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Four Dead in Lebanon as Israel Says Action Needed on Hezbollah Arsenal

This picture taken from a position in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows smoke rising during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on April 27, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows smoke rising during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on April 27, 2026. (AFP)
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Four Dead in Lebanon as Israel Says Action Needed on Hezbollah Arsenal

This picture taken from a position in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows smoke rising during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on April 27, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows smoke rising during Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on April 27, 2026. (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah's rockets and drones were a key threat demanding military action, as Israel's army expanded strikes on Lebanon where authorities reported four dead on Monday despite a ceasefire. 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said direct talks with Israel sought to end the Israel-Hezbollah war and that those who dragged Lebanon into it were the ones committing "treason" -- a jab at the Iran-backed group, which claimed several attacks on Israeli targets in south Lebanon on Monday. 

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem called direct talks between the two countries a "sin", while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the group's rejection of negotiations would bring catastrophic consequences for Lebanon. 

Israeli and Lebanese representatives met twice in Washington this month, the first such meetings in decades, for discussions that Hezbollah has categorically rejected. 

After the first talks, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17, and a three-week extension after the second round. 

Netanyahu said in a statement that "there are still two central threats from Hezbollah: the 122mm rockets and the drones. This demands a combination of operational and technological activity." 

Israel's army said it struck more than 20 Hezbollah "infrastructure sites" in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and the country's south on Monday, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites. 

Under the ceasefire, Israel reserves the right to act against "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks". 

- 'Grave sin' - 

Lebanese state media reported Israeli airstrikes in multiple locations in south Lebanon, including around a dozen sites in the evening. 

The health ministry said Israeli strikes on the south killed four people on Monday, including a woman, and wounded 51 others. 

Israeli strikes have killed at least 40 people in Lebanon since the truce began, according to an AFP tally of health ministry figures. 

Hezbollah said its fighters launched several attacks on Israeli troops, including on an army bulldozer that it said was demolishing homes in the border town of Bint Jbeil. 

Aoun said in a statement that "my goal is to reach an end to the state of war with Israel, similar to the armistice agreement" of 1949, signed after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. 

"I assure you that I will not accept reaching a humiliating agreement," said Aoun. 

Earlier, Hezbollah's chief sharply criticized the government, branding direct negotiations with Israel a "grave sin". 

"We categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel, and those in power should know that their actions will not benefit Lebanon or themselves," Qassem said in a statement. 

He urged authorities to "back down from their grave sin that is putting Lebanon in a spiral of instability". 

The government "cannot continue while it is neglecting Lebanon's rights, giving up land, and confronting" those resisting Israel, he said. 

"We will not give up our weapons... and the Israeli enemy will not remain on a single inch of our occupied land." 

Israeli troops who invaded south Lebanon after the war erupted on March 2 are operating inside an Israeli-announced "yellow line" -- a ribbon of Lebanese territory around 10 kilometers (six miles) deep along the border, where Lebanese have been warned not to return. 

- 'Consensus' - 

Aoun said that "what we are doing is not treason. Rather, treason is committed by those who take their country to war to achieve foreign interests". 

Aoun has faced intense criticism from Hezbollah and its supporters. 

They say his push for direct talks with Israel lacks consensus among Lebanon's communities -- the latest point of contention after the government decided to disarm the group last year and outlawed its military activities in March. 

"Some want to hold us accountable over the decision to go to negotiations on the grounds that there is no national consensus" over the talks, Aoun said. 

"My question to them is: when you went to war, did you first obtain national consensus?" 

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war by firing rockets towards Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. 

Katz said Qassem was "playing with fire, and the fire will burn Hezbollah and all of Lebanon". 

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Arab World

Khartoum Denies Army Role in ‘Abyei Massacre’

UN peacekeeping forces (UNISFA) attempting to extinguish fires in Al-Na'am market in the Abyei area (United Nations - Facebook)
UN peacekeeping forces (UNISFA) attempting to extinguish fires in Al-Na'am market in the Abyei area (United Nations - Facebook)
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Khartoum Denies Army Role in ‘Abyei Massacre’

UN peacekeeping forces (UNISFA) attempting to extinguish fires in Al-Na'am market in the Abyei area (United Nations - Facebook)
UN peacekeeping forces (UNISFA) attempting to extinguish fires in Al-Na'am market in the Abyei area (United Nations - Facebook)

Sudan’s government denied army involvement in a drone strike that killed more than 150 people at a market in the disputed Abyei region bordering South Sudan, according to local reports, as drone warfare intensified across Darfur and Kordofan.

The army, meanwhile, said it had recaptured military positions in Blue Nile state near the Ethiopian border and shot down a drone that crossed into Sudan from Ethiopia.

In a statement issued late Thursday, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry expressed deep regret over the civilian deaths, categorically denying “any connection between the Sudanese Armed Forces and this unfortunate incident.”

Aftermath of the fire that targeted a civilian truck in Abyei market (United Nations - Facebook)

The ministry said the attack bore similarities to atrocities blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), citing a December 2025 strike on a United Nations peacekeeping headquarters in Kadugli, South Kordofan, that killed peacekeepers, as well as attacks on humanitarian aid convoys.

The denial followed the army’s publication of images on Facebook in recent days indicating it had struck RSF command centers in the area.

An army officer also told the Associated Press that the strikes targeted fuel trucks heading to the RSF, denying that civilians had been targeted. The army leadership has made no official admission of responsibility.

South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Sudan’s ambassador in Juba to protest the attack, amid growing fears that the war’s fallout could spill across the border.

Peacekeeping forces in Abyei (UNISFA) participating in rescuing victims from Al-Na'am market (United Nations - Facebook)

UN, African Union Condemn Strikes

Oil-rich Abyei remains a flashpoint between Sudan and South Sudan, with sovereignty over the territory disputed since South Sudan’s independence in 2011. A UN peacekeeping force is deployed in the area.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Monday’s drone attacks on Abyei, which killed dozens of civilians, including women and children, urging Khartoum and Juba to prevent further strikes and uphold the region’s demilitarized status.

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf also condemned the attacks, citing local and medical reports of more than 150 deaths.

He urged the warring sides to avoid actions that could inflame the conflict or threaten neighboring countries and reaffirmed support for mediation efforts to secure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Elsewhere, the RSF-led parallel government, known as Tasis, accused the Sudanese army of striking a hospital in El Daein, the capital of East Darfur, with a drone on Thursday, killing three people and wounding dozens, according to its account.

In a statement Friday, Tasis said further airstrikes hit the government secretariat in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, where the RSF runs its administration of territories under its control.

Pro-army social media platforms reported heavy airstrikes on RSF positions in Nyala, El Daein, El Fasher and parts of West Kordofan.

Local reports said the strikes hit fuel depots and military vehicles in the oil-producing Abu Jabra area of East Darfur, as well as positions in Babanusa, West Kordofan.

A military source cited in the reports said the raids aimed to cripple RSF logistics ahead of possible ground operations.

Image published by the Sudanese Army of a command post belonging to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Abyei (its Facebook page)

Army Reports Gains in Blue Nile

On another front, Sudan’s army said Thursday evening it had retaken Bakori and Aklili in southeastern Blue Nile state near the Ethiopian border after clashes with an alliance of the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu.

The army’s 4th Infantry Division, based in Damazin, said on Facebook that its troops had “liberated” both areas, inflicting heavy losses on opposing forces.

Bakori holds strategic military importance as the site of a 13th Brigade base along a route to Damazin, the state capital. RSF-allied forces had seized the area in August.

The army also said it had downed a drone it described as “strategic” over Bakori, claiming it had tracked the aircraft from the moment it crossed the Ethiopian border. It said the drone targeted fuel trucks believed to be heading to the RSF.

Sudan has accused Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to use its territory to launch drone strikes and ground operations inside Sudan, allegations Addis Ababa denies.

Arab World

Egyptian Foreign Ministry to Asharq Al-Awsat: No Obstacles Hindering Dutch Embassy Operations

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
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Egyptian Foreign Ministry to Asharq Al-Awsat: No Obstacles Hindering Dutch Embassy Operations

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last September (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Egypt has seen no obstacles to the Dutch embassy's operations in Cairo, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday, after the mission closed to the public until further notice.

“Temporary measures by diplomatic missions to suspend public access are routine and do not signal any disruption to embassy operations,” ministry spokesperson Ambassador Nader Zaki told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We have seen nothing hindering the Dutch embassy's work,” he said.

Zaki said Egypt was fully committed to protecting foreign embassies and diplomatic missions on its territory in line with international agreements governing diplomatic relations.

He pointed to a phone call about a week earlier between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, in which the two discussed embassy security following incidents involving Egypt's mission in the Netherlands.

Zaki said diplomatic missions in Cairo enjoyed greater security and protection than those in many other capitals and were free to operate without interference, “unlike the treatment of some of our embassies.”

The Dutch embassy announced on Thursday that its Cairo premises would remain closed to the public until further notice as a precautionary measure.

In a Facebook statement, the embassy said the Dutch Foreign Ministry had ordered the closure “in light of demonstrations taking place in front of the (embassy) building.”

People with scheduled appointments would be contacted or notified as soon as possible about rescheduling, it said, adding that the “temporary closure would not affect the services provided by VFS Global in Cairo.”

The move followed diplomatic exchanges over the protection of Egypt's embassy in The Hague.

On Oct. 13, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Abdelatty had discussed with Berendsen the need to safeguard the Egyptian mission under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the principle of reciprocity.

The call came days after videos circulated on social media showing an opponent of the Egyptian authorities displaying offensive placards targeting them in the presence of Dutch police officers.

The ministers also discussed the detention of an Egyptian citizen in the Netherlands. Abdelatty sought details of the incident and called for his swift release, the ministry said.

About a week ago, dozens of Egyptians protested outside the Dutch embassy in Cairo, demanding the release of Ahmed Nasser, deputy chairman of the unofficial Union of Egyptian Youth Abroad, following his detention in the Netherlands.

Nasser is a prominent opponent of displaying offensive placards outside Egyptian embassies abroad.

Arab World

Yemeni, Int’l Efforts Underway to Open Route into Besieged Taiz Within Days

Government efforts to open a route for humanitarian aid deliveries in Taiz (local media)
Government efforts to open a route for humanitarian aid deliveries in Taiz (local media)
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Yemeni, Int’l Efforts Underway to Open Route into Besieged Taiz Within Days

Government efforts to open a route for humanitarian aid deliveries in Taiz (local media)
Government efforts to open a route for humanitarian aid deliveries in Taiz (local media)

Yemeni government officials are working with local authorities and humanitarian organizations to open a road through one of the main entrances to the city of Taiz to deliver urgently needed relief supplies to the province, which is under siege by Houthi militias.

The operation is expected to take place in the coming days.

Nayef al-Bakri, Yemen's Minister of Youth and Sports and head of the Committee for Popular Mobilization and Government Support for the Armed Forces, told Asharq Al-Awsat in a telephone interview that the committee was making every effort, in coordination with international partners, to assist residents trapped in Taiz.

He said a relief convoy being prepared would carry fuel, medicines and other essential supplies, while additional convoys would be dispatched to provinces and areas affected by Houthi attacks.

Bakri said what troubled the militias most was the exceptional resilience and loyalty to their country demonstrated by the people of Taiz.

He praised the city's men, young people and women for their sacrifices in the face of the siege and Houthi attacks, saying the world had witnessed powerful images of women in Taiz, including one carrying the body of her son killed in the fighting and another purchasing weapons for the resistance.

He said these images reflected the city's unwavering loyalty and determination to defend religion and country.

Asked how the aid would reach Taiz, Bakri said the committee was in constant contact with the provincial governor and was exploring routes and access points to deliver available supplies, including fuel, medicines and other humanitarian necessities.

He said discussions were also underway with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about its potential role in facilitating the delivery of aid, adding that efforts to secure access were continuing.

Bakri said Hadramout province would send aid donated by its residents to Taiz. The committee had also sent letters to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), requesting additional assistance for the province.

He noted that the center was already providing extensive programs and continued support across Yemen's provinces.

Bakri said Yemen was witnessing a broad community mobilization to support people affected by the war, particularly as more than 200,000 families had been displaced.

He praised the solidarity shown among Yemenis across different provinces in sheltering displaced families and meeting their needs.

He said the government and local authorities were fulfilling their responsibilities toward displaced families alongside community-led initiatives and humanitarian efforts undertaken by the committee.

Nayef al-Bakri, Yemen's Minister of Youth and Sports and head of the Committee for Popular Mobilization and Government Support for the Armed Forces

On assistance to other provinces, Bakri said the committee, in cooperation with local authorities in Aden, had carried out a relief campaign for residents of Al-Subaiha, Al-Mudaraba and Ras al-Ara, particularly families whose areas had come under missile fire and Houthi attacks.

He said a relief convoy had been dispatched two days earlier, while preparations were underway for additional convoys in coordination with the governor of Lahj to support people affected in Al-Mudaraba district and surrounding areas.

Bakri said relief efforts also extended to Al-Dhale province, where the committee was coordinating with the governor to provide assistance to families affected by the fighting in Murais, Qataba and frontline areas.

He said the committee's work had both community and humanitarian dimensions, focusing on supporting families and provinces suffering from the consequences of the war and Houthi attacks.

"The committee is expanding its relief operations in the coming days to include districts along the western coast, particularly Mawza, Al-Waziya and Mokha, which are experiencing large waves of displacement as a result of military operations and Houthi attacks," Bakri said.

He added that the assistance would also reach displaced people's camps in Aden and Lahj provinces, in coordination with international organizations and government agencies responsible for displaced populations.

"In Shabwa province, the committee is arranging relief convoys to support districts witnessing military confrontations," Bakri said.

He said preparations were also underway to organize and dispatch a convoy from Al-Mahra province to Al-Jawf, while several provinces continued providing support to the battlefronts in Marib.

Bakri stressed that Yemenis from all walks of life, including displaced people, were participating in the “Dawn of Yemen” battle and joining various battlefronts.

Turning to Saudi support, Bakri said the Kingdom played an important role in assisting Yemen as a whole.

He praised the efforts of the joint forces and KSrelief in delivering aid to people affected by the conflict.

He also emphasized the importance of assistance delivered to Aden with the support of the joint forces and KSrelief, saying it had helped families affected by the fighting and eased the consequences of the war.