Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
Amid claims and counter-claims of strikes and confrontations in the crucial Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the United States, UN maritime officials continue to urge vessels to exercise “maximum caution”.
Lebanon’s fragile ceasefire is being tested by renewed violence and rising humanitarian needs amid continuing civilians displacement, services under pressure and aid cuts.
At least nine people were reported to have been killed in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as ongoing hostilities continue to exact a heavy toll on civilians and drive a worsening humanitarian crisis marked by rising hunger and strained public services.
The Security Council turns again to the Middle East crisis in New York on Tuesday, with scheduled debate expected to focus on the fragile Gaza ceasefire, a worsening humanitarian crisis there and efforts to advance a US-backed peace plan. UN Assistant Secretary-General for political affairs Khaled Khiari is set to brief, alongside former UK Prime Minister and member of the US-led Board of Peace Tony Blair. You can follow all the UN's meetings coverage here but follow live and in-depth updates below.
The recently extended ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon remains under strain as violence continues, with civilian deaths and injuries reported in Israeli strikes over the weekend. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is set to hold a high-level debate on maritime security amid ongoing concerns over the safety of key global waterways. Stay with us for live updates.
Desperate and dangerous conditions in Gaza continue to hamper recovery efforts for the wartorn enclave's people, the UN health agency said on Friday, while demining experts warned that they’ve “barely scratched the surface” in assessing the level of contamination of unexploded ordnance.
The United States has announced that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire will be extended by three weeks following talks in Washington, offering a potential pause in hostilities. Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns persist across the region, including in Gaza and Iran. Stay with us for live updates.
A UNICEF relief mission reached a large hospital in the southern Lebanese town of Tebnine on Thursday, only to find massive destruction and staggering needs.
A temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been extended, offering an opening for diplomacy – but persistent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are compounding trade disruptions and intensifying pressure on humanitarian operations and vulnerable communities far beyond the Gulf.
The shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz caused by war in the Middle East has exposed a new threat: a looming shortage of strategic minerals that drive economies all over the world – and a race by countries to obtain them.
The United States’ decision to extend a fragile ceasefire with Iran has kept a narrow window open for diplomacy, but fresh security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday underscore the volatility of the situation and the risks to global shipping and regional stability.
The Security Council is meeting now at a critical juncture for Syria’s fragile transition. While the Iran-US ceasefire has temporarily eased regional spillover from Lebanon and elsewhere, conditions remain volatile in Syria. The reported US military withdrawal now completed, marks a milestone, yet the chamber faces a country grappling with deep internal fissures and external pressures.
Tensions have escalated in the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed security incidents, including reported attacks on vessels and a US interception of an Iranian cargo ship. In Lebanon, a 10-day ceasefire with Israel continues to hold, with thousands returning to the south despite widespread destruction. A UN peacekeeper was also killed over the weekend, with initial assessments indicating the fire came from non-state actors, reportedly Hezbollah.
A UN peacekeeper has been killed and three others injured after a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon, the mission said.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight in Beirut, offering a pause in hostilities after weeks of fighting. The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the agreement and urged all parties to respect it, expressing hope it could open the way for further negotiations. Stay with us for live updates on developments on the ground and diplomatic efforts.
The war in Gaza has inflicted a far higher toll on women and girls than in previous conflicts in the Palestinian enclave, with more than 38,000 killed by Israeli air bombardment and land military operations since Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel sparked the war in October 2023, UN Women said on Friday.
Amid reports of high-level talks later today between Israel and Lebanon, intense Israeli military strikes continued in southern Lebanese territory, including around the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah rocket fire continued into northern Israel also. In other developments, the US military announced on Wednesday that it had prevented 10 ships from navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, in line with its blockade of Iranian ports.
Developments across the Middle East continue as Israeli military operations in Lebanon persist, a day after rare talks aimed at easing tensions. The humanitarian toll remains severe, with more than 2,000 people reported killed since early March and growing concern over the impact on healthcare and the situation of vulnerable groups, including pregnant women. Uncertainty also continues in the Strait of Hormuz following a US-announced blockade on Iranian ports, raising wider concerns over regional stability and global trade.
As Israel and Lebanon prepare for talks in Washington, the UN Secretary-General has urged both sides to use all available diplomatic avenues to end hostilities and advance the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701. At the same time, uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz continues to raise concerns over global trade and food security. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll remains severe, with women and children among those hardest hit by the conflict.
