June 27, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeJune 27, 2026UpdatesReport: U.S. expands Strait of Hormuz shipping routes to counter Iranian controlVessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, in June. Credit: Stringer/ReutersVessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, in June. Credit: Stringer/ReutersThe United States has expanded a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz near Oman, CNN reported Saturday, in a move designed to increase traffic in and out of the Persian Gulf and counter Iranian claims over the strait. According to the U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Centre, the threat level in the strait is now "substantial" following recent attacks on commercial vessels.On Thursday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the strait. The Iranian authority charged with managing the strait also said it would no longer guarantee safe transit for vessels passing outside its designated routes.Hezbollah chief calls Israel-Lebanon agreement 'null,' 'surrender,' calls for implementation of U.S.-Iran deal insteadHezbollah chief Naim Qassem addresses crowds on a screen in Beirut's southern suburbs, June. Credit: AFP/ANWAR AMROHezbollah chief Naim Qassem addresses crowds on a screen in Beirut's southern suburbs, June. Credit: AFP/ANWAR AMROHezbollah ‌chief Naim ‌Qassem bashed the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement that was signed on Friday in Washington, saying it cedes the right of displaced Lebanese residents to return to their homes and calling the agreement "a surrender of Lebanon's sovereignty."Linking Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament throughout the country is a "very dangerous move," Qassem said, emphasizing that the agreement is "null" and illegitimate.Qassem added that the agreement is a "humiliation, a disgrace, and a surrender of national sovereignty," and called for the U.S.-Iran preliminary agreement to be implemented instead. That deal, as read out by a U.S. official, declared "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," and pledged to ensure Lebanon's "territorial integrity and sovereignty."He further stressed that Hezbollah will continue its operations on the ground "until the occupation is removed," and that the organization opposes any diplomatic settlement that harms Lebanon's sovereignty or the rights of its citizens.Read the full articleDemonstrators gather in Tel Aviv for anti-'pinkwashing' Pride parade About 150 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday for an alternative Pride march protesting what organizers described as pinkwashing, Israel's use of LGBT rights for propaganda. Demonstrators march at an alternative pride march in Tel Aviv, Saturday. Credit: Moti MilrodDemonstrators march at an alternative pride march in Tel Aviv, Saturday. Credit: Moti MilrodSpeaking to Haaretz, organizers said they chose not to participate in the annual Tel Aviv Pride Parade because of concerns over their freedom of expression. "In the regular parade, we have to submit to bland slogans and not shout radical things, and here we can call for liberation," Kim Abraham said, adding that the alternative march was held under the banner of universal rights for Palestinians, women and members of the LGBTQ community, "not only for the personal rights of the queer community." Demonstrators march through Tel Aviv on Saturday in protest of Israel's actions in Gaza and pinkwashing, the use of LGBTQ rights for state propaganda. Yair Foldes/XOrganizers said they requested approval from the Israel Police to avoid a confrontation with officers and to protect Palestinian participants of the march. Officers were seen filming participants, despite an advisory note from organizers noting that "some individuals attending the march are at risk if their images are made public." Read the full articleRECAP: Israeli drone strike hits southern Lebanon day after security dealHere are Saturday's latest updates:■ An Israeli drone struck the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon, Lebanon's state news agency reported, a day after Israel and Lebanon signed the U.S.-brokered security arrangement aimed at reducing tensions along the border.■ Israeli forces will withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon only after the Lebanese army verifies that Hezbollah has been disarmed and its infrastructure dismantled, according to the text of the U.S.-brokered agreement released on Saturday. The deal also establishes two pilot zones where the Lebanese army will assume full security responsibility.■ Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters demonstrated in Beirut overnight against the Israel-Lebanon agreement, blocking roads and burning tires before the Lebanese army dispersed several protest sites by force. Hezbollah lawmakers denounced the deal and vowed the group would not give up its weapons.■ Iran said it carried out "defensive strikes" against targets linked to U.S. forces in response to American airstrikes on its southern coast, and warned Gulf states against allowing their territory to be used for attacks on Iran. Iran's Mehr news agency, citing a local source, reported that no damage was caused to the port of Sirik following U.S. strikes in the area.■ Bahrain condemned what it said were Iranian drone attacks on its territory, calling them a violation of its sovereignty and saying it reserved the right to defend itself.■ A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency said. The vessel's bridge was damaged but all crew members were reported safe. Iran's state television reported that more ships are seeking permits to transit the Strait of Hormuz after non-authorized vessels were met with warning shots.■ Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian home in the West Bank village of Kabalan, south of Nablus, with IDF forces taking more than 45 minutes to remove them. No arrests were reported.■ Palestinian officials said Israeli settlers and IDF forces raided the A-Ras Mosque in the old West Bank city of Hebron, expelled worshippers and hung Israeli flags at the site. The IDF had not responded.Israeli drone strike hits southern Lebanon day after security deal An Israeli ‌drone struck the ⁠Nabatiyeh area ⁠in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon's state news agency ‌said.An Israeli military vehicle drives near a damaged building with a large Israeli flag in Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement following U.S.-mediated talks, as seen from northern Israel, June 27, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Credit: Amir Cohen/REUTERSAn Israeli military vehicle drives near a damaged building with a large Israeli flag in Lebanon, after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement following U.S.-mediated talks, as seen from northern Israel, June 27, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Credit: Amir Cohen/REUTERSThe ‌reported strike came a day after Israel and Lebanon signed a ⁠U.S.-brokered security arrangement aimed ‌at ⁠reducing tensions ‌along their border following months ⁠of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah.Read the full article6 hours agoIsrael to withdraw from Lebanon only after Hezbollah disarmed, deal saysIsraeli forces would only withdraw from southern Lebanon areas where the Lebanese military has proved that it disarmed Hezbollah and dismantled its infrastructure under an agreement signed by Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on Friday, according to the the deal's text released on Saturday.Israeli, Lenabese and U.S. representatives sign an agreement, in Washington, on Friday. Credit: Screencap from State Department streamIsraeli, Lenabese and U.S. representatives sign an agreement, in Washington, on Friday. Credit: Screencap from State Department streamREAD THE FULL TEXT OF THE TRILATERAL AGREEMENTThe two countries signed an initial agreement on Friday, after four days of fervent negotiations mediated by the United States, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that "there is still a lot of work ahead of us."Israeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APThe text did not specify how this would be verified, instead calling for mechanisms that would be outlined in a Security Annex not yet disclosed.Israeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APIsraeli and Lebanese flags, in northern Israel, on Saturday. Credit: Ariel Schalit / APUnder the agreement, two agreed-upon "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon will be set up, where the Lebanese army will assume "full and effective security responsibility," allowing for return of displaced residents, internationally supported reconstruction efforts and the creation of future similar pilot zones.Read the full articleIran says it hits U.S.-linked targets as Bahrain reports drone attackIran said it struck targets linked to U.S. forces on Saturday in response to U.S. airstrikes on its southern coast, as each side continued to accuse the other of violating last week's agreement meant to end ‌the four-month-old war.The Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March. Credit: Benoit Tessier/REUTERSThe Callisto tanker sits anchored as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March. Credit: Benoit Tessier/REUTERSIran's foreign ministry did not identify the locations of its "defensive" attacks, which it said were a response to "the barbaric air strikes" by the U.S. on its coastal surveillance facilities, which it said also violated the U.N. Charter.Later, Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, condemned what it said was an Iranian drone attack on its territory as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a threat to its security, adding that it reserved the right to defend itself.Washington did not immediately respond to Iran's report of striking American targets, a tactic that has sought to undermine U.S. allies in the region during the conflict.The U.S. military said its strikes on Friday had been a response to an Iranian drone strike on ⁠a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway vital to global energy supplies.Read the full articleTanker struck by unidentified projectile in Strait of Hormuz, crew safe, UKMTO saysA tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Saturday.According to UKMTO, the vessel's bridge sustained damage to its bridge, but all crew members are safe. No environmental damage has been reported at this stage. The agency said it received the report from the vessel's master but did not identify the projectile or say who may have been responsible.The Joint Maritime Information Center, run by a coalition of navies protecting shipping, said it had raised its security threat level as a result of ‌recent incidents.Iran has not directly commented on reports of specific attacks on ships. But Iranian state television reported that the Revolutionary Guards had fired "warning shots" towards unspecified ships attempting to pass through channels not approved by Iran, and that this was ‌now prompting other ships to seek Iranian permits before attempting to cross the strait.Bahrain condemns Iranian drone attacks on its territorryBahrain ‌condemned what ‌it said were Iranian ⁠drone attacks ⁠on its territory on Saturday, the state news agency reported, ‌saying it ‌reserved the full right to defend its sovereignty and security.Footage released by Bahrain TV, last week, shows damage to buildings and vehicles in Bahrain reportedly caused by debris from intercepted drones. Credit: AFPFootage released by Bahrain TV, last week, shows damage to buildings and vehicles in Bahrain reportedly caused by debris from intercepted drones. Credit: AFPIran said earlier it had ⁠carried out strikes against targets linked ‌to ⁠U.S. ‌forces in the region, without identifying the ⁠targets or saying where they were ‌located.Read the full articleIsraeli settlers storm Palestinian home in West Bank Area B near Nablus, IDF struggles to remove themIsraeli settlers entered a Palestinian residential home in the village of Kabalan, south of Nablus, on Tuesday, according to Palestinian reports and circulating footage from the scene. IDF forces were dispatched to the location but, for more than 45 minutes, were unable to remove the settlers from the property located in Area B, under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security coordination.The West Bank village of KabalanThe West Bank village of KabalanVideo from the scene shows Israeli soldiers attempting to clear the building while settlers inside confront them verbally and appear to direct parts of the interaction on the ground. In one clip, a settler is seen carrying a long firearm, while others remain inside the home and refuse to leave despite repeated calls by troops.Qabalan, South Nablus, now.