Paris (France) (AFP) – The latest developments in the Middle East war:
– **Israel hits Lebanon**
The Israeli military said its air force had eliminated a “terrorist cell” operating near its troops in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire there. “The IDF eliminated a terrorist cell operating in proximity to IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, in the area of the forward defence line dedicated to preventing imminent threats to Israel’s northern communities,” it said, without specifying how many suspected militants were killed.
– **French peacekeepers gravely wounded**
Two of the three French peacekeepers injured in an attack in Lebanon that also killed a French soldier are in serious condition, the French foreign ministry said.
– **Hezbollah denies peacekeepers attack**
Hezbollah denied it was involved in a deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, after France accused the group of being behind the incident. “Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area, and calls for caution in making judgements and assigning responsibilities regarding the incident pending the Lebanese army’s investigations to determine the full circumstances of the incident,” the group said in a statement.
– **Iran reviewing ‘new proposals’**
Iran’s top national security body said that the country was reviewing “new proposals” received from the United States, even as it warned that its negotiators would cut no compromises with Washington. “New proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to,” the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement.
– **Iran internet blackouts**
The internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities at the start of the Middle East war has entered an “unprecedented” 50th day, according to the monitor NetBlocks. “Metrics show the measure, unprecedented for a connected society, continues to the detriment of most Iranians’ livelihoods and human rights,” NetBlocks said on X.
– **Trump warns against ‘blackmail’**
US President Donald Trump warned Iran not to “blackmail” Washington with the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran declared the strategic waterway once again closed. “We’re talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again — you know, as they’ve been doing for years — and they can’t blackmail us,” Trump said at a White House event.
– **French peacekeeper killed**
A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that appeared to have been carried out by Hezbollah, French President Emmanuel Macron said. “Everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for this attack,” he said on X, urging Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators. Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
– **Israeli ‘yellow line’**
The Israeli military said it had established a “Yellow Line” demarcation in the part of southern Lebanon it has invaded, similar to the one separating its forces from territory still held by Hamas in Gaza. The army added it had already struck suspected militants approaching its troops along the line.
– **Hezbollah ‘not concerned’ with talks**
Senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati said his group was not concerned by Lebanon’s planned direct talks with Israel, labelling them a failure. Qamati said in Beirut his group was “not concerned with the negotiations being conducted by the state”, dubbing them “a failure, weak, defeated…and submissive negotiations.”
– **No date for Iran-US talks**
No date has been set for the next round of Iran-US peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said.
– **Gunboats fire on tanker**
Iranian gunboats fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a British maritime security agency reported. The tanker’s captain reported being approached 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman by two gunboats of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), which without any radio warning “then fired upon the tanker,” the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said in an online statement.
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© 2024 AFP
