Summary
- In Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry said 13 people were killed and 18 injured in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours despite a ceasefire in place since October 10, 2025.
- The ministry reported that 1,123 Palestinians have been killed and 3,616 injured since the ceasefire began, with 800 bodies recovered.
- Overall, Israel’s assault on Gaza since October 2023 has left 73,246 dead, 173,727 injured, and devastated nearly 90 percent of civilian infrastructure.
Israeli forces carried out a series of explosions in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel resumed in Rome under U.S. sponsorship. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli troops detonated explosives in Khiam and Qantara in Marjayoun district, while wide-scale blasts targeted valleys and homes in Beit Yahoun in Bint Jbeil district. Bulldozers were also seen clearing roads toward Maroun al-Ras, and residents near Majdal Zoun and Mansouri came under fire while tending orchards, though no injuries were reported. Israeli drones continued to fly over Beirut and its southern suburbs.
The escalation coincided with talks in Rome, following five rounds in Washington that produced a framework agreement for phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory. The deal links withdrawal to the Lebanese army assuming full security responsibility and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, specifically Hezbollah. A U.S. State Department spokesperson described the Rome talks as “productive and held in a positive atmosphere.”
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun voiced support for the framework, calling it “the best possible option” and urging dialogue over conflict. “Hatred does not build a state or institutions. It destroys,” he said, stressing that national unity was essential to ending the bloodshed. The Orthodox Gathering, represented by Marwan Abou Fadel, backed Aoun’s stance, warning that attacks on the presidency undermined national dignity.
Meanwhile, the toll of Israel’s ongoing campaign in Lebanon continues to mount. Official figures report at least 4,324 killed, 12,223 injured, and more than one million displaced since March 2. Israel still occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023–24 war.
In Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry said 13 people were killed and 18 injured in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours despite a ceasefire in place since October 10, 2025. The ministry reported that 1,123 Palestinians have been killed and 3,616 injured since the ceasefire began, with 800 bodies recovered. Overall, Israel’s assault on Gaza since October 2023 has left 73,246 dead, 173,727 injured, and devastated nearly 90 percent of civilian infrastructure.
