By Abdul Adil
London, (The Muslim News): An Israeli airstrike killed three civilians and wounded a fourth in southern Lebanon on Thursday despite an ongoing ceasefire, according to Lebanese media reports.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli drone struck a Honda CR-V on a road connecting the towns of Zawtar and Mifdoun in Nabatieh Governorate, causing multiple casualties.
In a separate incident, NNA reported that Israeli troops set fire to several homes in the southern town of Ain Arab after ordering residents to evacuate by 5 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
According to the agency, an Israeli military patrol accompanied by a D9 bulldozer entered the town and instructed the mayor to inform residents that they must leave their homes before the deadline or risk having their houses demolished.
Residents of Ain Arab had returned only on Wednesday morning after the Lebanese army reopened the road linking the town to neighboring Mari, which had remained closed for an extended period, NNA added.
According to official Lebanese figures, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,200 people, wounded over 12,000 others, and displaced more than one million people since March 2.
A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran calls for ending hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, as part of efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement.
Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, including areas held for decades and territory seized during the 2023–2024 conflict. During its latest offensive, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.
Katz says Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Israeli forces will remain in territories occupied in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip “indefinitely.”
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for combat officers at the Israel Defense Forces Officers Training School, Katz said the army “will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza – indefinitely,” according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
“Commanders and soldiers have all the necessary backing to complete their mission and defend themselves and the citizens of Israel,” he added.
In Gaza, Israeli forces currently control more than half of the enclave following a war that has killed more than 73,000 people and wounded over 173,000 others since October 2023, according to local authorities.
In Syria, Israel has occupied most of the Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and expanded its presence following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024.
On Dec. 8, 2024, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria void and moved into the buffer zone, while Damascus said it remained committed to the accord.
Katz also warned that Israel would strike Iran “with full force in a manner that will clearly demonstrate the power gap between us.”
Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Iran in February, triggering retaliatory attacks against U.S. military assets across the Middle East.
Last week, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, as part of broader efforts to secure a lasting peace agreement.
Iran rejects U.S. claim on Use of unfrozen assets
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Thursday rejected U.S. claims that Tehran’s unfrozen assets would be used to purchase American agricultural products.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture,” Qalibaf wrote on X.
“The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant and homegrown,” he added.
Qalibaf also criticized Washington’s trade and political record, saying the United States “only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talk.”
His comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that initial financial relief for Iran would involve approximately $500 million worth of American goods.
Trump said no cash would be transferred directly to Tehran. Instead, Washington would use controlled Iranian funds to pay U.S. farmers for exports such as corn and wheat.
“Food is desperately needed in Iran, and we will be purchasing it for them exclusively from the United States,” Trump said.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that Washington would oversee the release of frozen Iranian funds held in Gulf states under the new agreement.
“Any money that the Iranians get first is going to be used for the benefit of the Iranian people. It is going to be Iranian frozen funds,” Bessent said.
He indicated that the initial tranche would likely be released from Qatar, with Treasury officials overseeing how the funds are allocated.
Bessent added that a significant portion of the money would be used to purchase U.S. food and medicine, effectively channeling the funds back into American exports under Treasury supervision.
The remarks come amid ongoing debate over the implementation of the recent U.S.-Iran understanding, which includes provisions on sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
The agreement, mediated by Pakistan, entered into force on June 18 after being electronically signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and President Trump.
Italy seeks to ease tensions with Iran, denies military role
Italy has not participated in any military action against Iran and has not authorized the use of its bases for attacks, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking after a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Tajani stressed Italy’s neutral position regarding any potential escalation involving Tehran.
“I spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi. Italy has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorized the use of its bases for acts of war against Iran, in strict compliance with its treaties with the United States,” Tajani wrote on X.
He also called for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
“I called for a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, facilitating the passage of all Italian cargo ships still blocked,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy transit chokepoints, and any disruption can have significant global economic consequences.
Tajani also emphasized the importance of diplomacy, describing the reopening of Italy’s embassy in Tehran as “a strong signal of dialogue” ahead of efforts to restore economic and cultural relations.
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte responded to criticism that European allies had not supported U.S. operations against Iran, citing Italy as an example.
“I completely understand the disappointment, but if we take Italy as an example, 500 U.S. aircraft have taken off from American bases in Italy to support the operation. So this is a huge number,” Rutte said.
His remarks sparked criticism from Italy’s left-wing opposition parties, which accused the government of lacking transparency.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto later disputed Rutte’s characterization, saying only logistical flights had been authorized from Italian bases.
Palestinian killed by Israeli fire in Gaza
A Palestinian was killed and two others were injured by Israeli army fire in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, in the latest reported violation of the ceasefire that has been in effect since Oct. 10, 2025.
The body of the victim arrived at Al-Shifa Medical Complex after Israeli troops fired toward the Al-Atatra area in the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, medical sources told Anadolu.
Two more people were wounded, including one critically, in an Israeli drone strike targeting a group of pedestrians near the Italian Complex in the Al-Nasr neighborhood, west of Gaza City, another medical source said.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli violations of the ceasefire have killed 1,029 Palestinians and injured 3,249 others as of Wednesday.
The ceasefire followed two years of Israel’s genocide on Gaza, which began on Oct. 8, 2023. Since then, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 173,000 injured, while about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed, with the UN estimating reconstruction costs at around $70 billion
[Photo: A woman mourns during the funeral ceremony in front of Nasser Hospital for Adam Abu Hadayid, who was killed in the strike in the Mawasi area as an Israeli attack on tents sheltering displaced people killed two people, including a child in Khan Yunis, Gaza, Palestine, on June 24, 2026. Photojournalist: Abed Rahim Khatib/AA]
