Extract from ABC News
A family prepares to return home after the 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect. (Reuters: Marko Djurica)
Hello. ABC Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran here in Jerusalem at the end of:
- day 55 of the war
- day 16 of the ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran (which has been extended indefinitely)
- day 7 of the ceasefire in Lebanon
- day 11 of the US blockade of Iran.
Here's what you need to know today:
- Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire in Lebanon after a second round of talks between Lebanon and Israel in the Oval Office. Almost 2,300 people were killed in Lebanon over seven weeks, as Israel attacked alleged Hezbollah targets — many of the dead were civilians, including women and children.
- The ceasefire had been due to expire after midnight on Monday, 10 days after it was agreed to. Lebanese network LBCI reported earlier that the country would ask for an extension of between 20 and 40 days. Attacks continued in southern Lebanon ahead of the White House meeting, with journalist Amal Khalil among those killed. The country's prime minister had accused Israel of war crimes over the attacks.
- Mr Trump has said he's ordering his country’s navy to "shoot and kill any boat" that tries to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Trump says the US has destroyed Iran’s navy, but noted the country may be using "small boats" to operate in the shipping channel. It came after the head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, reportedly said Iranian speedboats and drones were sheltering in sea caves in the strait and that the three ships Iran had attacked in the area had "faced the law".
- Another oil tanker was intercepted by the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon said it was a sanctioned ship transporting oil from Iran. It's the second ship that has been boarded by the US in the area this week, well beyond the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
- There's still no movement on a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan — with the two countries seemingly in a stalemate. Mr Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire came with no new deadline, and each country is insisting that the other lift restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz as a precursor. President Trump has stoked that fire further by saying "infighting" within the Iranian regime means the country "is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is!"
Here's what all that means
The ceasefire extension, announced by Mr Trump on his Truth Social account, comes as talks between the US and Iran have seemingly stalled. In fact, the mere fact that envoys from Israel and Lebanon were sitting down for another round of negotiations was seen as progress.
"The Meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah," he posted.
After decades of conflict, there's deep distrust of any deal that amounts to an actual shift in Israel and Lebanon's relationship. But there's also suspicion and anger in some quarters of the Lebanese community about the government's pursuit of such talks.
Israel and the Lebanese government share a desire to see the back of Hezbollah, a group that has its foundations in resistance against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000, but which stands accused of becoming a puppet for its Iranian backers.
Hezbollah itself was not part of the negotiations. The militant group, considered a terrorist organisation under Australian law, has welcomed the ceasefire but criticised the Lebanese state for sitting down with Israeli officials.
Even under this temporary ceasefire, attacks continue in southern Lebanon — although their number and intensity are far less than what was occurring prior to last Thursday’s announcement. But the conduct of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon is getting attention, even in Israeli media, with allegations of serious misconduct underlining how difficult this situation is.
Newspaper Haaretz is reporting testimony from Israeli soldiers of looting of homes in southern Lebanon, stealing everything from televisions to motorcycles, rugs to cigarettes. Aside from attacks on personal property, strikes on individuals are once again turning attention to the alleged targeting of journalists by the IDF.
Lebanese media outlets and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) are reporting that journalists Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj were among those targeted in an Israeli strike on the village of Al Tayri on Wednesday. The pair had been trapped under rubble after the building they were sheltering in was hit, with allegations that rescue crews could not reach them.
At the time, the IDF said it had targeted "Hezbollah terrorists" and that "reports were received that two journalists were injured as a result of the strikes".
"The IDF is not preventing rescue teams from reaching the area. The details of the incident are under review," it said. "The IDF does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops."
It was later revealed that Khalil, who worked for the outlet Al-Akhbar, had died. Her funeral was held on Thursday.
During the incident, it had been revealed on social media by colleagues of Khalil, including journalist Hala Jaber, that she had received threats from someone contacting her on an Israeli phone number on WhatsApp.
"We know where you are, and we will reach you when the time comes," one of the messages reportedly said. "I suggest you flee to Qatar or somewhere else if you want to keep your head connected to your shoulders."
The owner of that number, who identified himself as Gal Gideon Ben Avraham, claimed to the ABC that journalists in Lebanon were feeding information to Hezbollah, without providing any evidence. He added in a voice note that "if you are supporting terror, you need to know that you are destined for death".
The IDF told the ABC it had no affiliation with the man.
It's incidents like this which fuel a lot of the deep enmity in Lebanon towards Israel, and the sense within parts of the Lebanese community that talks with Israel are a waste of time when such attitudes exist south of the border.
That's why negotiations between ambassadors in Washington, DC, may be seen as a grand opportunity, but they have a long way to go before they amount to anything tangible.
And here's the impact on Australia
- Airfares sky high: Flight schedules are starting to recover, which means your chances of actually making it to your destination are improving. But with fuel costs still soaring, this morning's episode of ABC News Daily looks at why ticket prices won't come down anytime soon (🎧15m52s).
Thanks for joining me. I'll see you at the same time tomorrow.
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