah.

Diplomatic analysts cited by AFP said that the Islamabad meeting, attended by US Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian leaders, will determine whether peace can be restored or if the region will slide back into conflict. If no progress is made on reopening the strait and resolving the Lebanon issue, the ceasefire could formally end at any moment.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that the country will avenge every martyr killed in the joint attack by the United States and Israel. In a statement broadcast on state television, he declared that Iran is determined to seek retribution for all killings, including that of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed on the first day of the war. The statement emphasized Iran’s resolve to demand compensation for all losses, the blood of martyrs, and the injuries sustained in the conflict.

The statement also mentioned that Iran would take the management of the Strait of Hormuz to a new stage, though no further details were provided about what that would entail. Meanwhile, discussions between the United States and Iran on a possible ceasefire are scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Friday, with Pakistan preparing to host the talks.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions and uncertainty about the next steps in the ongoing conflict.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that the country’s armed forces have not launched any missiles toward any nation since the start of the ongoing ceasefire. The statement was published by Iran’s Fars News Agency and came in response to reports of a drone attack on a facility of Kuwait’s semi-military National Guard.

In its statement, the IRGC said that if the reports of the drone attack were true, the incident was undoubtedly the work of what it called the Zionist enemy or the United States. The IRGC further emphasized that if Iran’s armed forces were to strike any target, the action would be officially announced with courage through an official statement.

The clarification appears aimed at distancing Iran from responsibility for the reported drone strike amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing ceasefire conditions.