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Arab World

Two Rockets from Lebanon Hit Israel, Drawing Israeli Retaliation

Vehicles drive along border wall with Israel near southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh. (AFP file photo)
Vehicles drive along border wall with Israel near southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh. (AFP file photo)
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Two Rockets from Lebanon Hit Israel, Drawing Israeli Retaliation

Vehicles drive along border wall with Israel near southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh. (AFP file photo)
Vehicles drive along border wall with Israel near southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh. (AFP file photo)

Two rockets launched from Lebanon on Wednesday struck Israel, which responded with artillery fire, amid heightened regional tensions over an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf last week.

Israel's Magen David Adom national ambulance service said there were no casualties on the Israeli side of the hilly frontier, where the rockets ignited a brush fire.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket strike, launched from an area of south Lebanon under the sway of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

In a statement, Israel's military said three rockets were launched from Lebanon, with one falling short of the Israeli border and the others striking inside Israel. Witnesses in Lebanon also reported that several rockets were fired at Israel.

"In response, (Israeli) artillery forces attacked Lebanese territory," the military said. Some two hours after the initial shelling, the military said its artillery had fired again at targets, which it did not identify, along the frontier.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said its Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Stefano Del Col, was in contact with both parties.

"He urged them to cease fire and to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation, especially on this solemn anniversary," the statement said, referring to the Beirut port explosion on Aug. 4 last year.

The border has been mostly quiet since Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah, which has advanced rockets.

But small Palestinian factions in Lebanon have fired sporadically on Israel in the past, and two rockets were launched at Israel on July 20, causing no damage or injuries. Israel responded to that incident with artillery fire.

The latest border incidents occurred after an attack last Thursday, which Israel blamed on Iran, on a tanker off the coast of Oman. Two crew members, a Briton and a Romanian, were killed. Iran has denied any involvement.

Briefing a meeting of ambassadors from UN Security Council countries to Israel on Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said: "It is time for diplomatic, economic and even military deeds (against Iran) - otherwise the attacks will continue."

On Tuesday, Britain, Romania and Liberia told the United Nations Security Council it was "highly likely" that Iran used one or more drones to strike the vessel.

The United States and Britain said on Sunday they would work with their allies to respond to the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that Israel was keeping open the option of acting alone against Iran if necessary.

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Arab World

Houthis Threaten ‘Gradual Escalation’ after Fourth Attack on Israel

Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
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Houthis Threaten ‘Gradual Escalation’ after Fourth Attack on Israel

Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 
Houthi gunmen during a rally in Sanaa called by their leader (AFP) 

Yemen’s Houthi group has threatened “gradual escalation” after claiming a fourth attack on Israel, about a week after entering the war alongside Iran as part of the Tehran-led “axis of resistance.”

The move comes as Yemen’s internationally recognized government steps up rhetoric, saying a decisive battle to retake the state from Houthi control is nearing. Israel, for its part, said it is consulting Washington on how to respond to the Houthi attacks, despite their limited impact compared with sustained fire from Iran and Hezbollah.

In a televised statement late Thursday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group launched “a salvo of ballistic missiles” at “vital Israeli targets in the occupied Jaffa area.” He claimed the operation was carried out in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah and had “successfully achieved its objectives.”

The Houthis said their intervention in what they described as a “major and exceptional battle” would be incremental, adding they would adjust their actions depending on “the enemy’s escalation or de-escalation.”

The latest strike marks the fourth since the group announced direct involvement in the regional confrontation, underscoring growing coordination among Iran-backed actors, including Hezbollah and armed Iraqi factions.

Limited effect

The Houthis had claimed a third attack a day earlier. The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen “without casualties or damage,” adding early detection allowed it to neutralize the threat.

Analysts say such attacks are unlikely to do more than stretch Israel’s air defenses, already under pressure from multiple fronts, including Iran and Hezbollah.

In his first appearance since announcing the escalation, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the group had shifted from political and media backing of Iran to “direct operational engagement.”

He framed the attacks as part of “joint operations of the axis of resistance,” describing the confrontation as “a duty that transcends geographical borders.” He also defended joining the war, saying neutrality “is not an option,” despite growing concern inside Yemen over the economic and security risks.

Al-Houthi urged supporters to maintain weekly pro-Iran rallies and step up mobilization, including sending school students to summer camps—long used by the group for recruitment.

Government signals offensive

Tareq Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said “the battle to end the Houthi coup is approaching,” adding national forces would act “as one team.”

State media reported his remarks during a visit to forces on Yemen’s west coast, where he praised troops as “a safety valve for the republic,” signaling confidence in their ability to regain the initiative.

Saleh also pointed to the regional dimension, saying Iranian actions against Gulf states and Jordan show Tehran’s project is “destructive” and “has never truly been directed at Israel.”

Rejecting Houthi claims, he said the group “pretends to confront Israel” while using that narrative to justify violence against Yemenis, noting the conflict with the Houthis dates back to 2004, well before current regional tensions.

 

 

Arab World

Fire Reported at Foreign Oil Companies' Storage Facilities in Iraq after Drone Strike

Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
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Fire Reported at Foreign Oil Companies' Storage Facilities in Iraq after Drone Strike

Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi forces stand guard during a pro-Iran rally in Tahrir Square in Baghdad on April 2, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

A fire broke out ‌early ‌on Saturday at ‌storage ⁠facilities belonging to ⁠foreign ⁠oil ‌companies ‌west of Iraq's ‌Basra after ‌a ‌drone strike, security ⁠sources told Reuters.

Arab World

Israeli Forces Encircle Bint Jbeil in South Lebanon

A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
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Israeli Forces Encircle Bint Jbeil in South Lebanon

A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 
A poster of a man and two children killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted their home in south Lebanon (AP) 

Military developments are accelerating in south Lebanon as Israel steps up pressure through a mix of strikes, evacuation warnings and what analysts describe as a strategy of isolating border towns, with Bint Jbeil emerging as a primary focus.

The Israeli army on Friday warned residents on the northern outskirts of the nearby town of Ain Ebel to move further inside, in what appeared to be an effort to regroup civilians within designated areas.

Attention has centered on Bint Jbeil, where Israel appears to be avoiding a direct ground assault.

Retired Brigadier General Said Kozah told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israeli forces were “relying on a tactic of full encirclement rather than advancing directly into the town”.

He said troops were tightening a cordon along several axes — from Aitaroun and Aainata to the east and south, from Aita al-Shaab toward the outskirts of Haddatha in the north, and potentially from Ain Ebel in the west — effectively isolating Bint Jbeil on all sides.

Kozah noted that the evacuation of Salah Ghandour Hospital in the Saf al-Hawa area, a key junction linking the town to surrounding areas, pointed to an Israeli push to control supply and movement routes.

He added that Israel typically avoids combat in densely built areas due to the high cost, suggesting it may instead rely on heavy bombardment before any ground incursion.

“Bint Jbeil, with its prepared defenses, could become a costly war of attrition,” he stated, adding that a large-scale assault appeared unlikely in the immediate term.

Instead, he said, the likely scenario was continued encirclement, disruption of supply lines and clashes on the outskirts unless battlefield conditions shift.

Alongside developments in the south, Israel expanded pressure to Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee renewed warnings Friday, urging residents of Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, Laylaki, Hadath, Burj al-Barajneh, Tahwitat al-Ghadir and Shiyah to evacuate immediately.

In the western Bekaa, Israel struck a bridge linking Sohmor and Mashghara over the Litani River after issuing prior warnings and calling on residents to move north of the Zahrani River.

An Israeli drone later struck worshippers leaving a mosque in Sohmor, killing two people and wounding 11 others, in a sign that strikes were extending to civilian gatherings.

Air strikes resumed on Beirut’s southern suburbs after two days of relative calm, while heavy bombardment continued across the south.

A house between Kafra and Srifa near a center run by the Islamic Health Authority was hit, burning an ambulance without causing injuries.

Strikes also hit Srifa, Braachit, Jouaiya, Borj Qalaouiyeh, Debaal, Ramadiyeh, Bustan, Yohmor al-Shaqif and Shaaitiyeh, with casualties reported, including among Syrians.

Additional strikes targeted Debbine and Srifa in the Tyre district, while intermittent artillery fire hit the outskirts of Haris and Kafra.

Drones were reported flying intensively over Hermel, the northern Bekaa, Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the southern suburbs as part of broad surveillance operations.

At dawn, Apache helicopters fired on the coastline from Bayyada to Mansouri, coinciding with clashes on the ground. Hezbollah fighters were reported to have attacked Israeli forces advancing toward the coastal road near Bayyada.

Overnight strikes hit Bint Jbeil, Hanine, Kounine and Tayri, while eastern Brachit came under artillery fire. Israeli forces also blew up remaining houses in Aita al-Shaab, with explosions heard as far as Tyre.

Separately, Lebanon’s National News Agency said three Indonesian soldiers serving with a UN peacekeeping unit were wounded at their base in Adaisseh by a shell, with the source under investigation.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets toward northern Israel, targeting Kiryat Shmona, troop positions at Honin barracks and military sites in Safed, as well as Metula and Kfar Yuval.

The group also said it detonated an explosive device against Israeli forces in Bayyada, causing casualties that required helicopter evacuation before the area was later shelled.