Yemen has "every advantage in this war," says Larry Johnson. Mohammad Marandi adds that the liberation of Taiz is near, while Tehran prepares for a renewed US war. | Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson and Professor Mohammad Marandi said that Yemen holds the upper hand in its war with Saudi Arabia, and that neither Turkey nor Pakistan is likely to change that by sending forces to the kingdom's aid. ● Speaking on Al Mayadeen's The Grand Standoff: Iran and the World on Tuesday, both guests also noted that Tehran is working on the assumption that the US will restart its war on Iran, while Johnson argued that Washington has less capacity to carry one out than its rhetoric suggests. Turkey, Pakistan face a logistical nightmare: Both guests dismissed the idea of a Turkish or Pakistani deployment. Johnson said the announcement that Turkey and Pakistan would effectively declare war on Yemen "was laughable."

■  Yemen launches missile attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh (Pars Today)

A CNN investigation examines Affinity Partners’ stake in Phoenix Financial and its investments in companies supplying equipment to the Israeli occupation forces. | As Jared Kushner has emerged as a key negotiator in the war on Gaza, his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, has become the largest shareholder in an Israeli financial company that has backed businesses involved in Israeli military campaigns, a CNN investigation revealed. ● Kushner has avoided the greater scrutiny that could accompany such a potential conflict of interest by serving as a volunteer envoy rather than taking a government position that would require him to disclose his financial holdings.

■  Head, hands ‘almost severed’: Who is the Indian pilot praised by Modi and Netanyahu? (RT)

Michael Holmes | Dying by the Sword is more than a history. It is an indictment. It demands that Americans and the world alike face a truth too long obscured by rhetoric about freedom and democracy: the United States has built its global position not on hesitant leadership, international law or human rights; but on repeated, aggressive wars of empire. And in those wars, it has too often been the author of the greatest crimes. | Monica Duffy Toft and Sidita Kushi’s 2023 book Dying by the Sword is both a work of scholarship and an unflinching indictment. It demolishes the enduring myth of the United States as a hesitant warrior, reluctantly drawn into conflicts by others. Instead, using their Military Intervention Project – the most comprehensive dataset of its kind – they prove that America has been the most interventionist state in modern history. The numbers are stark. From 1776 to 2019 the United States engaged in 392 military interventions.

Recent satellite imagery has reportedly revealed the presence of at least 25 U.S. aerial refueling tanker aircraft at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. According to reports citing the imagery, this is the largest number of U.S. tankers seen at the base since the war with Iran began in February. | The development has drawn attention amid conflicting narratives over the prospects for peace and de-escalation in the region. Qatar has publicly called for dialogue and a return to diplomatic negotiations, while emphasizing the need to end the ongoing state of regional “no war, no peace.” ● During the early stages of the conflict, the U.S. tanker aircraft were reportedly moved away from the area amid concerns over possible Iranian missile strikes. Their return to Al Udeid reportedly began in June, with the aircraft now positioned in dispersed locations across the base. Reports say this differs from the more concentrated parking pattern observed at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base and may reflect continued U.S. precautions against possible attacks.

The New York Times reported on Sunday night that President Trump had ordered the Pentagon to prepare for strikes against Yemen’s Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, but then reversed his plan, calling off the attack, at least for now. | Sources told the Times that Trump gave the order to prepare for military action in Yemen after a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been asking for the US to launch airstrikes in the face of Ansar Allah’s rapid gains on the ground. ● The report said that the president’s order to delay the strikes came after commanders picked targets and planes were loaded with bombs. It said that most of “the president’s inner circle was either deeply skeptical or outright opposed to joining the Saudi fight against the Houthis, especially given the existing strains facing the US military in the war with Iran.” ● While the US isn’t directly launching attacks against Ansar Allah, it’s still deeply involved in the war, as it’s providing targeting and intelligence support for Saudi Arabia, where up to 200 US military advisors are deployed to assist in the bombing campaign.

✅ A Useless Attack On Yemen, Ordered By Trump, Was Called Off (Moon of Alabama)

Helping the US to bomb Iran. Now, helping Saudi Arabia to bomb Yemen.

This is a terrible and shameful decision, which drags Britain further into conflict, deepens its complicity in Saudi war crimes, and proves that no lessons have been learned whatsoever.

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 22, 2026

Jeremy Corbyn warns that UK military support for Saudi Arabia deepens Britain’s complicity in Saudi war crimes in Yemen. | British MP Jeremy Corbyn has criticized the UK government’s decision to provide military support to Saudi Arabia amid its war on Yemen, describing the move as a further escalation of Britain’s involvement in regional wars. ● Corbyn said Britain had first assisted the United States in launching an aggression on Iran and was now helping Saudi Arabia bomb Yemen, arguing that the decision would deepen the UK’s complicity in the war.

■  UK Approves Military Support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen War (Alahed News)
■  Britain: Burnham sends RAF to help Saudi despots kill in Yemen (09/22/26)

Andy Burnham has authorised the RAF to provide aerial support to despotic US-Israel ally Saudi Arabia against Yemen’s Ansar Allah | The Saudis’ rout in Yemen by Ansar Allah has put the Yemeni group in firm control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait that Saudi Arabia would have used to route oil that cannot pass through the Hormuz Strait during Iran’s blockade. Yemen was one of only a handful of countries to fulfil its duty under international law to combat Israel’s genocide, and its support for Iran’s resistance to the US-Israeli war of aggression is key. Burnham has again shown he is no better than his craven predecessor in pandering to, and collaborating with, despots and genociders.

Iran attacked U.S. military targets in the Middle East on Monday in retaliation for the first American strikes on its territory in a month, in a fresh flare-up of the war that has engulfed the region. | Iran's strike on Jordan's bases Tehran's powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they had responded to Sunday's American attack by striking two U.S. air bases with ballistic missiles in Jordan, causing "heavy damage". Jordan's army said it had intercepted eight missiles. Iran's strike on UAE's base Tehran also claimed it targeted U.S. military personnel at an air base in the United Arab Emirates and shot down a U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz. US strike on Iran's Larak The flurry of attacks came after the U.S. said Sunday it had attacked Iranian rocket launchers on the small island of Larak in the strategic shipping lane. Washington said its attacks were aimed at preventing Iran from placing more sea mines in the strait, days after the US announced it had completed clearing explosives from the waterway.

■  Iran vows 'crushing' retaliation following latest US airstrikes on southern provinces (Press TV)
■  Trump threatens to ‘hit Iran hard’ after new flare-up (RT)
■  Jordan's military deterrence erodes as Iran strikes US regional bases (Al Mayadeen)
✅ Gulf economies face new era of uncertainty after six months of war (Al Mayadeen English)

With every message we send, our data begins a long journey under the sea. A portion of this journey passes through one of the world’s most critical bottlenecks: the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. | A narrow path that is not only a main highway for commercial ships, but also serves as one of the primary arteries of the global internet. ● In this report, we examine which fiber-optic cables pass through Bab-el-Mandeb, which companies and countries own these cables, which regions each cable connects, and what role this bottleneck plays in data transfer between Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. ● Why is Bab-el-Mandeb important? | Bab-el-Mandeb (located between Yemen and Djibouti, with a width of about 26 kilometers) is the connecting link between the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean. Most submarine cables carrying data between Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa reach the Suez Canal and then the Mediterranean Sea after passing through this strait. ● According to reports, about 17 submarine cables pass through this strait, carrying the bulk of data traffic between Europe, Asia, and Africa, which accounts for about 17 percent of global internet traffic and over 90 percent of Europe-Asia communications. ● The importance of Bab-el-Mandeb is not limited solely to data transmission. The concentration of dozens of international cables in this corridor has made this route a constant focus for intelligence agencies over the past years. ● Released documents regarding U.S. and British programs show that submarine cables have been primary targets for intelligence gathering operations—a matter that doubles the strategic importance of this bottleneck.

Larry C. Johnson | Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a trilateral defense pact on Friday, ostensibly binding three of the Muslim world’s most militarily and economically significant states into a mutual-defense arrangement. | Signed in the holy city of Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the agreement reportedly stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three would be regarded as an attack on all. The three governments framed it in identical statements as a measure to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and to enhance defense cooperation across the board. ■ The pact’s name itself reflects some ambiguity in how the parties are presenting it: Pakistani and Turkish statements referred to it as the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” while some outlets reported it as the “Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement.” The distinction is more than semantic — it suggests that there is no definitive red line, with the signatories walking between a hard mutual-defense commitment and a looser deterrence framework. ■ It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan previously signed a bilateral mutual defense pact — the “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” — on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh. Like the Mecca agreement, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan pledged that any aggression against either country would be considered an attack on both, and it came in the wake of the September 9, 2025 Israeli strike on Doha, Qatar. Yet, following Ansar Allah’s recent attacks on Saudi oil tankers and the Saudi oil refinery in Jizan, Pakistan did not respond. Under the terms of the Saudi/Pakistani agreement that seems to qualify as aggression.

■ Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sign joint defense agreement at Mecca summit (08/07/26)

Agreement says an armed attack against any of the three countries will be considered an attack against all as leaders pledge to deepen defense cooperation and strengthen collective security | Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement at a trilateral summit in Mecca on Friday, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defense cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. ● The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the summit held at Al-Safa Palace. ● According to a statement by Türkiye's Communications Directorate, the agreement reflects the three countries' shared commitment to reinforcing their collective security, building on longstanding historical ties, Islamic solidarity, common strategic interests and close defense cooperation.

■ Paper won't bring you security: Iranian official to Saudi Arabia (Al Mayadeen)
■ Sunni NATO’ is born: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign defense pact (Geopolitics Prime)
✅ The Odd Defense Agreement Between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan And Turkey (Moon of Alabama)
✅ Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign defence pact (Ragip Soylu)

Iran and Oman have held the first meeting of their newly established joint Hormuz committee, with discussions focusing on the future governance of the Strait of Hormuz. | Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, made the announcement in a post on X on Monday.Gharibabadi said the meeting took place during his visit to Muscat and was attended by Abdulaziz al-Hinai, Omani minister of state for foreign affairs. According to the former, the two sides discussed both current issues concerning the Strait of Hormuz and its future governance. Iran closed the waterway to enemies and their allies following the launch of the latest bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.

■ What is Article 5 of Iran-US MoU, and why is it blamed for Hormuz strikes? (Al Jazeera)

The Hezbollah resistance movement says Israel continues to repeatedly violate the ceasefire agreement, adding that it is monitoring all breaches and reserves the right to defend Lebanon and its people. | In a statement released early on Monday, Hezbollah reported that Israeli warplanes targeted a residential structure in the city of Nabatieh, while a separate airstrike hit another residential building in the town of Meifdoun. ● Additionally, Israeli drones bombarded an open area on the outskirts of Frun in southern Lebanon. The resistance movement further slammed the Israeli occupation forces for persistently intimidating civilians by deploying stun grenades near residents in the towns of Burj Qalawayh and Braashit. ● It also noted that Israeli aircraft released suspicious objects over Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Tebnit. ● Hezbollah referenced the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between Iran and the United States, highlighting that its initial provision mandates an immediate halt to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, and contending that the ongoing Israeli attacks represent a direct violation of that agreement.

📌 What Lebanon actually signed away in its deal with 'Israel' (06/28/26)

📌 Hala Farhat | Lebanon's framework with "Israel" never mentions withdrawal. It legitimizes occupation and lets "Israel" alone judge when Lebanese sovereignty has been earned. | What's worse than signing away sixty southern Lebanese villages to the Israeli occupation in exchange for nothing? Doing it when a far better alternative was sitting on the table. And what's worse than that? Doing it in the name of "sovereignty." ■ Lebanese and Israeli officials are both calling Friday's trilateral framework, signed in Washington under US sponsorship, "historic." In a narrow sense, they are right. The Lebanese state has legitimized the continued occupation of the South, handed "Israel" an outcome it could never have secured through war, and thrown a lifeline to a Netanyahu government that badly needed one. ■ Yet, calling Friday's framework "trilateral" is somewhat misleading. The word suggests three sides walked into the room, when in essence, there was one. The Lebanese delegation arrived with its friends and enemies already settled, just as the US and Israeli delegations did. ■ Lebanon's friends, by this framework's own logic, are Washington and the occupation. Its enemies, based on the March 2 governmental decree to criminalize the Resistance, are Hezbollah and, behind it, Iran.

■ Lebanon parl. speaker rejects deal with Israel as 'imposition' on Lebanon (Press TV)
■ War On Iran: – New Clash Over Strait Passage – Lebanon’s Capitulation Ignites New Civil War (06/28/26)

Moon of Alabama | In the last days there were two developments in Lebanon and Iran that will likely cause the war to reignite into a much larger conflagration. | Iran insists on having control over the Strait of Hormuz. But at least half of the passage way is under Oman’s jurisdiction. Oman is, unlike Iran, a member of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and has as such a different view of the international law with regards to the Strait situation. On Thursday the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) had arranged for a convoy of ships that had been stuck in the Persian Gulf for weeks to sail through the Strait right next to the coast of Oman.

■ Trump says US hit Iran again, may be ‘forced to militarily complete the job’ (South China Morning Post)
■ 'Decisive response': IRGC strikes eight US military installations after renewed American attacks (Press TV)
■ Iran hits Kuwait, Bahrain again after 'additional' US strikes (Türkiye Today) + THIS
■ Iran Will Respond Even More Forcefully to US Violations of Ceasefire - IRGC (Sputnik)
■ Trump threatens Iran as US conducts new strikes (VIDEO) (RT)
■ US and Iran Exchange Strikes in the Strait of Hormuz: What Is Known So Far (Sputnik)
■ Netanyahu and Katz say Israel will remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza 'without time limit' (06/28/26)
✅ With Iran and the US Exchanging Blows in the Persian Gulf, the MoU’s Survival is in Doubt (L. C. Johnson)
📌 What Lebanon actually signed away in its deal with 'Israel' (Hala Farhat)
📌 The US military lobby is looking for revenge against Iran (Elena Panina)

The Israeli leaders, speaking during graduation for combat officers, also threaten to attack Iran again | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz have said that troops will maintain an indefinite presence in southern Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. They were both speaking at a graduation for combat officers in southern Israel on Thursday.

■ Israeli minister calls for annexation of southern Lebanon (03/24/26)
■ Trump’s SHOCKING Plan for Greater Israel EXPOSED (02/14/25)
■ Sizing Up Israel Foreign Ministry's Biblical Map: ‘Promised Land’ Provocation or Expansion Plan? (01/08/25)
■ Israel's future borders would extend beyond Jordan River — minister (10/11/24)

[Plus this: The Land of Israel + Ezekiel and the Tribes]

An exclusive interview with geopolitical analyst Mahmoud Allouch examines whether Turkey could become "Israel's" next target, the drivers of their growing strategic rivalry, Syria's central role, and how likely a military confrontation could unfold. | Alongside a wave of statements and analyses, questions have increasingly emerged over whether Turkey could become "Israel's" next target. The possibility of a military confrontation between Turkey and “Israel”, despite growing signs of friction and mutual strategic concerns, remains constrained by significant strategic limitations, even as their broader relationship has steadily evolved into a more visible and multidimensional form of geopolitical rivalry.

 ●  This rivalry now spans a widening set of arenas, from the fragmented political landscape of Syria and the strategic waterways of the Eastern Mediterranean to emerging regional trade corridors and rival visions for shaping the post–Cold War order in West Asia.

 ● As a result, what was once primarily a cautious and often indirect relationship has become a sustained strategic rivalry. Speaking to Al Mayadeen English, geopolitical analyst and expert in Turkish affairs, Mahmoud Allouch argues that the relationship between Turkey and "Israel" has moved beyond a temporary diplomatic crisis into a phase of "intense strategic rivalry".

 ● 'Turkey is the new Iran' | During the annual Israeli Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, held on February 17, 2026, several senior Israeli politicians attended, most notably Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took the most attention, sparking controversy and anger in Turkey, after he said, “Turkey is the new Iran”. That statement indicated that, once the war on Iran ends, “Israel” would shift its focus toward Turkey, viewing it as the next major threat. It is noteworthy that in recent months, other statements and analyses have also emerged carrying the same idea, whether from institutions or individuals close to or aligned with “Israel”. [Plus this: The Land of Israel + Ezekiel and the Tribes]

A UNDP and Lebanese research assessment estimates extensive structural damage in southern Lebanon due to the Israeli aggression. | Direct damage to buildings in southern Lebanon during the Israeli aggression is estimated at around $1.38 billion, a UN agency and a Lebanese research center revealed on Monday.

The findings were drawn from a “rapid building-level damage assessment” in southern Lebanon, which compared satellite imagery from late April, nearly two months into the war, with imagery from October 2025. The assessment does not include damage from the most recent weeks of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

■ Lebanon building damage in Israeli attacks estimated at $1.38B (Anadolu Ajansi)
■ Israeli minister calls for annexation of southern Lebanon (03/24/26)
■ Sizing Up Israel Foreign Ministry's Biblical Map: ‘Promised Land’ Provocation or Expansion Plan? (01/08/25)
■ Israel launches ‘one of the largest’ attacks on Syria in history (12/10/24 )

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has criticized remarks made by Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who stated that “all of Lebanon must burn” [X] after four Israeli soldiers were killed in a retaliatory operation carried out by Hezbollah resistance fighters in southern Lebanon. | She emphasized the importance of “ensuring that all civilians are protected,” highlighting the necessity of preventing further violence while diplomatic efforts aim to stabilize the border situation. ● On Friday, two individuals lost their lives due to an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, as reported by Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA), shortly after a ceasefire was announced by the United States between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announces Closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon | Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz Friday instead of coming to Switzerland to engage in nuclear negotiations, citing Israel’s refusal to leave Lebanon and US forces’ ongoing presence in the region. In a statement read over maritime radio channels, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the US was in violation of the memorandum of understanding between the two countries, which President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed Wednesday.

📌 War On Iran: Trump Has To Stop Israel Or Account For A Depression (Moon of Alabama)
■ Switzerland confirms US-Iran talks planned for Friday are cancelled (06/19/26)

Trump got educated in 100 days how not to mess with sovereign nations. | The United States has reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, and if the reported terms are accurate, Tehran has emerged from this confrontation in a remarkably strong position. ■ The document, signed remotely just moments ago according to reports, appears to be far more than a ceasefire arrangement. Analysts are already describing it as a major strategic setback for Washington. ■ Trump entered this confrontation with ambitious objectives: weakening the Iranian system, dismantling its nuclear program, and curbing its ballistic missile capabilities. Yet he now appears to be endorsing terms that, in the eyes of many observers, solidify Iran's regional standing more than ever before. The political fallout in Washington has already begun, with critics arguing that the agreement amounts to a series of American concessions without delivering meaningful security gains for either the United States or its allies. [...] (Part 2)

■ President Donald J. Trump has SIGNED the Iran Memorandum of Understanding at Versailles in France

"Israel" killed four people in a double-tap strike on Mayfadoun and targeted three cars in south Lebanon on Tuesday. | Israeli occupation forces killed four people and wounded several others in a series of attacks on the town of Mayfadoun in south Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon, including a deliberate second strike on residents who had gathered at the scene of an earlier attack. ● According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon, IOF first bombed a car in Mayfadoun before attacking the same area again after residents had gathered. ● A second car in the town was then bombed, followed by a third car in the nearby town of Shoukin, bringing the total to three vehicles struck and one gathering of civilians hit. The attacks on Mayfadoun were the latest in a series of Israeli attacks that began shortly after midnight.

Israeli occupation forces continue strikes in southern Lebanon despite the US–Iran ceasefire announcement, as authorities issue urgent safety guidelines for residents returning to affected areas. | Shortly after a US–Iran ceasefire agreement was announced, covering hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued their attacks and violations in southern Lebanon from the early hours of Monday. Warplanes carried out two air raids targeting the town of Majdal Zoun, while a drone strike hit the town of Kfar Tebnit, according to reports. ● The aerial aggression was accompanied by heavy and sustained artillery shelling on the city of Nabatieh and the towns of Kfar Remman, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Kfar Tebnit. Reports also indicated additional strikes by the occupation forces in the towns of Khiam and Markaba in southern Lebanon, as well as a drone attack on the town of Haris in the Bint Jbeil district of the Nabatieh Governorate.

■ US and Iran agree on peace roadmap to reopen Hormuz, Israel rejects all terms (RT)
■ Iran’s Armed Forces have ‘finger on trigger,’ top commander says after Israeli attack on Beirut (IRNA)
■ 'Response coming', 'launchers stand ready': Iran threatens 'Israel' (Al Mayadeen)

1) A miscalculation in #Beirut has exhausted patience. The order has been given. Zero hour is approaching and launchers stand ready. #Hezbollah is a vital part of the Resistance Axis.

— Aliakbar Velayati (@Drvelayati_ir) June 14, 2026

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the fanatic Israeli minister for security affairs, says the Lebanese women and youth must be kidnapped as a means of exerting pressure on the resistance movement Hezbollah. | He made his proposal during a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday, urging officials to adopt more aggressive measures against the Lebanese group as discussions focused on expanding Israel's military invasion in Lebanon.

The US is planning to use Iran’s own frozen wealth to fund reconstruction in Gulf states following the US-Israeli war of aggression, American media reported. | US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has allegedly directed his team to estimate repair costs in Gulf countries and tap into Iranian funds to cover them.

The scheme emerges as Iranian officials warn that peace talks remain at a “deadlock” until the US unlocks the $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

■ US wants to send frozen Iranian assets to Gulf allies (RT)

Israel has continued to launch deadly attacks on southern Lebanon despite the two countries striking a new US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

🔗: https://t.co/2jXPywBwhA pic.twitter.com/AmnCQL3Lbc

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 5, 2026

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has denounced the US-mediated ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel as a one-sided, biased deal that seeks to impose asymmetric obligations solely on the Hezbollah resistance movement. | In written comments distributed by his office on Friday, Berri sharply criticized the recently announced US-mediated ceasefire framework concluded in Washington, describing it as “hybrid, unfair, rigged, inequitable, and not worth mentioning.” Berri insisted that any genuine agreement must begin with an unconditional ceasefire. [...] Berri noted that the US-sponsored text focuses exclusively on Hezbollah’s commitments to the ceasefire and the withdrawal of its resistance fighters from the area south of the Litani River, while remaining silent on Israeli obligations. The remarks came two days after the announcement of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between the Lebanese government and the Tel Aviv regime. [...] The remarks came two days after the announcement of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between the Lebanese government and the Tel Aviv regime.

■ Zakharova to Al Mayadeen: IOF violations of Lebanon ceasefire systemic (Al Mayadeen)
✅ The Lebanon escalation: Netanyahu is betting Trump can’t stop him (Farhad Ibragimov)
✅ Lebanon: Washington's so-called ceasefire framework (Dr. Marwa Osman)

Naim Qassem has accused Washington of seeking to force Beirut to accept a humiliating Israeli occupation | Israeli strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon have injured and killed dozens of civilians, less than 24 hours after West Jerusalem and Beirut agreed to a US-mediated ceasefire proposal. ● At least eight people were killed and 15 others wounded on Thursday in a series of strikes targeting the towns of Sohmor, Masaken, and Arab Al-Jalil, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.