Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the Culture and Freedom Foundation led by former justice minister Ibrahim Najjar, Aoun dismissed calls for Lebanon to abandon the negotiations and said the government would continue pursuing talks until a settlement serving Lebanon’s national interests is achieved.

“We will not withdraw and we will continue until we reach a conclusion that benefits our nation,” Aoun said, according to remarks released by the presidency.

The Lebanese leader emphasized the role of state institutions in preserving sovereignty and stability, arguing that national authority remains the foundation for addressing the country’s security and political challenges.

Aoun’s comments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier following months of conflict that have displaced large numbers of civilians and caused extensive damage in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, in a televised interview, Aoun made a rare direct appeal to Israel to pursue a negotiated settlement, arguing that military action alone could not guarantee long-term security.

He said Lebanon’s approach remains aligned with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, under which Arab states offered normalization of relations with Israel in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories.

Aoun stressed, however, that progress toward broader normalization would require a gradual process and confidence-building measures rather than immediate political breakthroughs.

Lebanon and Israel agreed last week to a new ceasefire arrangement backed by the United States, but tensions have persisted amid reports of continued violence and disagreements over implementation.

The conflict escalated on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with an extensive air campaign and ground operations that resulted in the occupation of areas in southern Lebanon.

According to figures cited by Lebanese officials, more than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli military operations in Lebanon, while over one million residents have been displaced by the fighting.

Aoun’s remarks underscore Lebanon’s effort to balance diplomatic engagement with demands for concrete security and territorial guarantees, as international mediators seek to prevent a broader regional escalation.

The crash occurred on Sunday afternoon in Thi Qar province as the bus traveled from the holy Shiite city of Najaf to the southern port city of Basra, according to Ahmad Saleem, spokesperson for the Thi Qar provincial council.

Saleem said 14 of the victims were burned beyond recognition, complicating identification efforts. Two Iranian nationals are believed to be among the dead, although authorities had not yet confirmed their identities.

Twenty people were injured in the accident, including two Iranian passengers who were transferred to Iran on Monday morning through coordination with the Iranian Consulate in Basra, Saleem said.

Local officials attributed the crash to poor road conditions. Saleem said provincial authorities had previously raised concerns about the condition of the roadway where the accident occurred, which lies between Thi Qar and Diwaniyah provinces.

He also said a severe shortage of ambulances in Thi Qar province hindered emergency response efforts following the crash.

The accident is the latest in a series of deadly road incidents in Iraq, where decades of conflict, corruption and underinvestment have strained infrastructure development and maintenance. Poorly maintained highways, aging vehicle fleets and weak enforcement of traffic regulations have contributed to a high rate of road fatalities across the country.

In 2023, a bus carrying pilgrims bound for the Iraqi city of Karbala crashed north of Baghdad, killing 18 people.

Authorities have not released further details on the cause of Sunday’s crash as identification efforts and investigations continue.

The reopening of Imam Khomeini International Airport marks the latest step toward restoring civilian air travel after authorities halted all incoming flights on Sunday in response to escalating regional security concerns.

“The deputy head of airport operation of Imam Khomeini Airport Company announced the resumption of flights to Imam Khomeini Airport and the flights of pilgrims,” Iran’s Mehr news agency reported.

The airport suspension followed Iranian missile strikes on Israel on Sunday. Israel subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes, prompting heightened security measures and disruptions to regional air traffic.

The reopening allows the return of Hajj pilgrims traveling from Saudi Arabia, an important seasonal movement of passengers as Muslims conclude the annual pilgrimage.

The closure was the latest operational interruption at Imam Khomeini International Airport, one of two airports serving the Iranian capital. The facility had only resumed activity in April after remaining shut for several weeks during the Middle East conflict.

The reopening underscores efforts by Iranian authorities to restore normal transportation links while regional tensions continue to affect aviation operations across the Middle East.

No further details were immediately provided regarding flight schedules or additional operational restrictions at the airport.

The latest exchange between Israel and Iran marked the first direct confrontation since a ceasefire took effect in April, raising concerns about a broader return to conflict across the Middle East.The escalation followed Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iran responded with missile launches toward Israel, prompting calls from some Israeli officials for a forceful counterstrike.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged a severe response, declaring that Tehran should face immediate consequences following the missile attacks.Netanyahu defended Israel’s position by reiterating the country’s right to self-defense, arguing that no sovereign state could be expected to refrain from responding when civilian population centers are targeted by ballistic missiles.

Analysts said the Israeli response reflected both security considerations and domestic political pressures. Adi Bershadsky, a retired Israeli colonel and defense specialist, said it would have been difficult for any Israeli government to leave such an attack unanswered. He also suggested there may have been some level of understanding regarding how the confrontation would unfold.

The Israeli military said its chief of staff remained in close contact with his U.S. counterpart, signaling ongoing military coordination despite apparent differences in political priorities.Yaakov Katz of the Jewish People Policy Institute said Israel’s actions conveyed a message that while Trump may favor diplomatic arrangements with Iran, Israel retains the ability to act independently when it views its security interests as threatened.

Political considerations may also have influenced decision-making in Jerusalem. Israel is scheduled to hold national elections by the end of October, and analysts noted that Netanyahu’s political opponents could have criticized any perceived failure to respond to Iranian missile attacks.Michael Horowitz, a regional analyst, said no Israeli leader would likely have accepted a situation in which an Iranian strike went unanswered.

He described Netanyahu’s decision to proceed despite Washington’s preference for de-escalation as a political gamble.According to Horowitz, the move represented one of the most public instances in which Netanyahu appeared willing to diverge from Trump’s approach, even as both leaders remain closely linked through their joint military and strategic policies toward Iran.

The relationship carries political significance for both men. Since launching a coordinated offensive against Iran on February 28, the United States and Israel have shared responsibility for managing the fallout from the conflict while balancing domestic political pressures ahead of upcoming elections in both countries.

Anna Barsky, a commentator for Israeli newspaper Maariv, said the Israeli response carried risks because it could encourage additional Iranian attacks or trigger involvement from allied armed groups in the region. However, she argued that failing to respond to a direct missile strike would have established a precedent that many Israeli policymakers considered unacceptable.

Although both Iranian and Israeli leaders have signaled a desire to limit further escalation, tensions remain elevated. Israel has continued military operations in Lebanon despite warnings from Tehran that further attacks could provoke a stronger reaction.

The latest developments underscore Israel’s longstanding strategic challenge of maintaining close cooperation with Washington while preserving the ability to act unilaterally on national security matters, particularly when U.S. and Israeli assessments of regional risks diverge.

Israeli bulldozers entered Barta’a to execute the demolition order issued a day earlier, according to the Palestine News Agency. Residents said only eight families managed to remove their belongings before the operation began, while others refused to evacuate their possessions.

Witnesses said residents protested by climbing onto rooftops of the targeted homes in an attempt to prevent the demolitions. Israeli forces later removed the protesters before the buildings were razed.

The demolitions left about 100 Palestinians facing displacement, according to local reports.

The operation comes amid a prolonged Israeli military campaign in and around Jenin. Since launching operations in the city and its refugee camp in January 2025, Israeli forces have displaced more than 20,000 people and destroyed approximately 600 homes, most of them in the Jenin refugee camp.

Israel says structures built without the required permits are subject to demolition under planning and zoning regulations in the occupied territory.

Palestinians and rights groups have long criticized the permit system, arguing that obtaining construction approvals is extremely difficult and that demolitions contribute to displacement and territorial fragmentation in the West Bank.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Israeli settlement expansion, military operations and demolitions remain central points of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel is facing legal proceedings at both the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice relating to its actions in the Palestinian territories. Israel rejects allegations of war crimes and genocide and has challenged the legitimacy of the cases.

In a letter sent to the government on Monday, 137 Labour members of parliament called for concrete measures against Israeli settlements, arguing that continued expansion and settler violence required a stronger response from Britain.

“There is an urgent need for accountability and concrete consequences in response to Israel’s violations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem,” the lawmakers wrote, describing a ban on settlement trade as a necessary next step.

The signatories represent more than a third of Labour’s 402 lawmakers in the 650-seat House of Commons, highlighting growing unease within the governing party over Britain’s policy toward Israel.

The intervention presents a challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has sought to balance Britain’s longstanding alliance with Israel and the United States against mounting domestic pressure to take firmer action over Israeli conduct in Palestinian territories.

The occupied West Bank has seen accelerated settlement expansion under Israel’s current coalition government, with several ministers advocating annexation of parts of the territory. Most countries regard Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

Violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities has also increased since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

Responding to the letter, a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign Office did not directly address the demand for a trade ban but said the government had repeatedly condemned settler violence and the expansion of illegal settlements.

The spokesperson said Britain continued to call on Israeli authorities to prevent attacks by settler groups and address the destruction of Palestinian property.

Britain has already adopted a series of measures under Starmer’s government, including suspending some arms export licenses to Israel, pausing negotiations on a free trade agreement and imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

London also joined several Western allies, including France and Canada, in recognizing a Palestinian state last year.

The debate has increasingly focused on the proposed E1 settlement project, a development east of Jerusalem that critics say would divide the West Bank and undermine prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state.

Britain has publicly opposed the E1 project and, together with international partners, urged businesses not to participate in construction tenders linked to the development.

The Guardian reported that the government is considering additional measures to discourage corporate involvement in the project, although officials declined to comment on potential future sanctions or restrictions.

The State Security Court said it unanimously issued a final ruling against the defendant, finding him guilty of assaulting law enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing narcotics laws, resulting in the deaths of three officers and injuries to another.

According to the court’s statement, the accused was convicted on multiple charges related to the attack and received the harshest penalty available under Jordanian law, a sentence of capital punishment.

The case stems from a March 18 security operation conducted by Jordan’s Anti-Narcotics Department. During the raid, three officers were killed and a fourth was wounded before authorities arrested the suspect and seized quantities of drugs and weapons, according to the Public Security Directorate.

While Jordan’s legal system continues to permit capital punishment, executions have effectively been suspended for years. The last known executions were carried out in 2017, when authorities hanged 15 convicted prisoners, including 10 found guilty of terrorism-related offenses.

The ruling comes as Jordan faces mounting challenges linked to drug trafficking and cross-border smuggling. Authorities have significantly increased enforcement efforts in recent years amid concerns over the kingdom’s role as a transit route for narcotics destined for regional markets.

Jordanian officials say the vast majority of drugs seized within the country are intended for smuggling beyond its borders rather than domestic consumption. Government figures show that security agencies arrested more than 38,000 individuals last year in over 25,000 cases involving drug use, trafficking and smuggling.

Security forces have also stepped up operations along Jordan’s lengthy frontier with Syria, where the military regularly reports intercepting attempts to smuggle narcotics, particularly captagon pills, into or through the kingdom.

Captagon trafficking expanded significantly during the Syrian conflict and became one of the region’s most lucrative illicit trades during the rule of former Syrian president Bashar Assad. Jordan has repeatedly cited drug smuggling as a major national security concern and has intensified cooperation between military and law enforcement agencies to curb the flow of narcotics.

The court’s decision reflects the increasingly hard-line approach adopted by Jordanian authorities toward drug-related crimes, particularly cases involving violence against security personnel engaged in counter-narcotics operations.

Al-Qadi, who worked as a secretary for physician Rania Al-Abbasi, was last seen on March 11, 2013, when she left her home in the Dummar district of Damascus after receiving what relatives described as an urgent telephone call. According to family members, she never returned.

Her case remains unresolved despite years of inquiries, unverified reports and searches through available records. Family members say they have received no official confirmation regarding her whereabouts or fate.

Speaking to Syria’s state news agency SANA, relatives described Al-Qadi as a strong-willed and responsible daughter who often assumed a protective role within her family. Her father, Mohammad Fares Al-Qadi, recalled personal memories of his daughter, including performing Umrah together, which he said had helped sustain him through years of uncertainty.

Her sister, Fatima Al-Qadi, said the family learned after her disappearance that Majdoleen had quietly participated in humanitarian efforts, helping distribute aid to displaced families in the Dummar area.

According to relatives, Al-Qadi was detained upon arriving at the home of Al-Abbasi, along with members of the doctor’s family, in an operation allegedly carried out by military intelligence under the government that ruled Syria at the time. The family said they were never formally informed of her detention or subsequent location.

Family members said years of searching exposed them to conflicting reports, false leads and individuals who claimed to possess information in exchange for money. Mahmoud Sheikh Al-Shabab, Al-Qadi’s uncle, said the family repeatedly received contradictory accounts suggesting she had been transferred between detention facilities, but none could be independently verified.

The prolonged uncertainty took a significant emotional toll. Relatives said Al-Qadi’s mother experienced deteriorating health during the years-long search and died in 2018 after being diagnosed with cancer.

In an effort to find evidence, Fatima Al-Qadi recently reviewed archival videos and records related to detainees and missing persons, including materials held by Syria’s National Commission for Missing Persons. She said she was unable to identify her sister in any of the available footage, although she recognized children belonging to Al-Abbasi’s family.

With no confirmed information emerging, the family held condolence gatherings on June 4 and 5. Relatives emphasized that the event was symbolic and intended to honor Majdoleen’s memory rather than represent official confirmation of her death.

Her case reflects a broader national challenge confronting Syria. According to estimates previously released by the National Commission for Missing Persons, between 120,000 and 300,000 missing-person cases remain unresolved across the country, making it one of the largest humanitarian and accountability issues stemming from more than a decade of conflict.

For families such as the Al-Qadis, the absence of definitive answers continues to leave a void that neither time nor speculation has been able to fill.

Bahrain said seven missiles fired by Iran toward Bahrain and Kuwait were intercepted, describing the attack as “blatant aggression” and urging Tehran to immediately halt strikes against Gulf neighbors. Kuwait’s military also reported intercepting incoming missiles and drones.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces, and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

The attacks came hours after U.S. Central Command said it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones launched toward Gulf allies and the Strait of Hormuz, while carrying out retaliatory strikes against Iranian coastal radar installations.

Washington said the Iranian drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic through the strategic waterway, a key route for global oil and gas shipments. The latest exchange has further strained a fragile ceasefire and intensified pressure on Tehran as the Trump administration seeks a broader agreement to end the conflict.

The report, based on interviews with current and former Israeli intelligence and military officials, said Barnea transformed Mossad from an organization focused primarily on targeted clandestine missions into a central operational arm supporting Israel’s broader confrontation with Iran and its regional allies.

Among the report’s most significant claims were new details regarding the September 2024 killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. According to the newspaper, Lebanese agents recruited by Mossad played a role in gathering intelligence and placing targeting equipment that helped facilitate the Israeli strike that killed Nasrallah and several senior Hezbollah commanders.

The report said some operatives moved through areas recently hit by Israeli bombardment to assess damage and install equipment linked to the operation. It added that Barnea regarded locally recruited agents as among the agency’s most valuable assets and viewed their activities as evidence of a broader shift in how Mossad conducted operations abroad.

The investigation also linked Barnea to intelligence efforts preceding Israel’s military campaign against Iran in 2025. According to Israeli sources cited by the newspaper, officials examined the possibility of supporting Kurdish groups as part of a wider strategy aimed at increasing pressure on Iran’s leadership during the conflict.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli planners envisioned Kurdish forces advancing on the ground with support from Israeli air power. The proposal was ultimately blocked by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the newspaper, although Israeli officials cited in the report differed on whether opposition originated within the U.S. administration or stemmed partly from concerns raised by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

According to the report, Barnea did not believe military action alone would be sufficient to topple Iran’s leadership but argued that sustained economic, diplomatic and military pressure could gradually weaken the system and create conditions for political change.

The newspaper said Israeli and U.S. officials remain concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, particularly a facility referred to as Pickaxe Mountain, which it described as being buried deeper underground than the Fordow enrichment site targeted during U.S. strikes in 2025. Officials cited by the report expressed concern that the site could provide Iran with a more secure location for sensitive nuclear activities.

The report said Trump opposed deploying American ground forces to seize nuclear material or destroy deeply buried facilities, favoring negotiations aimed at restricting Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

The investigation also revisited plans for a large-scale Mossad operation against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure that were ultimately shelved. According to the newspaper, Israeli leaders concluded in 2024 that the operation carried excessive risks and instead shifted planning toward the aerial campaign launched the following year.

Sources close to Barnea disputed aspects of that assessment, the report said, arguing that Mossad had repeatedly demonstrated an ability to conduct unprecedented operations through local recruits and covert networks operating inside Iran.

The newspaper further reported that some Israeli officials believed recent U.S. intervention to prevent additional Israeli strikes in Beirut reduced pressure on Hezbollah and complicated efforts to secure further concessions from the group. According to those officials, continued military pressure could have strengthened the Lebanese government’s position in discussions over Hezbollah’s future role and possible disarmament.

While sharing concerns about Hezbollah’s recovery, Barnea was reported to be skeptical of maintaining a long-term Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon, arguing that previous such deployments had failed to produce lasting results.

Barnea formally stepped down this week after leading Mossad for five years. Despite publicly opposing the appointment of incoming Mossad chief Roman Gofman during the selection process, the Jerusalem Post reported that Barnea subsequently urged agency personnel to support the new leadership and rejected suggestions of wider internal dissent within the intelligence service.