Updated 11:50 AM EDT, Mon June 1, 2026
• In Lebanon: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli military to strike Beirut’s Dahieh district, the city’s southern suburb that is a stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah. It comes amid a broadening wave of Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon after Netanyahu said Israel would deepen its offensive.
• Back-and-forth negotiations: President Donald Trump had sent back changes to a proposed deal with Iran, officials said, insisting on tougher language about Iran’s nuclear commitments and its pledge to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Updated 11:41 AM EDT, Mon June 1, 2026
Middle Eastern and European countries condemn Israel's military actions in Lebanon
By Catherine Nicholls
An Israeli tank takes position amid destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon, on May 31. Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images
As Israel escalated its attacks in Lebanon over recent days, several Middle Eastern and European countries have condemned the military action, calling instead for diplomacy and an end to the bloodshed.
Israel says it has increased its strikes on Lebanon in response to ceasefire violations by Hezbollah, while the Iran-backed militant group has said it is attacking Israeli forces in response to continued Israeli attacks.
Here’s a round-up of some of the recent reaction:
- Lebanon: Earlier today, before Iranian media reported that Iran was suspending talks with the US, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel has “continued its military operations and the shelling of villages under the pretext of self-defense.” He said Lebanon was committed to diplomacy, adding: “it will not solve the problem in a matter of moments; rather, it is a process that requires time, and we have no other choice.”
- Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned today what it called “Israeli aggression” against Lebanon and rejected the “assault” on Lebanon’s sovereignty. It called on the international community to “shoulder its responsibilities in stopping this aggression and putting an end to Israeli military movements aimed at expanding” into Lebanon.
- Qatar: In a post yesterday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned “persistent Israeli assaults on Lebanon,” the expansion of Israel’s ground incursion, and “the targeting of civilians.” It called Israel’s actions a “dangerous escalation,” an “egregious violation” of Lebanon’s sovereignty, and “an open breach of international humanitarian rules-based order.”
- Jordan: The Jordanian Foreign Ministry also accused Israel of targeting civilians and violating Lebanon’s sovereignty. It stressed its “absolute support for Lebanon, its security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens,” and called for “concerted efforts to provide humanitarian aid.”
- Turkey: In a statement today, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said that it “condemn(s) in the strongest terms Israel’s expanding occupation in Lebanon” and called on the international community to “take immediate and concrete steps to bring an end to Israel’s attacks and occupation.”
- United Kingdom: British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon “has killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy. It must end.” She called for Hezbollah to end its attacks on Israel and disarm, and for all sides to “respect the ceasefire and engage with negotiations in good faith.”
- Portugal: The Portuguese Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s actions in Lebanon, saying it is “essential to put an end to the attacks and ensure respect for the ceasefire.” It said it “encourages that the ongoing negotiations continue and lead to full respect for the ceasefire.”
- Germany: German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Israel’s advance into Lebanon “gives cause for serious concern,” but called it a “reaction to continued attacks by Hezbollah on the north of Israel that must finally stop.” He called for “a sustainable diplomatic solution with a view to protecting civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.”
CNN’s Eyad Kourdi and Sarah Tamimi contributed to this reporting.
8 min ago
Israel has continued strikes on Lebanon despite negotiating a ceasefire
By Rupert Neate
Aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in Tyre, Lebanon, on May 29. Adri Salido/Getty Images
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) briefly suspended strikes on Lebanon after agreeing a ceasefire on April 16. However, it soon re-started attacks on what it said were Hezbollah targets, claiming they were “defensive operations” which were allowed under the US-brokered truce.
The number of attacks has been building over recent weeks.
In the week to May 31, the IDF carried out 514 waves of airstrikes in Lebanon, according to the Alma Research and Education Center, an independent non-profit specializing in security challenges on Israel’s northern border. That continued the upward trend from 328 waves of strikes the previous week, a 57% increase.
The Israeli military has struck the Lebanese capital, Beirut, twice since the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into force on April 16. The most recent strike occurred last Thursday.
The number of Hezbollah attacks against Israel and IDF forces have also been increasing. In the week to May 31, Hezbollah carried out 227 waves of attacks against Israel and IDF forces, according to Alma Research. That was a 41% increase on the previous week.
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, when Hezbollah resumed attacks on Israel after the US and Israel began the war against Iran. Hezbollah is Iran’s most powerful regional proxy.
More than 3,400 people in Lebanon have been killed in the latest conflict, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Its figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced.
Israel says 24 of its soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed over the same period on both sides of the border.
A previous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah had been in place since 27 November, and was mostly well observed by both sides.
40 min ago
Iran and its allies are considering the “activation of other fronts,” including the Bab al-Mandab strait, in response to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Iranian media reported Monday.
The closure of the strategic waterway could significantly disrupt global trade and further roil oil markets. Oil prices rose sharply after the news.
Bab al-Mandeb is located at the southern end of the Red Sea and is a critical gateway to the Suez Canal, linking Europe and Asia through one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Just 29 kilometers (18 miles) across at its narrowest point, it is where ships have previously come under attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
In late 2023, Houthi militants began attacking commercial vessels passing through the strait in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza. The attacks prompted shipping companies to use a longer route, adding weeks onto journeys and forcing them to spend more on fuel, insurance, and seafarers’ wages.
Nearly 15% of global maritime trade passes Bab al-Mandab. The previous disruptions to shipping between 2023 and 2025 probably cost some $20 billion a year, according to industry estimates.
The strait has, however, remained largely navigable throughout the current war, preserving a critical export route for Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Yemen’s Houthis have yet to comment on the Iranian reports. But in March, Mohammed Mansour, deputy information minister in the Houthi rebel government, told CNN that closing Bab al-Mandab “is a viable option, and the consequences will be borne by the American and Israeli aggressors.”
47 min ago
Relatives react as mourners carry the coffins of Pierre Mouawad and his wife Flavia, during their funeral in Yahchouch, Lebanon, on April 7. The couple was killed in a reported Israeli strike in the town of Ain Saadeh on April 5. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/ Getty Images
At least 3,433 people have been killed and 10,395 have been wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in an update today.
Of that total, at least 21 were killed in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry.
The Lebanese Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tolls. But it said on Saturday that at least 240 of those killed were children, 326 were women and an additional 127 were healthcare workers.
A US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect at midnight on April 17. That day, the total number of people killed by Israeli strikes in the country since March 2 was 2,294, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
More than 1,100 people have been killed since then, the ministry’s figures show.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has continued to strike what it has said are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon during the current truce, while the Lebanese Shiite militant group has said it is attacking Israeli forces in response to the IDF’s continued attacks.
A new blockade:
Iran is threatening another crucial strait. Here's why that matters
By Nadeen EbrahimIran and its allies are considering the “activation of other fronts,” including the Bab al-Mandab strait, in response to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, Iranian media reported Monday.
The closure of the strategic waterway could significantly disrupt global trade and further roil oil markets. Oil prices rose sharply after the news.
Bab al-Mandeb is located at the southern end of the Red Sea and is a critical gateway to the Suez Canal, linking Europe and Asia through one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. Just 29 kilometers (18 miles) across at its narrowest point, it is where ships have previously come under attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
In late 2023, Houthi militants began attacking commercial vessels passing through the strait in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza. The attacks prompted shipping companies to use a longer route, adding weeks onto journeys and forcing them to spend more on fuel, insurance, and seafarers’ wages.
Nearly 15% of global maritime trade passes Bab al-Mandab. The previous disruptions to shipping between 2023 and 2025 probably cost some $20 billion a year, according to industry estimates.
The strait has, however, remained largely navigable throughout the current war, preserving a critical export route for Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Yemen’s Houthis have yet to comment on the Iranian reports. But in March, Mohammed Mansour, deputy information minister in the Houthi rebel government, told CNN that closing Bab al-Mandab “is a viable option, and the consequences will be borne by the American and Israeli aggressors.”
47 min ago
At least 3,433 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since March 2, Health Ministry says
By Charbel Mallo and Catherine NichollsRelatives react as mourners carry the coffins of Pierre Mouawad and his wife Flavia, during their funeral in Yahchouch, Lebanon, on April 7. The couple was killed in a reported Israeli strike in the town of Ain Saadeh on April 5. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/ Getty Images
At least 3,433 people have been killed and 10,395 have been wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, the Lebanese Health Ministry said in an update today.
Of that total, at least 21 were killed in the past 24 hours, according to the health ministry.
The Lebanese Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tolls. But it said on Saturday that at least 240 of those killed were children, 326 were women and an additional 127 were healthcare workers.
A US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect at midnight on April 17. That day, the total number of people killed by Israeli strikes in the country since March 2 was 2,294, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
More than 1,100 people have been killed since then, the ministry’s figures show.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has continued to strike what it has said are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon during the current truce, while the Lebanese Shiite militant group has said it is attacking Israeli forces in response to the IDF’s continued attacks.
1 hr 8 min ago
A cargo vessel traveling through the northern Persian Gulf has been struck by an unknown projectile, according to a British military-run maritime security organization.
The incident occurred some 40 miles south-east of the port of Umm Qasr in Iraq, said the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO), which monitors incidents worldwide.
“A cargo vessel was transiting in the Arabian Gulf when a large explosion following a hit from an unknown projectile on the starboard side,” it added, referring to the water body that is also known as the Persian Gulf.
“UKMTO is unaware of any environmental impact at this time. Authorities are investigating,” it said.
In the three months to May 26, UKMTO said it had received 52 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Of those, 28 were reports of attacks and 22 reports of suspicious activity.
The sporadic attacks on shipping in the Gulf have caused most companies to suspend operations in the region.
1 hr 16 min ago
Now that Iranian state media has said Tehran has suspended talks with the US over Israel’s military action in Lebanon, questions are swirling about the next steps.
Iranian officials had previously used the negotiations to project confidence that they retain significant military options should diplomacy fail.
The country’s Revolutionary Guards said last month that any renewed conflict would spread “far beyond the region,” threatening “crushing blows” and “utter ruin” in places opponents “cannot even imagine.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also previously warned that any future retaliation would “feature many more surprises,” while Iran’s military threatened to open “new fronts” using “new tools.”
Should war resume, here are some ways Iran could respond:
Ship struck by "unknown" projectile in northern Gulf, naval monitor says
By Tim ListerA cargo vessel traveling through the northern Persian Gulf has been struck by an unknown projectile, according to a British military-run maritime security organization.
The incident occurred some 40 miles south-east of the port of Umm Qasr in Iraq, said the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO), which monitors incidents worldwide.
“A cargo vessel was transiting in the Arabian Gulf when a large explosion following a hit from an unknown projectile on the starboard side,” it added, referring to the water body that is also known as the Persian Gulf.
“UKMTO is unaware of any environmental impact at this time. Authorities are investigating,” it said.
In the three months to May 26, UKMTO said it had received 52 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Of those, 28 were reports of attacks and 22 reports of suspicious activity.
The sporadic attacks on shipping in the Gulf have caused most companies to suspend operations in the region.
1 hr 16 min ago
A look at how Iran could respond if fighting resumes again
By CNN StaffNow that Iranian state media has said Tehran has suspended talks with the US over Israel’s military action in Lebanon, questions are swirling about the next steps.
Iranian officials had previously used the negotiations to project confidence that they retain significant military options should diplomacy fail.
The country’s Revolutionary Guards said last month that any renewed conflict would spread “far beyond the region,” threatening “crushing blows” and “utter ruin” in places opponents “cannot even imagine.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also previously warned that any future retaliation would “feature many more surprises,” while Iran’s military threatened to open “new fronts” using “new tools.”
Should war resume, here are some ways Iran could respond:
A new blockade:
- Iran cannot prevail against the US and Israel via conventional military means, so it has pursued deterrence by inflicting global economic pain through a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint. Emboldened by its success, Tehran may now seek to disrupt another vital maritime corridor.
- Oil wells: If US President Donald Trump acts on his threat to target Iran’s oil refineries, infrastructure and electrical plants, Tehran could seek to widen the war across the Arab world, striking sensitive sites to sow global economic panic and inflict further damage on neighboring countries’ reputations as secure hubs for international business and reliable guarantors of global energy flows.
- European targets: Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, said if an emboldened Tehran decides to try its long-range missiles against Europe in a surprise attack, targets may include key US-operated air bases in the United Kingdom or the Ramstein logistical and telecommunication hub in Germany. “However, Iran would likely reserve that possibility to a very top level of escalation,” he said.
1 hr 9 min ago
Traffic intensifies as people flee the southern suburbs of Beirut, in Lebanon, June 1. Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
The Israeli military ordered residents of Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold, to evacuate on Monday, warning that it would target the area if the group continues launching rockets into Israel.
The warning follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for the military to strike Dahieh. Iran later suspended talks with the US over Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Iranian media reported.
1 hr 21 min ago
Before Iranian media reported a short while ago that Tehran is suspending talks with the US in protest over Israel’s actions in Lebanon, officials from the US and Iran spoke publicly this weekend about proposals aimed at coming to an agreement.
Here’s a look at how things developed over the weekend:
Israel issues evacuation order for Beirut suburb
By Dana Karni and Sarah TamimiTraffic intensifies as people flee the southern suburbs of Beirut, in Lebanon, June 1. Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
The Israeli military ordered residents of Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold, to evacuate on Monday, warning that it would target the area if the group continues launching rockets into Israel.
The warning follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for the military to strike Dahieh. Iran later suspended talks with the US over Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Iranian media reported.
1 hr 21 min ago
What the US and Iran said this past weekend about efforts to reach an agreement
By Catherine NichollsBefore Iranian media reported a short while ago that Tehran is suspending talks with the US in protest over Israel’s actions in Lebanon, officials from the US and Iran spoke publicly this weekend about proposals aimed at coming to an agreement.
Here’s a look at how things developed over the weekend:
US
- On Friday, as he met with advisers in the White House Situation Room, US President Donald Trump said Iran “must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb,” that the “Hormuz Strait must be immediately open” without any tolls or restrictions, and that mines laid by Iran in the waterway must be “terminated” in order to end the conflict.
- On Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that if Iran “doesn’t want to make a great deal that ensures they don’t get a nuclear weapon, they can deal with” the US military.
- Later in the day, Hegseth said the US military is ready to resume combat in the Gulf if required and is more strongly placed to do so than on day one of the conflict.
- In the early hours of this morning, US President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social urging critics to “sit back and relax,” and claiming “Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us.”
- After Trump listed his demands for an agreement on Friday, Mohsen Rezaie, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, accused the US leader on Saturday of “betraying diplomacy for the third time.”
- Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Sunday that no agreement will be approved with the US until Tehran’s “rights” are secured, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
- The next day, Ghalibaf said that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Israel’s ongoing war in Lebanon “are clear evidence” of the United States’ “noncompliance with the ceasefire.”
- Also on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Iran and the US are continuing to exchange messages with “deep suspicion and skepticism.” He said there have been no negotiations about nuclear issues yet, adding that the “current focus is on ending the war.”
1 hr 21 min ago
By Hanna Ziady
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on June 1. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/Wana News Agency/Reuters
Oil prices are rising more sharply after Iranian state media reported Iran had suspended talks with the United States, dashing hopes that a deal towards ending the war could be agreed in the coming days.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, gained 6% to trade at $97.02 a barrel shortly before 10 a.m. ET. West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, climbed around 7.5% to $93.93 a barrel for delivery in July.
The latest moves come after hopes for a US-Iran deal had sent Brent crude down 19.3% in May, its biggest monthly decline since March 2020 when pandemic lockdowns began, according to Deutsche Bank analysts.
Brent is still well below the high of $114 a barrel at which it settled on April 5, but roughly 25% higher than it was just before the US and Israel attacked Iran.
“Anything under $100 (a barrel) is pricing a good outcome,” Neil Wilson, a strategist at investment bank Saxo wrote in a note.
Read more
1 hr 37 min ago
Iranian state media has just reported that Iran has suspended talks with the United States in protest of Israel’s military action in Lebanon.
The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump this weekend sent back changes to a proposed deal to extend his country’s existing ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s the latest on developments in the region from this morning:
Oil prices extend gains after Iran suspends talks with the US
By Hanna ZiadyVessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on June 1. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/Wana News Agency/Reuters
Oil prices are rising more sharply after Iranian state media reported Iran had suspended talks with the United States, dashing hopes that a deal towards ending the war could be agreed in the coming days.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, gained 6% to trade at $97.02 a barrel shortly before 10 a.m. ET. West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, climbed around 7.5% to $93.93 a barrel for delivery in July.
The latest moves come after hopes for a US-Iran deal had sent Brent crude down 19.3% in May, its biggest monthly decline since March 2020 when pandemic lockdowns began, according to Deutsche Bank analysts.
Brent is still well below the high of $114 a barrel at which it settled on April 5, but roughly 25% higher than it was just before the US and Israel attacked Iran.
“Anything under $100 (a barrel) is pricing a good outcome,” Neil Wilson, a strategist at investment bank Saxo wrote in a note.
Read more
1 hr 37 min ago
Here's what to know now as Iranian media reports that Iran has suspended talks with US
By Catherine NichollsIranian state media has just reported that Iran has suspended talks with the United States in protest of Israel’s military action in Lebanon.
The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump this weekend sent back changes to a proposed deal to extend his country’s existing ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s the latest on developments in the region from this morning:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his country’s military to strike Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, he said today. The plans are coordinated with the US, an Israeli source told CNN.
- The US blockade of Iran’s ports and Israel’s war in Lebanon “are clear evidence” of the US’ “noncompliance with the ceasefire,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s top negotiator, said today, before the suspension of talks was reported.
- Yesterday, the Israeli military captured a strategic, Crusader-era castle in southern Lebanon, 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) from the Israeli border, after days of fierce fighting in the area.
- The US military conducted what it called “self-defense strikes” on Iranian military infrastructure over the weekend, US Central Command said yesterday.
- Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck a US air base used to launch an attack on a telecommunications tower, according to a statement carried by several Iranian state-run news outlets.
1 hr 34 min ago
The US military said Monday morning in a statement on X that it had “successfully intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait.”
The interception occurred at 11 p.m. ET on Sunday evening, according to US Central Command.
The missiles were “immediately defeated” and no US personnel were harmed, the social media statement said.
“U.S. Central Command remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire,” the statement added.
The interception occurred during a weekend of back and forth military operations between Iran and the US. CENTCOM said Sunday that it had conducted “self-defense strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran and Qeshm Island” over the weekend.
US forces intercept 2 Iranian ballistic missiles, military says
By Lauren ChadwickThe US military said Monday morning in a statement on X that it had “successfully intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait.”
The interception occurred at 11 p.m. ET on Sunday evening, according to US Central Command.
The missiles were “immediately defeated” and no US personnel were harmed, the social media statement said.
“U.S. Central Command remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire,” the statement added.
The interception occurred during a weekend of back and forth military operations between Iran and the US. CENTCOM said Sunday that it had conducted “self-defense strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk, Iran and Qeshm Island” over the weekend.
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