Iran's foreign minister says US and Israel 'aggression' will be met with 'decisive' response
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a phone call with his Saudi counterpart that any "aggression" by the US and Israel or participation of regional countries in these actions will be met with a "decisive and proportionate response," according to Araqchi's Telegram account.
Gaza authorities say found 112 bodies in rubble
Authorities in Gaza said Saturday that they had recovered the remains of another 112 people in rubble, part of daunting operations after more than two years of Israeli strikes.
Gaza's civil defence agency said it found the remains or body parts following 136 hours of digging, largely with bare hands, in Sabra, a neighbourhood in the south of Gaza City.
The remains included those of 40 children, 38 women and seven people who had had physical disabilities, according to the agency, which serves as a rescue service under Hamas.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it supported the operation, which took place over nearly two weeks.
Iran's foreign minister warns of any 'adventurous action' by US
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned of any "adventurous action" by the US in separate phone calls with his Turkish counterpart and Pakistan's army commander, according to the Iranian minister's account on Telegram.
Araqchi stressed his country's readiness to respond decisively to any "aggression."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives to meet his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Hussein in Baghdad, Iraq, June 28, 2026. © Hadi Mizban, AP Photo
Gaza officials say Israeli strikes kill seven day after deal
Gaza authorities said that seven people were killed in Israeli strikes that also damaged a hospital's medical supplies, a day after Hamas said it agreed to the latest stage of a deal to end the war.
The Israeli military for its part said it had struck Hamas weapons depots as Israel insists on verifying that the group behind the October 7, 2023 attacks is disarmed.
The strikes come a day after Hamas said it had agreed to the latest phase in a deal championed by US President Donald Trump that includes provisions for handing over its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Israel has yet to officially comment on the agreement, but a political source has told AFP "that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever" without Hamas's "genuine disarmament".
Iraq and Turkey strike a 1-year oil pipeline deal to boost exports during ongoing Hormuz closures
Iraq and Turkey signed a deal Saturday to increase oil exports through a pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, as Baghdad seeks to diversify its oil export routes and reduce reliance on Gulf shipping lanes.
Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair al-Abadi said in a statement that the agreement will remain in effect for one year while the two countries finalize a broader framework agreement covering cooperation in the oil, electricity and water resources sectors.
Yemen's Houthis deny wanting to charge Bab el-Mandeb Strait tolls
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels denied seeking to charge ships for passage of the vital Bab al-Mandeb strait.
It came after a minister in Yemen's internationally recognised government claimed they were doing so.
The Houthi-aligned Saba news agency published a statement from the group's HOCC agency which denied the accuracy of the reports.
"The HOCC further emphasises that transit through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is free of charge," the Houthi-backed administrative agency said.
On Wednesday, Yemen's information minister Moammar al-Eryani accused the group of trying to imitate Iran's efforts to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula.
Israeli military says killed several Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon
The Israeli military said that it killed three Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, despite an ongoing ceasefire.
"The soldiers struck the terrorists and eliminated them in order to remove the threat," the military said in a statement.
UN says Israeli demolitions in Lebanon 'deeply concerning'
The United Nations on expressed concern over Israel's ongoing demolitions in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire in its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah.
"The scale of the detonations and demolitions taking place in south Lebanon is deeply concerning, with a devastating impact on civilian infrastructure, cultural heritage, and the collective memory of communities," the UN said in a statement.
The statement comes a day after the Israeli military carried out large overnight detonations near a UNESCO-listed castle in Lebanon.
West Bank: Settler violence hits 'all-time high'
Locals in the West Bank say Israeli forces shot and wounded at least one Palestinian and arrested three others on Friday, as they protected Israeli settlers marching through a number of villages. One focal point was the village of Tell, near Nablus in the northern West Bank. Israeli troops sealed off the village on Friday, after carrying out near-daily raids and arrests there since last weekend. FRANCE 24's Peter O’Brien has more.
US embassies urge citizens to 'consider departing' Middle East
US embassies in several Middle Eastern capitals warned American citizens to beware an "unforeseen escalation" in the regional conflict and urged them to be ready to leave.
"Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation," said a security alert, versions of which were posted on social media by the US missions in Amman, Jerusalem and Baghdad.
Israeli soldier injured in 'close-quarters encounter' with Hezbollah in Lebanon: army
The Israeli military said one of its soldiers was moderately injured during a "close-quarters encounter" with Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon overnight on Saturday, despite a ceasefire.
"Overnight (Saturday), an IDF officer was moderately injured during operational activity in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement, specifying to AFP that the soldier was "injured during a close-quarters encounter with terrorists" in the area.
Trump presses Israel to accept deal with Hamas
US President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that Hamas had agreed to disarm, a key next step in the US-brokered peace plan for the enclave that has been hailed as a potential breakthrough in Gaza. But while Trump says Israel is “very happy” with the agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly endorse it.
Kuwait says it destroyed hostile drones, Iranian attack targeted vital facilities
Kuwait's army said on Saturday it had detected and destroyed hostile drones in the country's airspacen since dawn, and that what it described as an Iranian attack had targeted several vital facilities.
A government facility in northern Kuwait and civilian property belonging to a company on Bubiyan Island were hit, it said, adding that falling shrapnel caused material damage but no casualties.
- UKMTO reports two tanker incidents off Oman
- Kuwait says it destroyed hostile drones, Iranian attack targeted vital facilities
- US embassies urge citizens to 'consider departing' Middle East
Iran military accuses US of 'escalating tensions' in region
Iran's military accused the United States of "escalating tensions" in the Middle East on Saturday and warned countries in the region against cooperating with Washington during the ongoing conflict.
"The United States is rapidly moving down the path of escalating tensions in the region," said Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's military central command. "Any country serving as defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war."
EU naval force says Italian frigate escorts merchant vessel safely through Red Sea
A merchant vessel safely passed through the Red Sea under the protection of the Italian frigate Bergamini, the European Union naval mission ASPIDES said on Saturday.
ASPIDES, the EU's defensive maritime security operation in the Red Sea, did not identify the vessel or disclose its flag, ownership or cargo details.
Shipping in the Red Sea has faced renewed disruption in recent weeks after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and subsequently attacked Saudi vessels, raising risks for commercial traffic and contributing to higher oil prices.
UKMTO reports two tanker incidents off Oman
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday it had received reports of two maritime incidents off Oman, including one in which a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile.
In the first incident, a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile about 11 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Lima, damaging its engine room and leaving the vessel not under command, UKMTO said. There were no reported casualties nor environmental impact, it added.
Later, UKMTO said it had received a second report of an incident, 21 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Khasab. The master of a tanker reported seeing a large splash and an explosion in close proximity to the vessel, though no damage was reported.
Lima and Khasab are on Oman's Musandam Peninsula at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping chokepoint through which about a fifth of global oil consumption passes.
Yemen's Houthis deny plans to impose fees on ships sailing through Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi-run maritime coordination body denied on Saturday reports that it planned to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait, saying no such decision had been taken and that passage through the strategic waterway remained free.
The statement follows a Reuters report on Wednesday, citing regional sources, that the Iran-aligned Houthis were considering imposing fees on commercial ships sailing through the southern Red Sea, after declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia the previous week.
Welcome to our liveblog covering ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Yesterday's key developments:
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President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "very hard" as US media reported he was considering renewed heavy attacks as soon as this weekend, including against energy infrastructure targets.
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Hamas said it had agreed to a deal that includes handing over its weapons to a Palestinian governing committee and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
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Lebanon's president said Israeli blasts near the UNESCO-listed Beaufort castle were a "direct threat" to the recent deal.
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Iran's Revolutionary Guards struck two tankers attempting to cross Hormuz Strait under US "air escort".
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
