War worsens Lebanon’s economic crisis with job losses, price gouging and slow business “This continues to be a major economic shock, one of honestly an existential nature,” said Economy Minister Amer Bisat @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

Yemen sides agree to release over 1,600 detainees in the largest swap of 11-year war apnews.com/article/yeme...

Hezbollah leader urges Lebanon’s government to cancel Israel talks as battle rages in strategic town “The opportunity is still there. We call for a historic and heroic position to cancel these negotiations.” apnews.com/article/leba...

#Lebanon: Israel and Hezbollah clash in strategic Lebanese village ahead of official talks in Washington. Israeli troops appear to have encircled Bint Jbeil while Hezbollah launched rockets and artillery in an effort to push them back. apnews.com/article/leba...

Ahead of direct Lebanon-Israel talks: - Israeli strike in Nabatieh kills 13 Lebanese State Security forces - Hezbollah claims attack targeting naval base in Ashdod - Lebanon hopes for negotiations under a truce similar to U.S. and Iran. @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

Shock & horror in #Beirut: This building is just one of dozens hit in a rapid series of Israeli strikes w/o warning yesterday Searches have continued overnight. A man on top of the rubble looks for his missing 23 year-old daughter w/Civil Defense workers. 📍Ain Mreisseh, Beirut

🇱🇧🔴112 people killed in Israeli strikes today across Lebanon, mostly in Beirut. 837 wounded. This is the latest and not the final count from Lebanon's health ministry, in one of the deadliest days of the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanese social affairs minister tells me moments after widespread Israeli attacks in central Beirut: - Lebanon wants a seat at the negotiating table to end war. President & prime minister are ready & making calls. - Widespread incl areas where 10,000s of displaced people are sheltered

🇮🇶🔴 Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said they decided to release kidnapped American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson The statement comes after initial obstacles in negotiations One condition: she leaves the country immediately She was kidnapped in Baghdad on March 31

“Today, you understand what the cross means, not as an idea, not as a concept, but because you are going through it" Displaced by war, Lebanon’s Christians mark Easter far from their homes and churches apnews.com/article/leba...

Israel says it will strike the Masnaa border crossing between #Lebanon and #Syria, alleging that Hezbollah uses it for military activity. It is the key border crossing between the two countries.

Photo gallery by @apnews.com photographers showing the scene in #Beirut’s Jnah area after an Israeli airstrike hits Lebanese capital apnews.com/photo-galler...

If you’re interested in following up with what I have been reporting on for The Associated Press or watching my live hits with news networks, please consider subscribing to my Substack You will get regular updates + some additional material from my reporting on the ground substack.com/@chehayebk

🇱🇧🇺🇳Two more UN peacekeepers were killed today after an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle in southern Lebanon. Two others were wounded-- one sustaining severe injuries. This is the second fatal incident in 24 hours after an Indonesian peacekeeper of the was killed yesterday.

Lebanese fear another occupation as Israel threatens to use Gaza tactics in the south @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

🔴🇱🇧🇮🇷Lebanon withdraws accreditation from Iranian ambassador, declares him persona non grata, and orders him to leave the country by Sunday.

The Israeli military struck a bridge on #Lebanon's southern coastal highway over the Litani River near the coastal city of Tyre. Fierce fighting in southern Lebanon with Hezbollah has intensified, as Israel continues to strike key pathways over the strategic river.

"It's a race against time" In just over 10 days of war, almost 1 million in #Lebanon are displaced Many fled for a second time in just over a year & at times took days to find shelter And this time they worry they'll never return @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

Israel dropped clusters of leaflets across Beirut. One called on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. The other resembled a newspaper front-page called "The New Reality" which they said has reached Beirut after "great success" in Gaza.

🔴🇱🇧 Over half a million people (517,000) have been displaced in #Lebanon over the past week in the latest conflict b/w Israel and Hezbollah, the government said The number is likely higher as the government data comes from the amount of people who registered on their platform

🔴🇱🇧 83 children among almost 400 people killed in one week of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, says Lebanon's health minister.

Israeli military orders immediate evacuations in southern Lebanon as strikes on Beirut intensify with @bmroue.bsky.social for @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

🔴🇱🇧The Israeli military has ordered all residents in southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River. This is area consists of dozens of villages close to the border. The Lebanese government said the army has cleared it from Hezbollah military presence in recent months.

🇱🇧❗️More Israeli strikes over Beirut's southern suburbs. More displaced people have reached the capital. The Lebanese government declared Hezbollah's military activities illegal. Hezbollah have not commented since claiming responsibility for the rocket attack last night.

Some celebrate in #Iran after supreme leader’s death, but deep fear and uncertainty remain apnews.com/article/iran...

Cash-strapped #Lebanon finds itself sitting on a #gold mine, as precious metal prices surge apnews.com/article/leba...

Syrian rapper Al Darwish returns home after 13 years to perform in post-Assad Damascus @apnews.com apnews.com/article/syri...

#Syria: @hrw.org warns on failure to deliver justice after sectarian killings in #Sweida “The government’s acknowledgment of atrocities isn’t enough if those leading and directing abusive forces are shielded from justice" @adamcoogle.bsky.social @apnews.com apnews.com/article/syri...

“We have a credibility gap, we need an international framework to help us solve our problems,” said #Lebanon Economy Minister Amer Bisat in an interview with @apnews.com “The days in which people help us without us doing our homework are gone.” apnews.com/article/leba...

#Lebanon's military said it completed first phase of their plan to fully deploy across southern Lebanon & disarm non-state groups Officials say the next phase will be in area b/w the Litani and Awali Rivers No comment yet from Hezbollah or Israel @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

An Israeli-Syrian rapprochement seemed possible last December. Now, Israel's military expansion in #Syria has raised tensions as they carve out a buffer zone @apnews.com apnews.com/article/syri...

Pope arrives in Lebanon in a bid to bring hope to a war-wracked region apnews.com/article/pope...

🇱🇧🇨🇾🌊Lebanon and Cyprus finalize sea border agreement after an almost 20-year impasse @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

“We need a lot of prayers, and we need a miracle for this country to continue" Pope Leo XIV’s visit rekindles hope in war- and crisis-battered #Lebanon @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

Israel says it killed a senior Hezbollah official in first strike on Beirut in months apnews.com/article/isra...

Syria opens first public trial over deadly coastal violence apnews.com/article/syri...

Most of #Gaza’s schools are destroyed and hundreds of thousands of children cannot go back to class apnews.com/article/gaza...

Death toll from Israel's overnight strikes in Gaza reaches 81. Hospital officials expect that number to go up. Israel’s military has since said the ceasefire is back on. apnews.com/article/isra...

#Syria: Druze seek Sweida autonomy and some turn toward Israel, adding new twist to Syria’s tensions Dozens of armed factions originally formed to counter drug gangs and Islamic State group extremists have banded together under the National Guard. apnews.com/article/syri...

A Lebanese dancer defies extremist threats and social norms with his sold-out performances “They think if one looks a certain way, that means they have an agenda to convert society. If the society was going to convert, it would have happened hundreds of years ago.” apnews.com/article/leba...

US envoy: Saudi Arabia, Qatar to invest in Lebanon economic zone for disarmed Hezbollah @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

#GAZA: Photos editors from the @apnews.com curated photos by Mariam Dagga. She was often based at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Israeli strikes that hit the hospital Monday killed at least 20 people, among them Mariam and three other journalists. apnews.com/photo-galler...

#GAZA: Multiple journalists killed by Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital, including a freelance journalist who worked for @apnews.com. At least 8 people were killed in a double-tap strike on the 4th floor, Gaza's Health Ministry said, the second attack came as rescue crews arrived.

Iran orders a day of business and office closures to relieve electric grid in heat wave apnews.com/article/iran...

“We will do to them what every mother and father would do if someone killed their child" #Beirut Port Blast 5 years later. We bring some of the latest on the ongoing investigation, and spoke to two families who lost loved ones in the explosion. @apnews.com apnews.com/article/leba...

Fresh clashes break out in Syria as the interim government struggles to ease tensions apnews.com/article/syri...

First group of Syrian refugees returns home from Lebanon under new UN plan apnews.com/article/leba...

Lebanon mourns iconic composer Ziad Rahbani. His mother Fayrouz, 90, one of the Arab world's most esteemed singers, makes rare appearance. apnews.com/article/fayr...

Gaza's Health Ministry says 113 Palestinians have died of starvation since Oct 2023. 48 of them died this month alone. International organizations have called Israel to lift its aid blockade Hamas earlier said that it delivered its response to a ceasefire proposal to mediators.

#Syria’s armed Bedouins say they have withdrawn from Druze-majority Sweida after weeklong fighting Dozens of aid convoys are en route to the city. More updates as we get them. @apnews.com apnews.com/article/syri...