Latest war news. Israel bombs Beirut; Trump is furious and insists: ‘An electronic peace agreement with Iran will be signed within hours’

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has criticised the Israeli attacks on Beirut, which have jeopardised US plans to sign a framework peace agreement between Washington and Tehran later today. “The attacks took place despite the ceasefire and at a time when the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran are expected to reach an agreement that will pave the way for a peaceful resolution of this conflict,” he said in a statement. “I urge all parties to show the utmost restraint at this crucial moment.”

Israeli officials have described themselves as “stunned” by US President Donald Trump’s public criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the decision to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut. This was reported by Channel 12, which stated that officials are increasingly concerned that the Iran-US agreement could drastically limit Israel’s freedom of military action in Lebanon. A senior Israeli official close to Netanyahu told the broadcaster that officials in Jerusalem were stunned by Trump’s remarks, which included accusing the prime minister of lacking judgement. “Trump’s statement is a slap in the face. The restrictions on Israel have been taken to another level: the expectation that we will not strike anywhere in Lebanon is incompatible with the behaviour of a strategic ally.” It is reported that during one of his recent conversations with Netanyahu, Trump proposed that Israel physically withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of a broader agreement under discussion with Iran. Netanyahu reportedly rejected the idea outright, arguing that it would be in the interests of neither Israel nor the United States. The broadcaster reports that the main concern within the Israeli political and security establishment is currently that Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon could be significantly curtailed by Washington, should the agreement with Iran provide for the complete cessation of Israeli military activities throughout Lebanon, and not just in Beirut, as Tehran insists will be the case. According to the channel, officials in Washington have spent the last few hours pressuring Israel not to escalate tensions with Iran, whilst promising to do everything possible to prevent Iranian attacks against Israel. The American message, according to the report, is that even in the event of an Iranian attack, Israel should avoid any response that could jeopardise the memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated between Washington and Tehran, which Trump expects to be signed in the coming hours.

If Iran were to sign the memorandum on ending the war today, Donald Trump “would order the immediate lifting of the blockade on Iranian ports, before moving on to more detailed discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear programme”. This is what the tycoon said in a telephone conversation with Fox News.

General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Iranian armed forces, has stated that the country’s armed forces have “their finger on the trigger” and are ready to strike “at the heart of the enemy”, according to the state news agency IRNA. Abdollahi said that Iran was waiting for the enemy to make the “slightest mistake” in order to “teach them an unforgettable lesson”.

In an interview with Axios, US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his decision to strike Beirut: “He’s thrown a spanner in the works. He’s delayed the signing by a few hours. It was supposed to happen now. Now it’s scheduled for a few hours from now.” “Why did Bibi have to carry out a bloody attack? I was furious. I let him know. He has no bloody judgement. I let him know,” said Trump, who, in a race against time to save the memorandum, is relying on behind-the-scenes diplomacy and public statements to secure the signing.

Social injustice affects the poor first and foremost. It also stems from a form of corruption that the Pope describes as ‘arrogant’, capable of discriminating against, marginalising and stifling the demand for justice.

This is the core message of the 10th World Day of the Poor, which will be observed on Sunday 15 November 2026 under the theme ‘The Lord is the refuge of the poor’.

“Today’s crime by the Zionist regime in Dahieh, Beirut, has once again demonstrated that the United States is weak and lacks credibility, as it is not even capable of controlling this illegitimate regime. A strong response is on the way.” This was written on X by the head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee, Ebrahim Azizi.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated today that the country’s highest security authority supports the “path of dialogue”, following criticism from hardliners of Tehran’s negotiating team in talks with the United States. “The Supreme National Security Council has concluded that the path of dialogue must be pursued,” Pezeshkian said at a meeting with media executives, according to the presidency’s website, adding that the Council is responsible for “decisions regarding war and negotiations”.

In light of fears that Iran may launch missiles at Israel in response to today’s IDF raid in Beirut, the security cabinet meeting, scheduled to take place in an hour’s time, will be held in an underground bunker. This is according to Israeli media reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to US President Donald Trump in a 55-minute phone call to mark Trump’s birthday, according to the Kremlin. During the call, Trump reiterated the need to end the war in Ukraine, Putin’s adviser Ushakov reported.

“The conversation focused on the situation regarding the memorandum of understanding currently being drafted between the United States and Iran. Donald Trump said that an agreement is close,” Ushakov told reporters. He then added that “it was agreed that the US President’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are currently working on the Iran dossier, will return to Russia soon.”

“We are on track to sign the agreement with Iran; the question is not whether we will sign it, but when.” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking on CBS News, said that “President Trump has already dealt devastating blows to Iran’s nuclear programme, from ‘Midnight Hammer’ right through to this campaign. If Iran does not intend to comply, it will have to deal with the Department of War again, something we would prefer to avoid.” Israel’s attacks on the southern outskirts of Beirut “will not hinder the agreement with Iran”, which, however, “must firmly urge Hezbollah to stop attacking Israel”.

The IDF has announced that, following a situation assessment, it has been decided to update the Home Front Command’s defence guidelines, limiting gatherings to 5,000 people nationwide. The directives take effect immediately, from 6.00 pm local time until 8.00 pm tomorrow. The changes are being made in anticipation of possible missile launches from Iran.

“This morning’s attack in Beirut should never have happened, especially on such a significant day, when we are now just a step away from a peace agreement with Iran. Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack to which it reacted was negligible and of no real significance – causing no injuries or casualties – and should not jeopardise this fundamental process.” Donald Trump wrote this on his social media platform Truth. “All parties need to take a step back,” “this could be the start of a long and wonderful peace: let’s not ruin it,” he added.

The Israeli Defence Forces have announced that they are prepared for a possible Iranian missile attack on Israel in the coming hours, following the earlier strike against Hezbollah in Beirut.

The army has stated that the IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, is assessing the situation “with all relevant commanders” following the attack, and that the current assessment is that Iran will launch missiles at Israel.

Israeli forces have killed four Palestinians and wounded several others in an attack near the Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital in the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip. This is according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

US President Donald Trump remains determined to finalise a deal with Iran by the end of the day, despite the difficult negotiations. This was stated by the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz. Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week’, Waltz said that Iranian negotiators had struggled to obtain guidance from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and that they were ‘not always on the same page’ internally. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the agreement could be concluded, adding that both Trump and the negotiating team “are fully intent on finalising it today”.

Iran has accused the United States of failing to honour its commitments following the Israeli attacks in Lebanon. This was reported by its chief negotiator.

Tehran believes it would be “pointless to continue” talks with Washington if the commitments made during the ongoing discussions are not honoured.

The deputy commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Military Command has stated that Israel’s latest attack on Hezbollah in Beirut will not go unpunished. Mohammad Jafar Asadi described the attack in Dahiyeh as a renewed Israeli provocation. This was reported by Iran International.

The foreign ministers of Pakistan and Egypt have held a telephone conversation for the second time in the last 24 hours. This was reported by the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

According to the statement, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed progress towards a possible agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Israeli forces have struck “Hezbollah terrorist targets” in the southern suburbs of Beirut: this was announced in a joint statement, cited by The Times of Israel, by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defence Minister, Israel Katz. According to the statement, the raids are a ‘response’ to ‘Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory’. In a separate statement, the IDF spoke of ‘targeted’ strikes on infrastructure allegedly controlled by Hezbollah.

At least five people, including three women, were killed in attacks attributed to Israeli forces that took place between yesterday evening and this morning in Msayleh and Kaouthariyet el-Sayyad, towns in the Sidon district of Lebanon: according to the newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour. The same source reports relentless air raids and artillery fire in the Nabatieh area as well: in this case, the toll stands at at least three injured.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

In a post on social media, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated that the two diplomats “exchanged views on developments in the regional situation and welcomed the encouraging progress towards an agreement between the United States and Iran”.

“We have the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has just agreed never to possess a nuclear weapon, and the Strait of Hormuz will open shortly.” This is what US President Donald Trump stated in a post on Truth. In the message, which does not specify exactly when the Strait might reopen, Trump announces his endorsement of Congressman Mike Collins, now the Republican candidate for the Senate in Georgia.

Following the alert issued in Upper Galilee, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that a drone had exploded on Israeli territory, near the border with Lebanon. ‘There were no casualties and the incident is under investigation,’ the statement read, as reported by Ynet. According to the IDF, the drone, linked to Hezbollah, exploded in an area designated as a ‘military zone’.

“Tehran’s final decision on the agreement is currently under consideration.” This is reported by the Iranian news agency Fars, considered close to the Pasdaran, citing what it describes as a reliable source close to the negotiating team: “Iran has not yet announced its final decision regarding the proposed agreement. The examination of the political, legal and technical aspects of the proposals put forward is still ongoing.” According to the agency, which cites “informed sources”, “the examination of the various aspects of the proposals put forward is still continuing at the relevant levels of competence and decision-making, and the responsible institutions are carefully assessing the political, legal and technical aspects of the matter”.

An Israeli air raid has struck the town of Faroun, in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon. This is according to an Al-Jazeera reporter on the ground. Israel continues to attack Lebanon despite Iran’s claim that it will be included in a potential memorandum of understanding with the United States, the Arab news outlet adds, noting that new orders for forced evacuation have been issued following Israeli bombardments in several towns and villages in the south.

A cyberattack has hit four major Iranian banks, but no customer data has been compromised, according to a statement from the country’s Banking Coordination Council. This is reported by Al-Jazeera. The attack targeted the shared communications infrastructure used by Bank Melli, Bank Tejarat, Bank Saderat and the Export Development Bank of Iran, prompting technical teams to implement protective measures, resulting in temporary disruption to some banking services. The Council stated that there had been no unauthorised access to customer information and no data had been deleted, adding that recovery operations were underway to restore the situation to normal.

A delegation from Qatar, a country acting as a mediator between Iran and the United States alongside Pakistan, arrived in Tehran today as part of talks aimed at bringing about a lasting end to the war in the Middle East, according to reports in the Iranian media. The Isna news agency reported that an adviser to Qatar’s foreign minister had been sent to Iran. The purpose of this visit is to ‘examine the latest developments regarding the diplomatic process’, according to Tasnim, another Iranian news agency.

“The agreement with Iran is due to be signed on Sunday, and immediately afterwards the Strait of Hormuz will be open to all without tolls,” announced Donald Trump. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously set out the timetable for peace: an agreement “within 24 hours”, a “remote” signing, and technical talks to begin next week. But Tehran is putting the brakes on the timing of the agreement’s signing. The ceremony in Geneva with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Ghalibaf has been cancelled. The US President is celebrating his 80th birthday today with a wrestling match at the White House before flying to the G7 summit in Evian, where he will also meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. French President Emmanuel Macron will receive him at Versailles on 17 June to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. Meanwhile, Iran has announced that Ali Khamenei’s funeral will take place from 4 July.