Israel has intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon despite the existence of a US-mediated ceasefire. The Israeli forces have expanded forced evacuation orders in several towns and villages and recently carried out bombings in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon and Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley in the east.

According to Al Jazeera, security analyst and Responsible Statecraft contributor Ali Rizk stated that Hezbollah is not losing the war. He argued that Israel has been surprised by Hezbollah’s battlefield performance, which has increased internal pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rizk suggested that this pressure is driving Israel to escalate its attacks.

The developments highlight a growing intensity in the conflict zone even under an agreed truce, raising questions about the durability of the ceasefire and the political strain within Israel.

A large number of US military aircraft, including refueling planes, have been deployed at Israel’s Ben Gurion and Ramon airports, causing disruptions to civilian air traffic and airport capacity. The deployment has been described as unprecedented, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, which reported that the presence of these aircraft is affecting normal aviation operations.

Kan’s report further noted that the US aircraft remain stationed in Israel even during the current ceasefire with Iran. The broadcaster added that under the present circumstances, these aircraft are not expected to leave Israel soon. The report cited Al Jazeera as the source of this information.

The continued presence of US military assets at Israeli airports highlights the close military coordination between the two countries and its impact on civilian infrastructure, though no official statement on the duration or purpose of the deployment has been provided.

At least 31 people were killed and 40 others injured in Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon, according to the country’s National News Agency and the Health Ministry’s emergency operations center. The attacks targeted multiple towns and villages, leaving women and children among the dead and wounded. Rescue teams transported victims to local hospitals following the strikes.

The highest casualties were reported in Burj al-Shamali, where 14 people, including two children and three women, were killed and 16 others injured. Additional fatalities occurred in Kouthariyat al-Ruj, Habboush, Marakah, and Sela, with several children and women among the victims. The strikes have intensified in recent days, heightening tensions across the region.

Local residents are reportedly gripped by fear as the frequency of Israeli attacks increases, and authorities warn that the death toll could rise further if the assaults continue.

At least 31 people were killed and 40 others injured in multiple Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry. The attacks took place on Tuesday and were reported by Al Jazeera Arabic. The strikes targeted several towns and villages, including Burj Shamali, Kautariyat al-Rouz, Habbouch, Marake, and Sala, where casualties quickly increased following the bombings.

The Lebanese health ministry confirmed that the death toll had reached 31, with at least 40 people receiving treatment in various local hospitals. The report did not specify the reasons behind the airstrikes or identify the victims. The attacks mark a significant escalation in violence in the region, affecting multiple civilian areas.

Further details about the military objectives or international responses were not provided in the report, leaving the broader context of the strikes unclear.

Iranian pilgrims have participated in this year’s Hajj in Mecca despite the ongoing war between Iran and the United States. Among them is Hassan Qaderi from Isfahan, who expressed happiness at being able to perform the pilgrimage. Qaderi and his family had taken shelter during Israeli and American bombings in central Iran before a ceasefire in April brought relative calm. He told AFP that in Mecca they now hear the call to prayer instead of explosions. Iranian pilgrims, including Qaderi’s family, are staying near the Grand Mosque under special security provided by Saudi forces.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, only a little over 30,000 Iranians were able to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year, far fewer than the expected 86,700 due to wartime conditions. Hajj has long been a sensitive issue between Riyadh’s Sunni monarchy and Tehran’s Shia government. Past tensions included deadly stampedes, accusations of political slogans, and a 2015 tragedy that killed 464 Iranians. Diplomatic ties were severed in 2016 after protests in Tehran and Mashhad but were restored in 2023 through Chinese mediation.

The peaceful participation of Iranian pilgrims this year reflects a cautious normalization of Saudi-Iran relations despite regional conflict.

A senior spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces has warned that the country will deliver a much harsher and more powerful retaliation if airstrikes by the United States and Israel resume. Speaking through the semi-official Fars news agency, Abolfazl Shekarchi stated that any new phase of war in the region would trigger an Iranian response extending beyond regional boundaries.

According to Fars, a recent US and Israeli airstrike targeted an Iranian vessel south of Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly killing several Iranian citizens. The renewed attacks come as Pakistan has been leading mediation efforts to end the conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

The latest escalation has reignited regional tensions, raising concerns that the fragile mediation process could collapse if hostilities continue.

A potential ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran could create a strategic setback for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Mirav Jonesjin, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Jonesjin said such a deal would prevent Israel from achieving its key objectives of regime change in Iran or the complete destruction of its nuclear capabilities.

Jonesjin added that while Netanyahu might claim some reduction in Iran’s military capacity, those effects would not last long. She also noted that former US President Donald Trump had expected a different outcome from the conflict, but now faces political and global economic pressures resulting from it.

According to Jonesjin, any agreement to end the war between the United States and Iran would effectively create what she described as a “near-nightmare scenario” for Netanyahu, underscoring the complex regional consequences of such a truce.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly used a procurement network based in the United Arab Emirates to obtain advanced Chinese satellite communication equipment linked to its drone program. According to a Financial Times report published on Sunday, documents show that the IRGC’s Aerospace Force acquired military-grade Chinese satellite antennas and communication technology through a UAE-based company called Telisan by the end of 2025.

The report states that about 1.8 tons of satellite antenna equipment were shipped from Shanghai through Jebel Ali Port to Iran’s Bandar Abbas, later handed to the Iranian firm Ertebatat Faragostar Kish. Satellite imagery and GPS data indicated that the Iranian vessel involved transmitted misleading signals to conceal its location. Analysts cited in the report said the IRGC continues to use Middle Eastern commercial networks and free trade zones to obtain strategic military technology despite Western sanctions.

The Financial Times documents also claim that the equipment was used in Iran’s drone and missile operations, which caused significant damage to U.S. bases in the region. Neither UAE nor Iranian authorities commented on the report.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Air Force commander, Sayed Majid Mousavi, has warned that Iran is fully prepared to deliver a decisive response to what it calls a US violation of the ongoing ceasefire. In a post on social media platform X, Mousavi criticized current diplomatic efforts, saying that talks with the enemy bring only harm. He stated that Iran’s air force, which oversees the country’s strategic ballistic missile and drone programs, is on high alert and ready to act upon the supreme commander’s final order.

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of breaching the ceasefire by conducting aggressive activities in the Hormozgan region near Bandar Abbas. The statement comes amid continuing peace negotiations, which have been overshadowed by renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The warning signals a potential escalation if the ceasefire violations persist, with Iran emphasizing its readiness for immediate retaliation should hostilities resume.

Lorenzo Kamal, a history professor at the University of Turin and Rome’s Luiss School of Government, told Al Jazeera that Washington must bring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under control if it wants to implement a peace agreement between Iran and the United States. He made the remarks in an interview published on Tuesday.

Kamal said Israeli authorities have been trying to escalate tensions in Lebanon to weaken any potential deal between the Trump administration and Iranian officials. According to him, Netanyahu remains the central figure in this dynamic, seeking to present himself as an indispensable wartime leader at least until Israel’s next election. Kamal added that Netanyahu’s political position could weaken if tensions subside, allowing his rivals to challenge his leadership.

He further noted that the United States continues to allow Israel to act without restraint, and until Trump compels Netanyahu to enforce a ceasefire in Lebanon, the Iran-US peace agreement will remain extremely fragile.

British journalist David Hearst has argued that Iran has emerged victorious in its recent conflict with the United States, fundamentally altering the balance of global power. He wrote that Iran’s resistance against subjugation has sent a strong message to the Arab world, showing that determined regional powers can resist U.S. and Israeli dominance. Hearst described how repeated failed negotiations between U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran exposed Washington’s declining influence, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu playing a key role in undermining potential agreements.

The article outlines how Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz and its regional deterrence capabilities have strengthened its position. It also notes the emergence of a new Sunni alliance involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Oman, which contrasts with earlier U.S.-backed normalization efforts between Arab states and Israel. Hearst contends that the Islamic Republic’s survival has upended Israel’s regional ambitions and weakened U.S. strategic dominance.

According to Hearst, Iran’s endurance has emboldened resistance movements across the region and redefined Middle Eastern geopolitics, leaving both Trump and Netanyahu politically diminished.

Iran has executed a man accused of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The individual, identified as Gholamreza Khani Shekharab, was put to death after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence. The report did not specify the location or method of execution.

Tasnim noted that Tehran has recently carried out several executions of individuals convicted of spying for Israel. Human rights organizations have criticized this pattern, arguing that Iran continues to rank among the world’s top countries in carrying out executions, reportedly second only to China.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, reflects ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, as well as international concern over Iran’s use of the death penalty in espionage and political cases.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced international condemnation this week after footage showed him gloating over blindfolded and bound activists detained from a flotilla in international waters. The activists, largely foreign nationals, had attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Reports that at least 15 detainees were sexually assaulted during detention intensified the backlash. France banned Ben-Gvir from entering the country, while more than a dozen governments, including Italy, Canada, Spain, Ireland, Germany, and South Korea, summoned Israeli ambassadors or issued formal condemnations. Even the US ambassador criticized Ben-Gvir, calling his actions a betrayal of national dignity.

President Isaac Herzog publicly condemned settler violence and prisoner abuse, prompting Ben-Gvir to call for Herzog’s removal. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advanced plans to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar and expand West Bank settlements, framing the move as retaliation for the International Criminal Court’s warrant request against him. The Knesset Education Committee also pushed a bill extending Israeli civilian authority over archaeological sites in the West Bank and Gaza, drawing legal and military warnings that it could breach international agreements.

The developments unfolded amid ongoing demolitions, raids, and settler attacks across the occupied territories, as well as worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Iran’s armed forces have warned that they will deliver a harsher response to the latest United States attacks. Senior military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi stated that any new aggression against Iran would be met with stronger retaliation. He cautioned that if another phase of conflict begins, Iranian strikes would extend beyond the region and become more intense and violent.

The warning came after the United States launched new attacks inside Iran while discussions over a possible peace agreement were ongoing. According to the US military, the strikes targeted Iranian missile bases and naval vessels and were carried out in self-defense. The exchange underscores heightened tensions between the two countries despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.

The situation suggests that any further escalation could spread beyond the immediate region, potentially complicating peace negotiations already underway.

Tehran’s municipal authorities announced that 97 percent of buildings damaged in recent US and Israeli attacks have been repaired. A spokesperson for the Tehran Municipality said that structures requiring minor repairs have been mostly restored, and all remaining work is expected to be completed within the next week.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Housing Foundation reported repairing around 37,000 residential and commercial buildings affected by the conflict. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, more than 125,000 civilian structures across the country were either destroyed or severely damaged by the attacks.

The municipal update highlights the scale of reconstruction efforts underway in Tehran following widespread damage from the strikes.