Drone explodes near IDF forces in southern Lebanon as cross-border tensions continue; Iran’s FM slams Lebanese President over claims Lebanon is used as a 'bargaining chip', saying a deal would have been reached long ago if that were the case

Lebanon is advancing its largest amnesty law since the civil war, potentially freeing more than 3,000 inmates, including Islamists and drug traffickers; The proposal has sparked fierce opposition from victims’ families and renewed debate over the return of former SLA members from Israel

In the 1970s, Israeli agents and IDF officers helped Kurdish rebels in Iraq; as a gesture of thanks, Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani gave them a Syrian bear cub named Shamo, launching a strange covert journey from Kurdistan to the Tel Aviv zoo

US military says it hit Iranian surveillance sites near the Strait of Hormuz after downing four drones targeting maritime traffic, as Washington and Tehran continue indirect talks aimed at ending the three-month war

Pentagon raises Israel counterintelligence threat to ‘critical,’ NBC reports, citing US officials alleging surveillance of senior US officials over Iran talks; Israel and White House deny any accusations

In a symbolic move, Israel’s recapture of Beaufort is used to reframe the northern campaign, despite its legacy of Lebanon entanglement, disputed aims and ongoing bereavement that underscores a cycle of repeated war

Ahead of the fifth round of Israel-Lebanon talks, an Israeli official said it is too early to write off the ceasefire, outlining Israel's conditions, a shift to defensive operations and a pilot program to test whether the Lebanese army can maintain control in southern Lebanon