ShafaqNews- Middle East

Israel onTuesday accused Damascus of ignoring Israeli concerns over a growing Turkishmilitary presence in Syria, warning that the deployment poses a threat to TelAviv's security.

Accordingto the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel and Syriahad previously agreed on security arrangements, with Israel cautioning againstany changes to those understandings.

The Prime Minister's Office:Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to…

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 18, 2026

Earlieron Tuesday, Israel launched eight strikes on Abu al-Duhur airbase in the Idlibcountryside, targeting the base's runway and storage facilities.

Locatedabout 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, the airbase has been out ofservice as a dedicated military airfield since 2013. Reports have suggestedthat Turkiye could expand its presence there.

USSpecial Envoy for Syria and Iraq and Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack,meanwhile, explained that Washington is working to establish a deconflictionmechanism among Israel, Turkiye and Syria. He also indicated that Ankara hadnot been informed in advance of the Israeli strikes, leaving it able to preparea response.

Shafaq News- Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended trade,commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice,the UAE Foreign Ministry declared on Tuesday.

Afra Al Hameli, director of the Ministry's StrategicCommunications Department, reaffirmed the Emirates' commitment to dialogue,cooperation and regional integration as means of promoting peace, stability andprosperity in the region. He also reiterated the UAE's resolve to safeguard theintegrity of the international financial system in line with international lawand global standards.

مديرة الاتصال الإستراتيجي في وزارة الخارجية: وقف جميع الأنشطة والتبادلات التجارية والمعاملات المالية مع إيرانDirector of the Strategic Communications Department at MoFA: All Trade, Commercial Exchange, and Financial Transactions with Iran Halted pic.twitter.com/PQczXyDNRX

— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) August 18, 2026

Earlier on Tuesday, the UAE reported that two ballisticmissiles launched from Iran had targeted maritime traffic near Abu Dhabi. Theincident followed the Foreign Ministry's accusation last week that Iran hadattacked two ADNOC vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, urging Tehran tocease its hostilities.

Shafaq News- Abu Dhabi

Two ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeted maritime traffic inthe United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Emirates’ Foreign Ministry reported onTuesday.

One missile fell outside UAE territorial waters, while the other camedown inside them.

The ministry affirmed that air defenses are ready to respond to anythreats, pledging firm action against any attempt to undermine the country’ssecurity or disrupt maritime navigation in the region.

The Ministry of Defence announced that assessments revealed the two ballistic missiles detected, originating from Iran, were targeting maritime navigation and fell into the sea.The Ministry of Defence affirms its readiness to respond to any threats and to resolutely counter any… pic.twitter.com/Hu7GkHXmJx

— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) August 18, 2026

Earlier on Tuesday, the UAE detected a missile threat targeting thecountry and activated its air defense systems. The latest incident follows theForeign Ministry’s accusation last week that Iran had attacked two ADNOCvessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with Abu Dhabi calling on Tehran tocease hostilities.

Shafaq News- Mokha

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) saidTuesday that a cargo ship was struck by multiple unidentified projectiles about40 nautical miles southeast of Yemen’s Mocha on Monday.

The vessel was uncrewed at the time of the incident andsustained damage that would cost more to repair than its insured value, theagency added, noting that relevant authorities had launched an investigation todetermine the nature of the incident and identify those responsible.

20260818 UKMTO WARNING 117-26 ATTACK#MaritimeSecurity #Marsec pic.twitter.com/K31wi2eIOa

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) August 18, 2026

On August 15, Yemen’sMocha port administration suspended commercial and maritime operations aftermore than 25 Houthi (Ansarallah) missiles struck the area in recent days,killing seven people and causing an estimated $16 million in damage.

Located at thesouthern entrance to the Red Sea and serving as a gateway to the Suez Canal —one of the world's main trade arterieslinking Europe and Asia— the Bab al-Mandab Strait is 29 km (18 miles) wide atits narrowest point. It is considered one of the world's most importantshipping routes and a key corridor for global energy shipments, accounting foraround 15% of global maritime trade.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran will not accept another temporary ceasefire with the United States and instead wants a permanent end to the nearly six-month war, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Tuesday.

Araghchi told Iranian television that Qatar and Pakistan had played an important role in mediating, but said contacts between Tehran and Washington did not amount to formal negotiations.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf separately accused Washington of seeking concessions beyond the June memorandum of understanding, arguing that increased pressure would not resolve “a crisis created by the United States.”

Tehran has also begun shifting toward a “fully offensive” military posture after efforts to reach a permanent agreement stalled, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

Washington and Tehran signed an interim memorandum on June 17 aimed at ending hostilities and paving the way for a broader agreement. The 60-day negotiating period set out by the United States expired on Monday without a permanent settlement, while US President Donald Trump said that no talks with Iran were underway or scheduled.

Shafaq News- Gaza

An Israeli strike on a cafe at GazaCity's port killed six Palestinians, including a child, and wounded 10 otherson Tuesday, Palestinian media reported.

The Palestinian Mujahideen Movementcondemned the attack as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of continuing to targetcivilians and public places. It also argued that the escalation was underminingmediation efforts and urged international actors and mediators to takepractical steps to protect civilians and halt the attacks.

عاجل | في أحدث حصيلة: 6 شهداء بينهم طفل و14 جريحاً بقصف الاحتلال لمقهى في ميناء مدينة غزة. pic.twitter.com/aIIYl6WreO

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) August 18, 2026

Since the ceasefire took effect onOct. 11, 2025, Gaza's Health Ministry has recorded at least 1,262 deaths and4,168 injuries, along with 808 bodies recovered, bringing the cumulative tollsince Oct. 7, 2023, to more than 73,391 killed and 174,280 injured.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military saidit carried out an airstrike against several Hamas commanders in the Al-Shatiarea of northern Gaza, accusing them of planning attacks against Israeli troopsoperating in the enclave.

جيش الدفاع يهاجم قادة من منظمة حماس الإرهابية في منطقة الشاطئ خططوا لتنفيذ مخططات إرهابية ضد قوات جيش الدفاع⭕️هاجم جيش الدفاع قبل قليل عددًا من القادة في منظمة حماس الإرهابية في منطقة الشاطئ شمال قطاع غزة.⭕️خطط المخربون لتنفيذ مخططات إرهابية ضد قوات جيش الدفاع العاملة في قطاع…

— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) August 18, 2026

Israeli media reported that fourHamas commanders were targeted, including a company commander and three platooncommanders.

The group has yet to comment on theallegations.

Lastmonth, Hamas and other Palestinian factions agreed to a draft framework for gradually placingweapons in Gaza under Palestinian control, linking the process to Israeliwithdrawal, reconstruction, and a broader political settlement for the enclave.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, ruled out withdrawing Israeli troops until Hamas fullydisarms and dismantles its military infrastructure, while National SecurityMinister Itamar Ben Gvir rejected the proposed framework, calling for Israel tocontinue its military campaign in Gaza while encouraging Palestinianemigration.

Shafaq News- Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates detected amissile threat targeting the country and activated its air defense systems, theMinistry of Defence said on Tuesday.

The ministry added that anyexplosions heard were caused by air defense interceptions, without identifying wherethe missile originated.

Last week, the UAE Foreign Ministryblamed Iran for an attack targeting two ADNOC vessels while transiting theStrait of Hormuz, calling on Tehran to cease hostilities.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria has granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to a site in Deir Ez-Zor as part of expanded cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, al-Shaibani noted that Syria has the sovereign and legal right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

I’m currently in Syria, in the context of ongoing cooperation with the Syrian Government to clarify and resolve outstanding safeguards issues related to implementing its NPT Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA. We conducted the following activities:•⁠ ⁠Deir Ez-Zor site:… pic.twitter.com/unvDU7J6uB

— Rafael Mariano Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi) August 18, 2026

Grossi described the development as an important step for global security and nuclear non-proliferation, saying the agency has been working with Syria’s new government for the past 18 months to address longstanding international concerns.

“The IAEA will work toward bringing Syria into full compliance with its legal nuclear obligations,” Grossi added.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Israeli forces advanced on Tuesday toward Bat Al-Warda Hill, overlookingthe town of Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside, according to localsources.

Beit Jinn lies about 30 to 35 kilometers west of Damascus, near theborder with the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Earlier Tuesday, four airstrikes struck the runway of Abu al-Duhurmilitary airbase in eastern Idlib, marking the first reported attack on thesite since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry called on the UN Security Council and theinternational community to take a firm stance against Israel, saying Damascushad exercised restraint despite repeated Israeli attacks.

On August 17, Israeli forces shelled farmland between the villages ofEastern and Western al-Samadaniyah in the Quneitra countryside. A convoy ofabout 10 Israeli military vehicles also entered Abdin village in the YarmoukBasin in western Daraa. Israeli forces detained four Syrian men during theincursion and later released two of them.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced Wasim Al-Assad, a cousin of ousted President Bashar Al-Assad, to death after convicting him of murder and torture constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court also ordered the confiscation of his movable and immovable assets. Evidence, it claimed, linked an armed group under Al-Assad’s control to the looting of a shop in Jaramana and the abduction of its owner over the owner’s opposition to the former government, as well as to other kidnappings and killings.

Arrested in June 2025 on drug-trafficking allegations, Al-Assad was also accused of forming irregular armed groups under Brig. Gen. Ghiyath Dalla, a commander in the former Fourth Division, and taking part in operations against civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly Al-Mleiha. His trial began on June 24 and concluded after six sessions.

On August 11, the same court sentenced Bashar Al-Assad, his brother Maher, former security official Atef Najib, and several other former officials to death over murder, torture, unlawful detention, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Bashar and Maher were tried in absentia.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria called on the UN Security Council and the international community on Tuesday to take a firm stance against Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Idlib, saying Damascus has exercised restraint despite repeated Israeli attacks.

The Foreign Ministry described the strikes as an “unjustified act of aggression” and a “flagrant violation” of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning that the escalation threatens regional security and stability.

Syria will continue to defend its rights and national interests through “legitimate means guaranteed under international law and international norms,” the ministry added.

US Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack also expressed “deep concern” over the strikes, calling them an “unnecessary escalation” that does not serve regional stability. 

We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.The Al-Sharra government has neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces. It has, in fact,…

— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) August 18, 2026

Earlier today, airstrikes hit Abu al-Duhur airbase in southeastern Idlib, causing property damage but no reported casualties. The airbase connects areas of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria's Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that it had arrested ISIS military leader Hamza Abdullah Muhammad, known as Abu Jihad Al-Muhajir, during a security operation in the countryside of Manbij, a city in Aleppo province in northern Syria.

The ministry said the detainee had served as ISIS's “general military commander for the Levant province” and had previously acted as deputy to the former general military commander known as Al-Harithi. He had also overseen the group's “Idlib province.”

Shafaq News- Damascus

Three workers were killed on Tuesday in an explosion at the BaniyasThermal Power Plant in Syria’s coastal Tartous province, local sources toldShafaq News.

Alaa Souda, head of public relations and media at the Syrian ElectricityCompany, confirmed that the blast involved a hydrogen tank and occurred whileworkers were replacing a component in the tank. The explosion killed threeworkers but did not disrupt the plant’s operations.

The Baniyas plant, located on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, operatesseveral generating units. In 2022, an explosion in one of its generating unitsinjured two workers.

Shafaq News- Jizan

Yemen's Houthi movement (Ansarallah) struck an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia’s province of Jizanwith several drones, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported on Tuesday.

Quotinga military source, the outlet said the refinery hadbeen targeted before, without providing details on casualties or materialdamage.

Saudi Arabia has not confirmed thereported attack, and the Iran-backed group has yet to issue an officialstatement.

Houthi military spokesman YahyaSaree said Monday that Ansarallah had targeted a Saudi military landing shipand four accompanying patrol boats with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea offthe coast of Mokha.

Earliertoday, a spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces —the military of Yemen'sinternationally recognized government, which opposes the Houthis— said hisforces had carried out 133 operations against the group over the previous 24hours.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Four airstrikes hit the runway of Abu al-Duhur military airbase in eastern Idlib on Tuesday, marking the first attack on the site since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's government.

Local sources told Shafaq News that reconnaissance flights preceded the attack, which caused damage but no casualties.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the strikes, though military sources said the aircraft “may have been Israeli.”

Abu al-Duhur was one of northern Syria's major military airbases. Located in eastern Idlib near routes connecting Aleppo and Hama provinces with the Syrian desert to the east, the base was strategically important during the country's civil war.

The airbase served as a major Syrian Air Force facility under the former government before opposition factions seized it in 2015. Government forces and their allies recaptured it in 2018, before opposition forces took control again during their late-2024 offensive.

The facility sustained extensive damage during the war and has remained largely out of service.

Shafaq News- Hormuz

A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, damaging its engine room and causing a crew casualty, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated.

The remaining crew members are being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard. No environmental impact has been reported, while authorities investigate the incident.

20260818 UKMTO WARNING ATTACK 115-26https://t.co/kIIL54QwUP#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/p6tcuufQXA

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) August 18, 2026

Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil passes, has remained largely closed under Iranian restrictions since Feb. 28, following the start of the US-Iran war, disrupting regional energy flows. The corridor briefly reopened after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) entered into force on June 18, but closed again amid renewed military escalation, with Tehran maintaining that the waterway remains under Iranian control.

Vessel-tracking data from Kpler showed 15 ships crossed the strait on Friday, 10 on Saturday, and three made the passage on Sunday, down from 31 at the start of the previous week.

Hormuz traffic falls as risks riseTraffic through the Strait of Hormuz weakened last week, with confirmed crossings falling 19.5% to 95 and reaching just three on 16 August. Routing also remained constrained, with vessels using the Iranian Unilateral Scheme or undetermined… pic.twitter.com/utCLZR8EeM

— Kpler (@Kpler) August 17, 2026

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) on Monday struck a Saudi military landing ship and four escort vessels with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea off Mocha, saying the attack set the ship ablaze and sank or burned the accompanying boats.

Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the attack or the claimed damage.

Two sources in Yemen’s internationally recognized government earlier told Reuters that the Houthis had fired six missiles at a vessel in the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, but the ship had been “out of service” for more than a year for maintenance and was believed to have been empty at the time.

On July 20, the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. Riyadh then stepped up maritime protection measures and announced plans for a multinational coalition to secure shipping through the Red Sea and Bab El-Mandeb.

Mocha port later suspended operations after repeated strikes, while Yemen’s government said six Houthi ballistic missiles hit the city on August 14, killing at least four civilians. The port lies near the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, a major chokepoint linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a key route for global trade and energy shipments.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Israeli forces shelled agricultural land between thevillages of Eastern and Western Al-Samadaniyah in the Syria’s Quneitracountryside on Monday.

A Shafaq News correspondent said that no casualties havebeen reported so far.

A convoy of about 10 Israeli military vehicles entered Abdinvillage in the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa. Israeli forces detained fourSyrian men during the incursion and later released two of them.

Two artillery shells fired from the Israeli-occupied GolanHeights landed near Tel Ahmar East, sparking a fire. Residents extinguished theblaze before Civil Defense teams cooled the site to prevent the fire fromreigniting.

Israeli forces have stepped up incursions into towns andvillages across the Quneitra countryside in recent weeks, establishingtemporary checkpoints, searching civilians, flying drones, and striking severalareas.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran on Monday rejected the 60-day deadline under its JuneMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States as binding, arguingthat Washington had failed to meet its own commitments.

Speaking at his weekly news conference, Foreign Ministry spokesmanEsmaeil Baqaei maintained that Tehran would not accept being placed under timepressure and that it would act in line with its national interests, stressingthat Iran's armed forces remained ready to respond.

He attributed the breakdown in negotiations to continuous USbreaches of the MoU, while accusing other parties of obstructing the talks.

The dispute extends beyond the negotiations themselves, withWashington and Tehran divided over Iran's nuclear program, US sanctions,navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and wider security issues involvingIran's regional influence and military capabilities.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Baqaei characterized the negotiations ascomplex, blaming Washington's "illegal actions" for insecurity in thestrategic waterway.

"Iran and Oman are continuing their own discussions regardingtheir sovereignty over the maritime gateway," he noted, adding that thetwo countries were working closely to finalize a memorandum and reach a finalagreement on maritime traffic.

Regarding relations with neighboring states, Baqaei affirmed thatIran respected their sovereignty but accused some governments of allowing theirterritory and resources to be used for attacks against Iran. “Relations withQatar remain stable,’’ Baqaei maintained, arguing that recent developments overthe fate of three Iranian military pilots would not damage ties between Tehranand Doha.

The United States is preparing new economic measures against Iran,according to US officials cited by Axios, as Washington seeks to pressureTehran and bring it back to the negotiating table. The Wall Street Journalreported that Iran is considering possible responses to the latestdevelopments, including targeting internet cables and fomenting unrest abroad.

Read more: Iraq stands to gain most from US-Iran deal, analysts warn of fragile foundations

Shafaq News- Cairo

Hamas has approved a roadmap for the second phase of USPresident Donald Trump’s Gaza plan following Egyptian-sponsored talks withmediators and guarantors of the ceasefire agreement, the group said on Sunday.

In a statement, Hamas said the proposal, presented by PeaceCouncil's high representative Nikolay Mladenov and the mediators, sets outsteps for implementing the next phase, adding that it approved the roadmap toadvance a permanent ceasefire, secure a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,ensure sustained humanitarian aid, begin reconstruction, and establish thecommittee tasked with administering Gaza.

The group said it and other Palestinian armed factions had“fully implemented the first phase of the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement,” includingthe exchange of captives, the return of remains and a halt to militaryoperations.

Accusing Israel of “failing to meet its commitments underthe first phase,” Hamas called on the mediators and the Peace Council to pressIsrael to fulfill its obligations.

Read more: Hamas demands clear timetable for Gaza agreement

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami on Sunday announced a $30,000 reward for anyone who kills or captures and hands over any “aggressor” US service member, with the amount doubled if carried out by a woman.

Speaking at a ceremony honoring journalists, Hatami called for US forces to leave the region, claiming Washington could no longer “restore its previous military posture” or operate freely in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Strait of Hormuz.

Hatami claimed Iranian projectiles had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier at least once and temporarily disrupted its flight operations. The US has denied previous Iranian claims that the carrier was hit.

The Abraham Lincoln remains operational in the Arabian Sea, while the USS George Washington is heading toward the Middle East to relieve it after its extended deployment at sea.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for roughly a fifth of global oil supplies, has remained largely closed under Iranian restrictions since Feb. 28 amid the US-Israeli war, disrupting regional energy flows. The strategic waterway briefly reopened after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding took effect but closed again amid renewed hostilities, with Tehran maintaining that the waterway remains under Iranian control.

On Aug. 15, Iran and Oman agreed on a navigation plan for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran says the arrangement alone will not reopen the waterway. Iran continues to demand broader US concessions, while Washington opposes mandatory transit fees and restrictions on navigation.

Read more: Hormuz shipping plunges with no oil cargoes crossing

Shafaq News- Damascus

The integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-controlled Autonomous Administration institutions into the Syrian state has entered its final stages, with the SDF and People's Protection Units (YPG) potentially dissolved before the end of August, Syrian lawmaker Mustafa Abdi told Shafaq News on Sunday.

Abdi, a member of the presidential team overseeing the SDF integration process, said progress was also being made on the return of displaced residents to northeastern Syria, where demining and property disputes remain key obstacles.

A group of judges who served under the Autonomous Administration have completed interviews with the Syrian Justice Ministry, with the results expected to “pave the way for courthouses to open in Al-Hasakah and Qamishli.”

Around 13,000 families have returned to their areas of origin in Afrin, Ras al-Ain and Ain al-Arab (Kobani), according to Abdi. Demining teams continue to clear roads and farmland around Ras al-Ain of mines and unexploded ordnance left by different parties during the war. “Afrin has received several organized convoys of returning families, while returns to Ras al-Ain have faced greater obstacles involving housing, infrastructure, and unexploded ordnance.”

Read more: Kurds in Syria: From marginalization to a defining political force

Among the most recent, more than 400 families returned to Ras al-Ain last Monday, triggering disputes over homes after some entered properties without prior coordination. The disputes escalated into clashes and protests that spread to Al-Hasakah, Qamishli, Amuda, Al-Darbasiyah, Tal Tamr, Maabadah, and Ain al-Arab. Internal security facilities were attacked, and Syrian flags were removed from some buildings.

Shafaq News- Beirut

Israel claimed to have killed two senior Hezbollah commanders in southernLebanon, with Israeli forces carrying out overnight attacks in several areas ofthe south.

One of the commanders was identified by the Israeli military, as AliMohammad Fakhr al-Din, also known as Abu Hassan Alaa, a senior commander inHezbollah's Badr unit. The military alleged that he helped plan operationsagainst Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, including the use ofexplosive-laden drones.

ردًا على عملية حزب الله الإرهابي ضد قوات جيش الدفاع في المنطقة الأمنية: جيش الدفاع يقضي على قائد بارز في وحدة “بدر” التابعة لحزب الله الإرهابي🔸استهدف جيش الدفاع امس (السبت) منطقة دير الزهراني، ويقضي على أبو حسن علاء، قائد بارز في وحدة “بدر” التابعة لحزب الله الإرهابي.🔸في…

— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) August 16, 2026

The military also targeted a Hezbollah command headquarters in thesouthern Lebanese town of Ansar, killing Ali Samir al-Haj Hassan, a sector commanderin Hezbollah’s Radwan Force whom Israel accused of preparing attacks againstits forces in the area. Lebanon’s Health Ministry, however, put the toll fromthe strike at seven dead, including three children and two women.

Overnight, Israel struck the Ali al-Taher Heights in the Nabatiyehdistrict for a second consecutive night. Other attacks hit Deir Siryan and theoutskirts of Kfar Roummane. No casualties were disclosed from those operations,and the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

الاحتلال يواصل اعتداءاته جنوبي #لبنان عبر غارات وقصف بالفوسفور وتمشيط بالرشاشات استهدف مرتفع #علي_الطاهر وقرىً في النبطية وصور.https://t.co/Kcy0EqynRO

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 16, 2026

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported on Saturday that 11 people werekilled and 19 others wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes on southernLebanon.

The attacks drew widespread condemnation from Lebanese PresidentJoseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Arab League Secretary-General AhmedAboul Gheit and Hezbollah, which accused Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu of widening the conflict with Lebanon to serve his domestic politicaland electoral interests.

Read more: Lebanon's Hezbollah shifts from battlefield to political fight over weapons

Shafaq News- Cairo

The Arab League on Saturdaydenounced Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, warning that the militarycampaign risks prolonging the confrontation and creating a new reality on theground.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, theLeague's secretary-general, accused Israel of undermining diplomatic effortsand urged the international community, particularly the United States, to pressIsrael to halt its military campaign and comply with UN Security Councilresolutions.

#الجامعة_العربية تدين بأشد العبارات الاعتداءات الاسرائيلية المتواصلة على #لبنان@mofalebanon1 pic.twitter.com/ZMCUPVGY3L

— الأمين العام لجامعة الدول العربية (@lassecgen) August 15, 2026

Lebanon's Health Ministryreported earlier that an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of DeirAl-Zahrani killed four people and wounded nine, bringing the day's toll to atleast 11 dead and 11 injured.

President Joseph Aoundescribed the strikes as repeated ceasefire violations, while Prime MinisterNawaf Salam called the escalation "extremely dangerous," warning thatit threatens efforts to stabilize southern Lebanon. He also argued that thewomen and children killed in Ansar were not military targets and that anymilitary infrastructure on Lebanese territory falls under the responsibility ofthe state and its army.

Read more: Israel reshapes southern Lebanon: Displacement and settlement fears

Shafaq News-Sanaa

Houthi(Ansarallah) forces fired three ballistic missiles at residential neighborhoodsin Marib, a government-held city in eastern Yemen, Yemen's Armed Forcesannounced Saturday.

Marib, one ofthe country's main energy-producing areas, hosts large numbers of internallydisplaced people who fled conflict zones elsewhere.

No furtherdetails regarding casualties.

Houthis did notcomment on the incident.

EarlierSaturday, Armed Forces spokesman Majed al-Nuzaili said Houthis had targeted Mochaport in western Yemen with six ballistic missiles, killing one securityofficer, leaving two sailors missing, and wounding eight civilians.