Israel targets southern Beirut amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah, as Iran refuses peace talks with the US until Israeli operations cease. Israel's defense minister warns of continued military action if attacks persist.
Key points
Israel targets southern Beirut amid Hezbollah tensions
Iran refuses US peace talks until Israeli operations cease
Israel Katz warns of continued military action against Hezbollah
IDF aims to secure the Litani River area from threats
Israel’s defence minister said there would be “no calm in Beirut” if Hezbollah attacks continued and vowed to establish a military-controlled zone in the area of south Lebanon’s Litani River.
“The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut,” Israel Katz said in a statement released by his office, referring to Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold where he and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier ordered strikes.
“At the same time, the IDF continues to operate with fire and manoeuvre against Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in Lebanon ... in order to push threats away from IDF forces and from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” Katz added.
Iran says there will be no peace talks with the US until its demands on the cessation of Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza are met, according to the IGRC-affiliated Tasnim news agency.
Tasnim reported that Iran’s negotiating team is pulling out of message exchanges through mediators with the US over Israel’s offensive in Lebanon.
Tasnim further reported that Iran and what it called its “resistance front”, or proxies, will look to completely block the straight of Hormuz. It said it will also look to “activate” other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandem strait, which sits off the coast of Yemen, across the Arabian peninsula from the strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis, an Islamist armed group that controls large parts of Yemen, are allies of Iran – they have previously targeted shipping in the Red Sea and likely the “resistance” referred to by Iran in the statement.
Hezbollah said its fighters were still battling Israeli troops near south Lebanon’s Beaufort castle, a day after Israel said it seized the fortress and troops raised the Israeli flag there.
A statement issued by Hezbollah’s operations room, said its fighters were in a “battle of attrition against forces of the Israeli enemy army who are present in the area”, AFP reports.
Earlier today Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said Israel intends to create a buffer zone around the Litani area of . Israel held Beaufort castle from 1982 until 2000, using it as a base until its forces withdrew from Lebanon.
Q&A
What actions is Israel taking in southern Beirut?
Israel is conducting military strikes in southern Beirut and establishing a military-controlled zone in southern Lebanon.
What did Iran say about peace talks with the US?
Iran stated there will be no peace talks with the US until its demands regarding Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza are met.
Who is Israel's defense minister and what did he say about Hezbollah?
Israel's defense minister is Israel Katz, who warned that there would be no calm in Beirut if Hezbollah attacks continue.
What is the significance of the Litani River area for Israel?
The Litani River area is significant for Israel as it aims to establish it as a zone under IDF security control, free from weapons and Hezbollah threats.
Man, 21, charged with attempted murder after Surrey University staff member shot with crossbow
A 21-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a staff member was shot with a crossbow at the University of Surrey. The suspect, Almunthir Daqamah, is a former student and is due in court on Friday.
US forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait late on Sunday, the US military said on Monday.
It added that no American personnel were harmed.
Cars sit in traffic on a highway as residents flee following an Israeli threat to strike Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon.
Cars sit in traffic on a highway as residents flee following an Israeli threat to strike Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Cars sit in traffic on a highway as residents flee following an Israeli threat to strike Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, June 1, 2026. Photograph: Bilal Hussein/AP
The European Union on Monday urged Israel to halt its military operation in Lebanon, after Israel seized the strategic Beaufort Castle and said it would resume strikes on southern Beirut.
“We call on Israel to stop its military escalation in Lebanon and to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
The ceasefire already in place between Iran and the United States must unequivocally apply on all fronts, including in Lebanon, Iran’s top diplomat said on Monday after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered attacks on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut.
“Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” foreign minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X.
Israel has issued evacuation orders to residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon, including Houmine al-Faouqa, Bnaafoul, Arab Salim, Roumine, Aazze, Arki and Jbaa.
“Out of concern for your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by a distance of at least 1000 meters to open areas,” IDF Arabic language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a post on X.
Israel has stepped up its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, capturing the strategic hilltop Beaufort castle yesterday and ordering strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs today. Israel plans to “turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said.
French president Emmanuel Macron has said France is ready to support US-Iran ceasefire talks, following a phone call with US president Donald Trump last night.
In a post on X, the French president said: “Last night, I spoke with President Trump about the situation in the Middle East. I commended the determined efforts he is leading to quickly reach an agreement between the United States and Iran, which represents a unique opportunity to build a new security framework involving all concerned parties, in order to enable a lasting stabilization of the region.
“I indicated that we are ready to fully support these efforts and to take our full part in their implementation. This is the purpose of the international mission that we have built with the British and our partners, ready to be deployed as soon as an agreement is concluded in order to contribute to securing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are also prepared to bring our expertise and capabilities to the broader negotiations that must open, particularly on the nuclear aspect of an agreement. Finally, I commended President Trump’s commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and emphasized the importance of a robust ceasefire and our collective support for the Lebanese authorities.”
Yesterday France called for an emergency UN security council meeting following Israel’s stepped up offensive in Lebanon. That will take place later today.
Israel’s defence minister said there would be “no calm in Beirut” if Hezbollah attacks continued and vowed to establish a military-controlled zone in the area of south Lebanon’s Litani River.
“The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut,” Israel Katz said in a statement released by his office, referring to Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold where he and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier ordered strikes.
“At the same time, the IDF continues to operate with fire and manoeuvre against Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure in Lebanon ... in order to push threats away from IDF forces and from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” Katz added.
An AFP correspondent saw families with small children packed onto scooters with just a bag or two leaving Beirut’s southern suburbs, while others fled in cars carrying belongings including pillows and bags, after Israel ordered strikes on the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s capital.
Hadi, a 24-year-old, said he had hoped for some stability in the area during the truce.
“That feeling did not last long ... Our fears intensified this morning after I received a series of messages about orders to bomb the southern suburbs, which caused widespread panic, and we immediately left the area,” he told AFP over the phone.
Beirut’s southern suburbs, Dahiyeh, have been struck twice since 8 April, when a series of Israeli attacks across Lebanon killed hundreds.
The Israeli order comes a day after its troops seized the Beaufort castle, which commands sweeping views of south Lebanon, as the military expands its ground operations.
Heavy traffic across many lanes on roads out of Beirut's suburbs.
Road were clogged as people made their way out of the southern suburbs of Beirut. Photograph: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
Kuwait’s foreign ministry has condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks, as sirens sounded across the country earlier this morning. Kuwait is a US ally that hosts US bases and installations on its territory. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards told state media they had targeted an airbase used by the US military from which attacks on Iran had originated.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the State of Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms, of the heinous and repeated Iranian attacks, which represent a dangerous escalation and a direct assault on the security and stability of the State of Kuwait, as well as a flagrant violation of the rules of international law, the United Nations Charter, and Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026, not to mention the grave threat they pose to the safety of civilians and vital facilities in the country,” the ministry said in a post on X.
“The continuation and repetition of these aggressions undermine efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and threaten security and stability in the region, emphasising the State of Kuwait’s categorical rejection of these aggressive practices.”
Iran’s chief negotiator has said the US are not complying with the ceasefire following US strikes strikes on Iran over the weekend.
“The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of US noncompliance with the ceasefire,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibafsaid in a post on X. “Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place.”
Iran responded to the US strikes by targeting Kuwait with drones and missiles.
Israeli airstrikes overnight on southern Lebanon left six people dead, including a Syrian citizen in a village near the city of Nabatiyeh, AP reports, citing Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.
The Israeli military meanwhile said it had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported, the military said.
Hezbollah said it carried out rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel on Sunday.
