Published on: 05/02/2026 - 07:37 Last updated: 05/03/2026 - 12:08

Lebanon witnessed a military and sectarian escalation on Saturday, with Israeli raids that killed 13 people in the south despite a truce being in effect, and widespread controversy after the publication of a cartoon video depicting the Secretary-General of Hezbollah similar to the “Angry Birds” game, at a time when negotiations between Iran and the United States faltered, and Trump rejected Tehran’s proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz and postpone the nuclear file, amid Iranian warnings of the “possibility” of renewed war.

The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it had damaged a "religious complex" in the town of Yaron in southern Lebanon, while a Catholic charity said the building was a monastery and accused Israel of "deliberate targeting." The army explained that its forces were working to "destroy Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure."

Thirteen people were killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health, despite a truce in effect since April 17 that was extended after direct discussions between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in Washington.

A cartoon video clip depicting Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and his fighters similar to the “Angry Birds” game sparked widespread controversy. The party's supporters responded with insults to Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi, while the party considered the video "offensive."

An American-Iranian impasse in the Gulf

A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that a proposal to Tehran that US President Donald Trump has so far rejected includes opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US blockade, while postponing talks on the nuclear program until a later time. Trump stated that he was not satisfied with the proposal.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran is ready for diplomacy if the United States changes its approach. On the other hand, an Iranian military official warned that “renewed war with the United States is a possibility,” noting that Washington “does not abide by any promises or agreements.”

In a remarkable development, Trump likened the US Navy's detention of an Iranian ship to "piracy," saying, "It is a very profitable business." The Pentagon also announced the withdrawal of about five thousand soldiers from Germany amid a dispute with the German Chancellor over the war on Iran, while Washington approved military sales worth $8.6 billion to allies in the Middle East.

Other files: Oil tanker hijacking and executions in Iran

The Yemeni Coast Guard announced on Saturday that unknown individuals hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Shabwa and took it towards Somalia. Iran also executed two people on charges of spying for Israel near the Natanz nuclear site. As for Spain, it announced that Israel’s detention of a Spanish activist from the “Resilience Fleet” is “illegal,” calling for his immediate release.

The Cuban President denounces the "dangerous level" of Trump's threats

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Saturday denounced US President Donald Trump's threats against his country, which have reached a "dangerous and unprecedented level," calling on the international community to take action against them.

On Friday, Trump renewed his threat to “take control” of Cuba, hinting at the possibility that an American aircraft carrier might stop at the island “on its way back from Iran.”

“The President of the United States is raising his threats of military aggression against Cuba to a dangerous and unprecedented level,” Diaz-Canel wrote on X.

The Israeli army says its forces damaged a "religious complex" in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army said on Saturday that its forces caused damage to a “religious complex” in southern Lebanon, which was condemned by a Catholic charity that indicated that the building was a monastery, denouncing the “deliberate” targeting of a house of worship.

The Israeli army indicated that its forces were working in the town of Yaron in southern Lebanon "to remove threats and destroy the terrorist infrastructure that Hezbollah had established in the region."

The Israeli army reported that "as part of the forces' activities to destroy terrorist infrastructure, one of the houses located in a religious complex in the area was damaged, and it did not have any features indicating that it was a religious building."

Iran offers an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump is not satisfied

A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that an Iranian proposal that US President Donald Trump has so far rejected includes opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US blockade of Iran, with talks on the Iranian nuclear program being postponed until a later time.

Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran will not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, and yesterday he said that he was not satisfied with the latest Iranian proposal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran is ready for the path of diplomacy if the United States changes its approach.

Bloomberg: 7 OPEC+ countries, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, agree to increase production in June by 188 thousand barrels per day.

China rejects US sanctions on refineries that rely on Iranian oil

China announced on Saturday that it will not comply with US sanctions imposed on five companies over their purchase of Iranian oil.

China is a major buyer of Iranian oil, mainly through individually owned refineries called “teapots” that rely on purchasing Iranian crude oil at discounted prices.

In an attempt to cut off revenues from Tehran, the United States sought to intensify sanctions on these refineries.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a decision that the US sanctions “should not be recognized, implemented or complied with.”

It added that the sanctions "improperly prohibit or restrict Chinese companies from carrying out economic, trade and related activities with third countries... and violate international law and basic standards governing international relations."

Madrid: Israel’s detention of a Spanish activist from the “Resilience Fleet” is illegal (Ministry)

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez announced on Saturday that Israel's detention of Spanish activist Saif Abu Kishk while he was on board the "Global Resilience Flotilla" for Gaza was "illegal," calling for his release "immediately."

Speaking to Catalan radio "Racle", Albarez said, "We are facing illegal detention in international waters, outside the scope of any authority of the Israeli authorities, and therefore Saif Abu Kishk must be released immediately so that he can return to Spain."

An oil tanker was hijacked off Yemen and taken towards Somalia (Yemeni Coast Guard)

The Yemeni Coast Guard announced on Saturday that unknown individuals took control of an oil tanker off the coast of Shabwa in the south of the country and took it in the Gulf of Aden towards Somalia.

The force affiliated with the internationally recognized Yemeni government stated on its website that it was "following up on the incident of the hijacking of the oil tanker M/T EUREKA off the coast of Shabwa Governorate," adding, "The tanker was subjected to an armed robbery by unknown elements. It was boarded and controlled, and then headed toward the Gulf of Aden toward the Somali coast."

She explained that "the location of the tanker has been identified, and work is underway to follow it up and take the necessary measures in an attempt to recover it and ensure the safety of its crew," whose number or nationalities were not specified.

Showing a cartoon video about Hezbollah confronting Israel sparks sectarian controversy in Lebanon

The publication by a local television channel of a graphic video clip showing the Secretary-General of Hezbollah and his fighters with cartoon characters taken from the famous video game “Angry Birds” in their war with Israel sparked controversy of a sectarian nature in Lebanon, after the party considered it “offensive.”

After the clip was circulated, Hezbollah supporters posted pictures on social media that included insults to the Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, which they said was a response to attacks on “their symbols,” in reference to the party’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem. The campaign against Al-Rai, who is considered the highest Christian religious authority in Lebanon, sparked condemnation.

Israel announces the transfer of two activists in the "Resilience Fleet" to its territory for interrogation

Israel announced on Saturday that it had transferred two activists from the Global Resilience Fleet for Gaza to its territory for interrogation, after its army intercepted the fleet's ships on Thursday off the coast of Greece.

The fleet, which included more than 50 ships, set off from ports in France, Spain and Italy with the aim of breaking the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza and delivering supplies to the devastated Palestinian Strip, before Israeli forces intercepted it on Wednesday night.

Israel said it arrested about 175 activists from the flotilla, but organizers accused it of "kidnapping" 211 people.

An Iranian military official talks about the "possibility" of renewed war with the United States

An Iranian military official said on Saturday that renewed war with the United States is a "possibility", in light of the continued faltering of peace talks and US President Donald Trump's criticism of the latest Iranian proposal in the negotiations.

The Iranian Fars News Agency quoted Mohammad Jaafar Assadi, deputy head of inspection at the Khatam al-Anbia headquarters, Central Command of the Armed Forces, as saying, “Renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is a possible possibility, and the facts have shown that the United States does not abide by any promises or agreements.”

Trump likens the US Navy's seizure of an Iranian ship to acts of "piracy"

US President Donald Trump said that the US Navy acted “like a pirate,” while commenting on the seizure of a ship amid the US blockade of Iranian ports. "We boarded the ship and seized it. We seized its cargo and the oil. It's a very profitable business," Trump said during a rally in Florida.

Iranian official: Our proposal, which Trump rejected, requires opening the strait before nuclear talks

An Iranian official said on Saturday that Tehran's proposal, which US President Donald Trump has so far rejected, stipulates opening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic and ending the US naval blockade on Iran, while postponing talks on the Iranian nuclear program to a later stage.

13 killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon

Thirteen people were killed in Israeli raids on southern Lebanon on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health, as strikes launched by the Arab state continued despite a truce with Hezbollah. Although a ceasefire has been in effect between Israel and Hezbollah since April 17 and then extended, after direct discussions between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in Washington, the Israeli army continues to carry out attacks, especially on southern Lebanon, causing deaths and injuries.

Iranian military official says renewed war with the United States is a "possibility"

An Iranian military official said on Saturday that renewed war with the United States is a "possible" possibility, in light of the continued faltering of peace talks and President Donald Trump's criticism of the latest Iranian proposal in the negotiations. The Iranian Fars News Agency quoted Mohammad Jaafar Assadi, deputy head of inspection at the Khatam al-Anbia headquarters, Central Command of the Armed Forces, as saying, “Renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is a possible possibility, and the facts have shown that the United States does not abide by any promises or agreements.”

Official media: Iran executes two people on charges of spying for Israel and collecting intelligence information near the Natanz nuclear site

France 24/Agencies

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