ISRAEL STRIKES LEBANON, KILLING SENIOR HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER AS U.S.–IRAN TALKS STALL

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ISRAEL STRIKES LEBANON, KILLING SENIOR HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER AS U.S.–IRAN TALKS STALL Israel carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing 11 people, including a senior Hezbollah commander, in the deadliest escalation in months. The strikes come just days before the U.S.–Iran ceasefire agreement is set to expire on Monday, with negotiations between Washington and Tehran already at an impasse. Israel said the operation was a justified response to Hezbollah attacks that wounded three Israeli soldiers. Iran, however, has condemned the strikes as a clear violation of the ceasefire, raising fears that the escalation could further complicate already-stalled negotiations with the United States. At the center of the dispute is control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil-shipping routes. Iran is reportedly finalizing a separate arrangement with Oman governing vessel transit, but Tehran has stressed that the move should not be interpreted as a reopening of the strait or a resumption of negotiations with Washington. The United States, meanwhile, is demanding the restoration of free navigation through the waterway and has threatened sweeping additional economic sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran. With the ceasefire deadline approaching and neither side showing signs of backing down, tensions across the Middle East are once again reaching a critical point.