Israel claimed it hit 70 Hezbollah sites Israeli forces say they have expanded their offensive in Lebanon, targeting dozens of sites it alleged were 70 Hezbollah over the past 24 hours. The update follows comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered an escalation in attacks, saying Hezbollah had intensified drone strikes against Israel. The Israeli military said it struck more than 70 Hezbollah infrastructure sites across the country, including around 10 headquarters and weapons depots in the Tyre area.
Israeli raids kill couple in south Lebanon, strikes hit multiple towns Lebanon’s official National News Agency says Israeli air strikes have killed a man and his wife in their home in the southern town of Arab Salim. The agency said rescue teams were working to recover the bodies from the rubble following the attack. It added that a young man died of his wounds after being injured in a separate Israeli strike on the same town a day earlier.
Iran-US deal nears as talks advance on frozen assets A source familiar with negotiations between a senior Iranian delegation and officials in Doha says Qatari mediation has helped bridge gaps with Washington over Iran’s frozen financial assets, Al Jazeera reported. The source said progress on the issue, a key demand for Tehran, has increased the chances of a breakthrough agreement. They added there is now a strong possibility that a deal between the United States and Iran could be announced as soon as tomorrow.
Iran has won the war. Trump and Netanyahu now face a reckoning Submitted by David Hearst on Mon, 05/25/2026 - 19:07 The balance of power has shifted, and nations of the Middle East will no longer accept a regional order dictated by the US and Israel A billboard depicts the Strait of Hormuz with a caption in Persian reading 'Forever in Iran’s Hand', at Tehran’s Vanak Square, on 25 May 2026 (Atta Kenare/AFP) Off Each day brings a fresh turn in the tortured negotiations between US President Donald Trump and the Islamic Republic of Iran . Each time an agreement on one point is close, Trump picks up the phone to call his partner-in-crime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - and Trump then retreats from it.
Lebanese cling to memories of Liberation Day as Israel reoccupies the south Abeer was 19 when she heard the news on 25 May 2000 that southern Lebanon had been liberated after 18 years of Israeli occupation. Within hours, her family had left Beirut and was heading south to their hometown Kfar Kila, a centuries-old village right on the border with Israel. “It was a joy like I had never experienced before,” said Abeer, now an events coordinator for musicians.
Netanyahu vows ‘strong blows’ against Hezbollah as fighting escalates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the military will step up its campaign against Hezbollah, pledging intensified strikes. He said Israel is “at war” with the group and claimed its forces have killed 600 Hezbollah members in recent weeks. “We will increase the scale of our strikes against Hezbollah and we will not stop,” he said.
Israeli mayor warns residents to prepare for escalation 'in the coming days' due to war on Lebanon The mayor of the northern Israeli town of Shlomi has warned residents to brace for an escalation in fighting in the coming days, the Times of Israel reported. Gabi Naaman said “the war will intensify even more tonight and in the coming days, so we must be more vigilant than usual”. Naaman issued the warning in a Facebook post after meeting senior military officials.
US may back expanded Israeli offensive in Lebanon: Report A senior US official has signalled Washington could support a wider Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, as cross-border attacks intensify. Speaking to Channel 12 and Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the official said Hezbollah’s continued retaliation to Israeli attacks seemed to be the problem. “Hezbollah has ignored repeated requests to stop firing at Israel, including a recent ultimatum.
Iran orders internet restoration after months-long blackout Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the restoration of internet access across the country, according to a report by Mehr News Agency. Citing a source at the Ministry of Communications, the outlet said the decree follows months of severe restrictions on connectivity nationwide. Monitoring group NetBlocks said authorities had enforced a near-total internet blackout for more than 87 days.
Saudi Arabia says only ‘irreversible pathway’ to Palestinian state enables normalisation with Israel Saudi Arabia’s position on Palestine remains unchanged, with a Saudi source saying any regional deal must include a clear path towards statehood. Speaking to Al Arabiya English, the source said “there needs to be an irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state”. The remarks come as US President Donald Trump told Muslim-majority countries to normalise ties with Israel in exchange for ending the war with Iran.
Mexico to host Iran team after US refusal ahead of World Cup Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says her government has agreed to host Iran’s national football team during the upcoming World Cup after the United States refused to accommodate the squad. Speaking at her daily news conference, Sheinbaum said Fifa approached Mexico following Washington’s decision not to allow the Iranian team to stay in the US throughout the tournament, despite their group matches being scheduled there. “We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” she said.
Lebanese cling to memories of Liberation Day as Israel reoccupies the south Submitted by Rita Kabalan on Mon, 05/25/2026 - 16:18 Israel's war on Lebanon has displaced more than a million people and razed half the towns in the south, but residents nurture hope of the day 26 years ago when occupation forces were forced out Mourners attend the funeral of Lebanese civil defence members Hussein Jaber and Ahmad Noura, who were killed in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Nabatieh, Lebanon, 13 May 2026 (Aziz Taher/Reuters) Off Abeer was 19 when she heard the news on 25 May 2000 that southern Lebanon had been liberated after 18 years of Israeli occupation. Within hours, her family had left Beirut and was heading south to their hometown Kfar Kila, a centuries-old village right on the border with Israel. “It was a joy like I had never experienced before,” said Abeer, now an events coordinator for musicians.
Lebanon says 3,185 killed since Israel launched war on country Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health says Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,185 people since restarted its war on the Lebanon on 2 March. The ministry added that 9,633 others have been wounded over the same period.
US and Israel 'actively working' to strip Jordan of Al-Aqsa custodianship, sources say Submitted by Faisal Edroos on Mon, 05/25/2026 - 09:45 The plan has sparked fears that regional and international actors are seeking to sideline Jordan's role in Jerusalem in favour of a new arrangement closely aligned with Israeli interests This aerial image taken on 22 March 2023 shows the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque on the compound in Jerusalem's Old City (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters) On The US and Israel are "actively working" to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and are pursuing a new arrangement that would see the management of the revered Muslim site closely align with Israeli interests, multiple sources have told Middle East Eye. US, Jordanian and Palestinian officials, as well as western and Gulf Arab sources, told MEE that under the plan, championed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and the US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would abruptly end and a new body created by the Israeli government would declare the Al-Aqsa Mosque a "multi-faith centre". According to the officials, all of whom requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, the "new arrangement" would grant Jews "equal access" to the Muslim site and formally allow large-group Jewish prayer.
Gaza genocide death toll rises to 72,797 as Israeli attacks continue The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza says the death toll from Israel’s genocide on the enclave has climbed to 72,797, with 172,821 people wounded since 7 October, 2023. Officials said hospitals across Gaza received six bodies over the past 24 hours, including one person who died from earlier injuries, along with five newly killed victims and eight wounded. The ministry added that since the "ceasefire" on 11 October, at least 904 people have been killed and 2,713 wounded, while 777 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble.
Israeli strike on cemetery in south Lebanon kills four Lebanon’s official National News Agency says an Israeli air strike has killed four people and wounded three others in the south of the country. The agency reported that Israeli warplanes targeted a cemetery in the town of Kfar Remman, in Nabatieh governorate, on Sunday afternoon. Three others were wounded in the attack, according to the report.
What we know so far about the US-Iran deal Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 05/25/2026 - 15:34 Agreement would begin with 60-day ceasefire, during which Strait of Hormuz would open again US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after returning to the White House in Washington on 15 May 2026 (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via AFP) Off US President Donald Trump has indicated that a potential deal between the US and Iran is “largely negotiated”. If agreed, it could bring to an end a regional conflict which has lasted almost three months. Markets were upbeat about the prospect of a deal on Monday morning, with Brent crude oil prices dropping nearly 6 percent to $97 a barrel.
Trump demands countries to normalise ties with Israel as part of Iran deal US President Donald Trump has urged several Muslim-majority countries to normalise relations with Israel as part of an Iran peace deal. In a social media post, Trump listed countries whose leaders he spoke with on Saturday about efforts to end the war on Iran. "After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.
In German first, Leipzig students vote for academic boycott of Israel Submitted by Hebh Jamal on Mon, 05/25/2026 - 12:19 Nearly 700 students at the University of Leipzig have voted almost unanimously to demand the university sever all ties with Israeli academic institutions over the genocide in Gaza Students at the University of Leipzig attend vote on academic boycott of Israel, 19 May 2026 (Migu Lohmann/MEE) Off In a historic first for Germany , nearly 700 students at the University of Leipzig voted almost unanimously on 19 May to demand that their university sever all ties with Israeli academic institutions over the genocide in Gaza. The location is significant. For decades, Leipzig has been regarded as one of Germany’s strongest centers of the "Antideutsche" current, a tendency within the radical left defined by militant anti-nationalism and vocal support for Israel under the banner of combating antisemitism.
Iran officials visit Qatar as part of 'diplomatic process' to end war Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in Qatar on Monday as part of the "diplomatic process" to end the war with the US, state media reported. An Iranian delegation headed by "Ghalibaf, travelled to Doha today. This trip comes as part of the diplomatic process", said the official Irna news agency.
