Hezbollah has announced that its fighters are engaging Israeli soldiers in a town north of the Litani river, which is slightly inconvenient for Israel's self-declared military security zone in southern Lebanon. The group's statement, broadcast on Hezbollah-owned Al Manar TV, described a clash at "point-blank range" in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, about a mile north of the river. This comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to expand operations in Lebanon with "large forces on the ground" and take control of new areas north of the Israeli-held buffer zone.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is hosting his 12th cabinet meeting of his second term on Wednesday, originally planned for the bucolic Camp David but moved back to the White House due to adverse weather forecasts. "Based on the possible bad weather conditions tomorrow, we will be having our Cabinet Meeting in the White House, and will be postponing the Cabinet trip to Camp David," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Heavy rain is expected, which is probably for the best given Trump's infrequent visits to the presidential retreat.
South Korea has concluded that an attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on 4 May likely involved an Iranian missile, according to First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo. The ship, operated by HMM Co, was struck by two unidentified aircraft, causing a fire and minor injuries to one crew member. Components in the debris suggested Iranian manufacture, though Seoul has not definitively determined responsibility. Iran's Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri, said no agreement has been reached with the US on the strait, and negotiations with Oman on a new passage mechanism are ongoing. He also noted that Iran's enriched uranium is "not on the agenda" in talks with Washington.
Israel claims to have killed Mohammed Odeh, head of Hamas's armed wing, in a strike on Gaza City last night - just 11 days after his predecessor was killed. The IDF said the joint operation with Shin Bet targeted several buildings used as a hideout. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X: "We committed to eliminating everyone who led the October 7 massacre. All of them are marked for death, wherever they may be."
The UN World Food Programme reports that 363 million people worldwide are at risk of acute hunger, with 45 million affected by the Middle East conflict and oil price spike. Funding has dropped by a third, with the US cutting its contribution by more than half. Acting Executive Director Carl Skau described the grim reality: "We take from the hungry to give to the starving."
In Lebanon, Eid al-Adha celebrations are overshadowed by war and displacement. Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday - one of the heaviest days in weeks - killed 31 people and wounded 40, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Netanyahu said the military is "operating with large forces in the field and capturing and controlling areas." Hezbollah retaliated with explosive drones, rockets, and artillery against advancing Israeli forces near Zawtar al-Sharqiya.
Oil rose back above $100 a barrel on Tuesday after fresh US strikes on Iran dashed hopes of a breakthrough, with experts suggesting the global energy market may be past the "point of no return."