Iran-US war latest: Israel to continue strikes in Lebanon with US backing despite ceasefire, says defence minister

Israel has ‘freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory,’ said defence minister Katz shortly after a US-brokered ceasefire was agreed

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Israel will continue operations in Lebanon despite a ceasefire and Lebanese residents forced to flee will not be able to return, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.

His statement came shortly after the countries had agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire.

Katz said troops would remain in Israel’s so-called security zone in southern Lebanon, including in the area of Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old fortress captured by Israel on Saturday.

He said Israel would continue to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the area” while Israel had “freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory.”

The ceasefire had been announced in a joint statement after representatives from all three countries met on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A pause in fighting “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hizbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector”, the statement read.

The ceasefire comes amid an escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli strikes killed nine people in Lebanon on Wednesday as Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, according to reports.

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Key Points

• Israel to continue operations in Lebanon for now despite ceasefire, defence minister says
• Israel and Lebanon agree to ceasefire amid escalation in fighting
• Trump 'tells aides he will end Iran ceasefire if Tehran kills US troops'
• Trump confirms he called Netanyahu crazy
• Trump says Strait of Hormuz might stay blocked till Labour Day
• Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza city

Ben-Gvir calls Lebanon ceasefire a 'serious mistake'

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Thursday called the ceasefire a “serious mistake” and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should bring it to the cabinet for a vote.

Ben-Gvir said that Hezbollah would not withdraw its fighters from the area south of the Litani River and that the Lebanese Armed Forces were incapable of forcing Hezbollah to comply.

“The Lebanese state is a partner of Hezbollah,” he said. “In practice, Hezbollah will only grow stronger, and instead of defeating it, Israel is accepting its very existence.”

Iran's Khamenei warns against divisions after 'enemy's defeat on battlefield'

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that Iran's enemies, having been defeated on the battlefield, are now seeking to undermine public resilience and sow internal divisions in a message to the nation read on his behalf on Thursday.

Khamenei called for national unity in the face of those threats and said any action that created pessimism or frustration among the public amounted to helping the enemy.

The message was read during ceremonies marking the anniversary of the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as a major Shi'ite holiday.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was injured in a US-Israeli strike that killed his father on 28 February.

Trump says definition of ceasefire is different in Middle East

President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed questions on whether the shaky ceasefire with Iran is holding by suggesting that the definition of a ceasefire is different in the Middle East region.

Asked whether the ceasefire is still in place after Iran fired missiles against targets in Kuwait, Trump replied that there was “a reason” for the exchange of fire.

“We've been hitting them pretty hard, a little bit, so there is a reason for certain things, and there's usually a reason that sometimes makes sense. Some, but they did something for not a big deal. We got it, we nipped it in the bud very quickly, as we do with the greatest military in the world, but some people would say they were slightly provoked because we took a strong action for a different reason, so they were reciprocating,” he said.

The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:

Trump describes Iran ceasefire as ‘shooting in a moderate manner’

Watch: US House votes to limit Trump’s war powers

Israel to continue operations in Lebanon for now despite ceasefire, defence minister says

Israel will continue its operations on the ground in southern Lebanon for the time being and Lebanese residents forced from their homes by Israel would not be able to return, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.

His comments came a day after Lebanon and Israel said they had agreed to implement a ceasefire during talks in Washington. The deal is contingent on a cessation of fire from militant group Hezbollah.

In a statement, Katz said troops would remain in its so-called security zone in southern Lebanon, including in the area of Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old fortress captured by Israel on Saturday.

He said Israel would continue to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the area” while Israel had “freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory.”

Watch: Kuwait releases footage of 'brutal Iranian drone attack' on airport terminal

Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits in US

When the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994, the event drew unexpectedly large crowds. At that time, football wasn’t as popular among Americans as it is now, so expectations for attendance had been fairly low.

So as the U.S. prepared to host the World Cup again in 2026, expectations for tourism were high.

But in the run-up to this year’s World Cup, the ongoing war in Iran has resulted in soaring inflation and high fuel prices, neither of which bodes well for tourism or event attendance.

Recent tourism reports indicate there will be fewer hotel reservations than anticipated due to reduced international travel confidence and a growing uncertainty related to U.S. immigration policies, geopolitical instability, tariffs and inflation.

More here.

Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits

House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers

A handful of Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday and bucked President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson to rein in the president’s power to further prosecute his war in Iran.

The House passed the War Powers Act resolution 215-208. The move came after four Republicans defected to the Democratic side.

Under U.S. law, the president must withdraw troops within 60 days of a military engagement unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force. The president must also inform Congress within 48 of committing armed forces into action.

More here.

House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers

Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza city

Israeli attacks in Gaza killed at least eight people, the civil defence agency in the Hamas-run Strip said.“At least eight martyrs as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City at dawn,” spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told AFP.

He said seven were killed in strikes on residential buildings and one in the Al-Shati refugee camp to the west of Gaza City

Iran’s fortress island with an underground ‘missile city’ threatening US troops in Hormuz

The US military launched fresh strikes on a fortified Iranian island near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as diplomacy slowed and Iran restarted attacks on its neighbours.

US Central Command said the military attacked a ground control tower on Qeshm Island in “self-defence”, claiming Iran had tried and failed to attack Kuwait and Bahrain with missiles.

Residents reported hearing early morning explosions on the 558sq mile stretch off the mainland, which has been used throughout the conflict to attack ships passing through the closed waterway.

More here.

Inside Qeshm: How Iran’s fortress island holds the key to the Strait of Hormuz

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