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Israeli airstrikes devastated Lebanon on Wednesday, killing more than 300 people and wounding 1,165 in a span of just 10 minutes. The strikes, which targeted over 100 sites across the country, have been described as one of the deadliest mass killings in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.Omar Rakha, a survivor, recounted his terrifying experience: he was bleeding and face down on the street when he realized a building next to his in Beirut's Barbour neighborhood had been destroyed by two Israeli bombs. The neighborhood, once considered safe, felt like a war zone.The Israeli military claimed it had targeted Hezbollah 'command and control centers' in the bombing campaign dubbed 'Operation Eternal Darkness.' However, residents and Lebanese officials argue that the strikes mainly killed civilians. Lebanon's prime minister, Nawaf Salam, accused Israel of targeting 'densely populated residential neighborhoods' and killing unarmed civilians in breach of international law.Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a surgeon at the American University of Beirut Medical College, described the overwhelming influx of wounded, including children pulled from under the rubble. 'The youngest was an 11-month-old. I had to operate on him just to relieve some pressure in the head,' he said.The airstrikes have escalated tensions and raised concerns about the potential for further conflict. The war in Lebanon, which started after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2, has left around 1,800 people dead and 5,873 wounded.

Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, has made a strong call to action for the UK government to withdraw its trade agreement with Israel in light of the recent Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Polanski expressed his concerns about Israel's actions, accusing them of 'behaving in a completely uncontrolled way.'During the launch of the Green party's local election campaign in London, Polanski urged the government to take a firmer stance against Israel, stating that it is 'outrageous that Israel is still enjoying diplomatic and trade privileges from the international community.' He emphasized the need for robust sanctions against Israel and an end to the 'genocide.'Polanski also criticized the UK government's claim of not being involved in the conflict with Iran, arguing that its bases had been used to aid US bombers attacking Iran. He called for the disentanglement of UK and US military operations and a ban on the US using UK airspace.When asked about the economic implications of ending the trade deal with Israel, Polanski prioritized human lives over financial concerns, stating that the UK should not put 'a cost on people's lives.'In addition to his comments on Israel, Polanski criticized Labour's housing policies, arguing that Green-run councils would focus on building new council houses and 'stand up' to property developers who resist building affordable homes. He accused Labour councils of building 'luxury, unaffordable buildings that no one's ever going to live in.'Labour responded by accusing Green party councillors of trying to block 42,000 homes across the country since 2018 and said they were not delivering social rented housing in areas where they were in power.

Oil and gas markets rallied on Thursday as investors grappled with the shaky outlook for the two‑week Iran‑Israel ceasefire. Brent crude rose more than 2% to $96.77 a barrel, while New York light crude climbed nearly 3% to $97.23, still shy of the $100 threshold that many traders watch. The previous session had seen Brent plunge 13.29% to a four‑week low of $94.75. In the gas sector, the UK month‑ahead contract rebounded 1% to 115.35p per therm after a 15% drop the day before. European natural‑gas futures also recovered, edging toward €46/MWh from a five‑week trough of €45.30. The price uptick reflects growing scepticism about the durability of the ceasefire announced a day earlier by the United States and Iran, which included a pledge to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. UAE and Kuwait reported intercepting Iranian drones, and Iran’s parliamentary speaker accused the United States and Israel of breaching several agreement points. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned of a “regret‑inducing response” if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue. The latest Israeli barrage killed at least 254 people and wounded 837, prompting the Fars news agency to note that oil‑tanker traffic through the strait had been halted. Former President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to threaten that U.S. forces would remain in the region until a “real agreement” is fully honoured, warning that any non‑compliance would trigger “stronger than anyone has ever seen before” military action. Asian equity markets reacted negatively: Japan’s Nikkei slipped 0.7%, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.7%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged down 0.4%. In Europe, the FTSE 100 dipped 0.1%, Germany’s DAX fell 0.6%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.3%, and Italy’s FTSE MIB slipped 0.2%. The pan‑European Stoxx 600 trimmed 0.1% after a near‑4% rally the day before, while U.S. futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street. Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid noted that market stress has eased compared with 24 hours earlier, as the ceasefire news generated renewed optimism and reduced fears of a stagflationary shock. On the diplomatic front, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Vice‑President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Islamabad, with initial talks slated for Saturday morning. Jefferies chief European economist Mohit Kumar argued that, despite its fragility, the truce is likely to hold because of the “mutually assured destruction” calculus. He added that both sides now see a ceasefire as the lesser‑evil, given the escalating costs of continued conflict and the strategic challenges of securing cheap drone interceptors and a reliable Hormuz passage.

Lebanon's prime minister expressed approval for a recently announced US‑Iran ceasefire, describing it as a hopeful step toward de‑escalation in the Middle East. The endorsement came at a time when Israeli strikes targeted areas of Beirut, causing renewed concern over civilian safety and regional stability. While the ceasefire signals a potential cooling of tensions between Washington and Tehran, the ongoing Israeli operations highlight the complex and often contradictory dynamics shaping the conflict landscape.

Hours after Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire, several Gulf nations have reported missile and drone attacks on their territories. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defences were actively engaging incoming missiles and drones from Iran.The UAE’s Defence Ministry stated that the sounds of explosions heard across the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Kuwait also reported intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8am (05:00 GMT), with some targeting vital oil facilities, power stations, and water desalination plants, causing serious infrastructure damage.Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said it dealt with a total of 28 drones, while Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior reported alleged Iranian attacks that injured two people and damaged several houses. Explosions were heard in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, with smoke rising from an area on Sitra Island that hosts Bahrain’s principal energy facilities.Iran has not responded to the claims by the Gulf nations. Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that an oil refinery on the country’s Lavan Island came under attack, with firefighters working to contain the blaze. The US-Iran ceasefire was agreed upon barely an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate Iran was set to expire.Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile barrages from Iran over recent weeks in response to the US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. Iran targeted fossil fuel infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations while effectively closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz to shipping, through which one-fifth of global oil usually passes.

In an urgent 11‑hour appeal posted on X, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked U.S. President Donald Trump to push back the deadline for his proposed Iran deal by two weeks. Sharif also called on Tehran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period, framing the move as a goodwill gesture that could bolster ongoing diplomatic talks aimed at ending the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran. Sharif wrote that “Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in the near future,” and added that a temporary cease‑fire across the region would give negotiations a chance to succeed. The White House, through press secretary Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that President Trump is aware of Pakistan’s proposal and that an official response will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is “positively reviewing” the request. Trump has intensified his rhetoric, warning on Truth Social that the United States would “destroy the Iranian civilization” if Tehran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz and comply with his terms. Iran has responded by nearly halting maritime traffic through the waterway, which carries about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments, as retaliation for recent U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian soil. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it would not hesitate to strike back if U.S. forces target civilian facilities. In parallel, Israel has launched attacks on Iranian railways and bridges, while Iranian forces have struck targets in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. A Pakistani source speaking to Al Jazeera noted that “we’re at a dangerous escalation, but the possibility of diplomacy can’t be ruled out till the last minute,” emphasizing Islamabad’s commitment to keeping all diplomatic channels open despite internal opposition. Legal experts have warned that Trump’s threats to target civilian infrastructure could amount to a war crime. Yale University professor and U.S. legal scholar Oona Hathaway warned that any such action would become “exhibit A” in future war‑crimes tribunals, noting that there is no statute of limitations for these offenses. As the deadline looms, the international community watches to see whether Trump will grant the requested extension, whether Iran will reopen the strategic strait, and whether diplomatic momentum can translate into a lasting cease‑fire in the volatile Middle East.

Majdi Aslan, a 54‑year‑old WHO driver, was killed on Monday when Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle carrying World Health Organization staff in eastern Khan Younis. Several other passengers, including a WHO doctor, sustained injuries.The incident occurred near the so‑called yellow line on Salah al‑Din Street, an area that has seen near‑daily Israeli strikes since a fragile ceasefire was brokered in October. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed wave of violence.According to Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, Israeli forces fired indiscriminately at people and vehicles traveling along the road. A civilian commercial vehicle was followed by a car transporting WHO personnel; the WHO driver was hit in the head and later pronounced dead at Al‑Aqsa Hospital, while roughly seven others were wounded.WHO did not immediately confirm the victim’s employment but issued a statement saying a “critical security incident” had occurred and that medical evacuations from Gaza via the Rafah crossing were suspended with immediate effect. The organization has been coordinating limited patient transfers through Rafah since the crossing reopened earlier this year.The suspension comes as Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid entry and has repeatedly closed the Rafah crossing, especially as the broader U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran draws international focus. The halt threatens the already strained access to life‑saving treatment for thousands of injured Palestinians.Elsewhere on Monday, a Palestinian man with special needs was killed by Israeli soldiers in southern Khan Younis, a drone strike in Gaza City claimed a 36‑year‑old civilian, and two more Palestinians died in drone attacks on the Yarmouk and Shujayea neighborhoods. Hospital sources say eight Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes outside areas under Israeli control since Sunday.

The global oil trade is facing a chokepoint crisis, with Libya's oil disputes mirroring the situation in the Hormuz Strait. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil transportation, was briefly closed after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, causing Brent crude oil prices to soar to nearly $120 a barrel.Libya, with its strategically located oil terminals on the northeastern coast, has become a crucial player in the global oil trade. The country's light, sweet grades of oil are particularly valuable to European refiners. However, Libya's political instability and factional oil deals are threatening to disrupt oil supplies, with Europe's energy security hanging in the balance.The Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Khalifa Haftar, controls the territory where Libya's oil is located, while the Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli signs oil contracts. This has led to a situation where Tripoli may sign oil contracts, but Haftar decides whether oil actually flows. The Arkenu agreement, a private oil company linked to the Haftar family, was recently terminated due to corruption allegations, leaving the future of Libya's oil supplies uncertain.The US is attempting to broker new talks between Tripoli and Haftar's camp, but a deal is not yet certain. Meanwhile, European energy security is at risk, with the Mediterranean Sea becoming a battleground for proxy wars between Russia and Ukraine. The sabotage of oil infrastructure and attacks on tankers are exacerbating the situation, highlighting the need for a stable and secure oil supply to Europe.

The recent conflict between Israel and Iran has highlighted the consequences of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's promise of an 'easy' war. When Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December, he came with an appeal and a subtle inducement.Netanyahu had suggested a final benefit to Trump: defeating Iran would allow Israel to wean itself off its massive reliance on US military aid. However, the reality of the conflict has been far from easy, with Iran's resilient regime and the ongoing Middle East war showing no signs of abating.The conflict has also had significant implications for global diplomacy, with Emmanuel Macron reflecting a widespread view that US and Israeli strikes on Iran would not provide a durable solution to Tehran's nuclear program. The war has undermined Nato and potentially emboldened China, Russia, and North Korea.The conflict has also led to a decline in support for Israel globally, with polls showing a decline in support for Israel across the political spectrum in the US, particularly among Democrats and young voters. A Gallup survey released recently showed that Americans are more sympathetic to Palestinians than Israelis for the first time since Gallup began measuring that question in 2001.