Middle East

The Guardian -    The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said the military will continue its ground operations in southern Lebanon, hours after Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a US-backed ceasefire to end hostilities. Katz said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, including Beaufort Castle, and the hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee their homes will not be able to return.

“The IDF will, at this stage, continue its fire and ground operations, remain in the security zone in Lebanon up to the yellow line – including in the Beaufort area – and without the return of the population, while continuing to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on the ground,” he said in a statement.

He added that the IDF retained the “freedom of action, with American backing, to strike in Beirut in response to fire on Israeli communities and territory”. The IDF also issued a warning this morning saying fighting will continue in southern Lebanon as it urged people to “refrain from heading south of the Zahrani River”.

The Guardian - Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities, the Trump administration has announced – but it comes with caveats. Not only is the deal contingent on a complete cessation of fire from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah armed group, and on the evacuation of all its fighters from the area south of the Litani River, but Hezbollah has not been part of the talks.

The Lebanese government has been negotiating with Israel without Hezbollah as part of its effort to reassert the government’s control over the country and disarm the armed group. And, despite the joint commitment to a ceasefire, Israel carried out drone strikes in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon on Thursday morning.

NBC News -The House’s vote to pass a Democratic-led measure to end President Donald Trump’s war with Iran was a rare rebuke that some Republicans fear will weaken the U.S.’s attempts to secure a nuclear deal. “They just want a stupid political vote, which is what this is,” said Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican. He called the action “a total BS vote.” 

The Iran war powers resolution passed 215-208, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting yes. The resolution directs Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran, unless Congress votes to declare war or authorizes using military force against it. It would not force the president to end the conflict, however, making the resolution a symbolic expression of disapproval with the war. 

The House vote comes after Republicans rejected three other attempts to pass a war powers resolution this year. Last month, the resolution was abruptly pulled from the floor when it appeared too many Republicans were absent to defeat it. The vote also gives momentum to the Senate’s version of the war powers resolution.

Iran traded more strikes with the U.S. amid a fragile ceasefire and stalled peace talks.  Israel’s military will continue to carry out operations in Lebanon for the time being and will not be withdrawing from the country, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday, despite the announcement of a new ceasefire.