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Israel Defense Minister Says Will Use ‘Force’ Against Iran if It Prevents Lebanon Deal Implementation

A car with Iranian and Hezbollah flags attached to it as displaced people make their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon following an interim deal between the US and Iran, in Sidon, Lebanon, June 24, 2026. (Reuters)
A car with Iranian and Hezbollah flags attached to it as displaced people make their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon following an interim deal between the US and Iran, in Sidon, Lebanon, June 24, 2026. (Reuters)
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Israel Defense Minister Says Will Use ‘Force’ Against Iran if It Prevents Lebanon Deal Implementation

A car with Iranian and Hezbollah flags attached to it as displaced people make their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon following an interim deal between the US and Iran, in Sidon, Lebanon, June 24, 2026. (Reuters)
A car with Iranian and Hezbollah flags attached to it as displaced people make their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon following an interim deal between the US and Iran, in Sidon, Lebanon, June 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Israeli defense minister vowed on Saturday to respond with "great force" if Iran attacked Israel in an attempt to prevent the implementation of an agreement with Lebanon aimed at securing peace between the two countries. 

"If Iran tries to attack Israel to prevent the implementation of the agreement, we will act against it with great force," Israel Katz said in a video statement, adding that the agreement with Lebanon had dealt a "strategic blow to the Iranian axis". 

Lebanon and Israel, under US sponsorship, signed an agreement on Friday hoping to end hostilities between them, but experts say it does not guarantee Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and its implementation depends on Hezbollah and its backer Iran. 

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem condemned the agreement on Saturday, accusing the government of surrendering Lebanese sovereignty and declaring the agreement null and void. 

Lebanon took the historic step of negotiating directly with Israel despite them having no diplomatic relations, as a reaction to Tehran-backed Hezbollah drawing the country into the Middle East war on March 2. 

Israel said it will not leave occupied Lebanese territory unless the group is disarmed. 

Katz added on Saturday that Israeli forces had been ordered to prepare for an extended stay in the so-called occupied security zone in southern Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon agreed on the framework to end hostilities. 

"The prime minister and I have instructed the army to prepare for an extended stay in the security zone," Israel Katz said in a video statement, referring to an area up to 10 kilometers (six miles) inside the Lebanese territory. 

"The important principle established in the agreement is that there will be no redeployment by Israel in southern Lebanon, no withdrawal, as long as the terrorist organization Hezbollah is not disarmed throughout Lebanon," he said. 

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World

Trump Says Xi Visit 'Very Positive for both Countries'

China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
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Trump Says Xi Visit 'Very Positive for both Countries'

China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

President Donald Trump said Friday that he and Xi Jinping had made progress for the United States and China, as the Chinese leader wrapped up a state visit to Washington.

"I think we've made tremendous strides, we've made great strides, very positive for both countries," Trump told reporters as he and his wife Melania had tea at the White House with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping floated the possibility of two more meetings with Trump, saying: "Looking ahead to the remainder of this year, there will be two more opportunities for us to meet each other -- firstly the APEC meeting in China and then the G20 summit in the United States."

"I do welcome you, Mr President and the First Lady, to visit China."

World

Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
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Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Türkiye rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "baseless accusations" at the United Nations, its state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Friday.

Netanyahu had called Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant" during a fiery speech at the UN, accusing Ankara of harboring Hamas militant leaders.

The Israeli leader's address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, in which he denounced enemies and allies alike, sparked uproar in the chamber.

Dozens of envoys from across the world walked out, some jeering and booing, while Netanyahu's own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.

"The latest country to become a super spreader of antisemitic lies (is Türkiye)," he said.

"Erdogan is a tyrant. He also hosts the Hamas terror chiefs."

Erdogan has urged world leaders to "exert greater pressure on Israel" over its war in Gaza and called on nations to recognize Palestine as an independent state.

Anadolu quoted the Turkish presidency's communications director Burhanettin Duran, as slamming Netanyahu's allegation as "incompatible" with UN values.

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of the UN General Assembly podium to level "baseless accusations" against Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was incompatible with the "ideals of peace, law and dialogue" represented by the UN," Duran said.

Netanyahu's words cannot "make his massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the proceedings before international law invisible," he added.

World

Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
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Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)

Britain's foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and told him his country would "not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil" from groups linked to Iran.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also discussed the war in the Middle East, the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Britain's "unwavering resolve ‌to combat ‌threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil," ‌a ⁠Foreign Office statement said.

"The ⁠Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK's unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community," it said.

In July, Britain banned support for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a linked group following a series of ⁠antisemitic attacks, using new legal powers designed ‌to stop the use ‌of state-sponsored proxies, said
Reuters.

Iran has previously denied using proxies. The British statement ‌did not say how Araghshi responded to ‌Miliband.

A statement on Araghchi’s Telegram account said he had used the meeting to call for a correction to "the destructive and irresponsible approaches of some European governments towards Iran and regional ‌developments."

He also said an "insistence on interfering in countries’ internal affairs and the instrumental ⁠use of ⁠human rights concepts is in no way acceptable."

Britain's National Cyber Security Center said last week Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as "CHOSEN BRICK" to steal emails, messages and other sensitive information through "spear-phishing" campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.

"The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response," the Foreign Office statement added.