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The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has issued a grave warning that Lebanon faces the threat of a humanitarian catastrophe as Israel continues its weeks-long bombardment and expands ground operations across the country.UNHCR's Lebanon representative Karolina Lindholm Billing reported that Israeli strikes and forced displacement orders have affected people throughout Lebanon, from the southern regions to the Bekaa Valley, Beirut, and northern areas. More than 1.2 million people have been forced from their homes since Israel's intensified attacks began in early March, according to UN figures."The situation remains extremely worrying and the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe ... is real," Lindholm Billing stated during a briefing in Geneva. She emphasized that Lebanon's overstretched shelter system is struggling to meet the growing needs of displaced families.The UN representative highlighted particularly concerning developments, including strikes on central Beirut's densely populated neighborhoods where many had sought refuge in collective shelters. "The families are ... living in constant fear, and the psychological toll, particularly on children, will last far beyond this current escalation," she added.Israel launched its intensified attacks against Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israeli territory following the February 28 assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israel war on Iran. The Israeli military has since conducted aerial and ground operations across Lebanon while issuing mass forced displacement orders for residents of southern areas and several Beirut suburbs.On Friday, the Israeli military announced air strikes on Beirut and issued new displacement orders for neighborhoods including Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued rocket attacks into northern Israel and confrontations with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.Rights groups have strongly condemned Israel's expanded operations, with Human Rights Watch warning that preventing Lebanese civilians from returning to their homes in the south may constitute the war crime of forced displacement. "Israel's tactics of mass expulsion in Lebanon raise serious risks of forced displacement," the organization stated. "Forced displacement and collective punishment are war crimes."International concerns have been further heightened by the Israeli military's destruction of civilian homes and several bridges connecting southern Lebanon to the rest of the country. "The destruction of key bridges in the south has cut off entire districts ... isolating over 150,000 people and severely limiting humanitarian access," Lindholm Billing explained.As the crisis deepens, Lebanon's government faces mounting challenges in responding to the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, with evacuation orders now extending to areas previously considered safe, exacerbating panic among the civilian population.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has successfully thwarted a plot to assassinate prominent Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani, co-founder of the activist group Within Our Lifetime. According to authorities, a suspect, Andrew Heifler, 26, was taken into custody for allegedly planning to throw Molotov cocktails at Kiswani's home in New York City.Kiswani, 31, was informed by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force on Thursday of a threat against her life. The arrest was the result of an undercover law enforcement operation. Heifler was reportedly part of an offshoot of the far-right Jewish Defense League (JDL), an extremist group known for violent attacks against Arab American activists during the 1970s and 1980s.New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the incident, stating, 'We will not tolerate violent extremism in our city. No one should face violence for their political beliefs or their advocacy.' Heifler had planned to flee to Israel after carrying out the attack. Authorities recovered eight Molotov cocktails from his residence during a search.The incident highlights the increasing harassment and surveillance faced by Palestinian rights activists in the US, both from government authorities and far-right pro-Israel groups. Kiswani had previously reported receiving threats, stating that 'Zionist organizations like Betar and politicians like Randy Fine have encouraged violence against my family and me' for several months.This foiled plot is part of a broader pattern of heightened tensions and threats against Muslim and Palestinian communities in the US, with advocates noting an increase in hateful rhetoric from US lawmakers.

The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has entered its fourth week, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively closed. This has led to a broadening of the global energy crisis, with the economic outlook darkening across Asia, Europe, and beyond.Japan has responded by releasing 80 million barrels of oil from its national reserves, enough to last for 45 days. The country's reliance on Middle Eastern crude oil imports stands at 90 percent.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that the conflict will have a significant impact on the UK economy, predicting inflation of 4 percent this year. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated that Iran cannot be allowed to hold the global economy hostage.The uncertainty surrounding Trump's policy on Iran has led to the emergence of the TACO trade, an acronym that stands for Trump Always Chickens Out. This phenomenon refers to investors betting that the US president will back down from his threats, resulting in profits for those who bought in.Observers note that Trump's inconsistent messaging has created an opportunity for investors to bet on his policy reversals. For example, Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz from 48 hours to five days, and later promised to hold off from attacks on Iran's energy facilities for an additional 10 days. This type of about-face has opened the door to investors willing to bet that the US president will back down.Lena Komileva, chief economist at consultancy firm (g+)economics, notes that global markets have been less inclined to rebound after Trump's Iran-related policy reversals compared to similar shifts in response to his tariff policies. This is due to the complexity of the conflict and the unique objectives of the parties involved.

Israel has confirmed that it has struck a uranium processing facility in the central Iranian city of Yazd, in an escalatory move that comes as regional diplomats have been attempting to broker an agreement to halt the joint US-Israeli war on Iran.The Israeli Air Force said it hit a plant used to extract raw materials essential to the uranium enrichment process, describing it as a 'unique facility' in Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the strike, but said there were no casualties or radiation leaks.A projectile also hit near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said. The attack caused 'no casualties, financial, or technical damage,' the organisation said.Friday marked day 28 of the conflict, and the assault by the Israeli army was part of a broad wave of attacks on sites across the country. The Khondab Heavy Water Complex in central Iran was hit, as well as two major steel plants: the Khuzestan Steel facility and the Mobarakeh Steel complex in Isfahan.Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran will 'exact heavy price' for Israeli attacks on several important infrastructure sites. 'Israel has hit 2 of Iran's largest steel factories, a power plant and civilian nuclear sites among other infrastructure,' said Araghchi in a post on X.Strikes also hit areas in and around Tehran, the city of Kashan and Ahwaz, while 18 people were killed in Qom. More than 1,900 people have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since the war began on February 28.Iranian officials said US-Israeli strikes have damaged at least 120 museums and historical sites across the country since hostilities began.Negar Mortazavi, a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for International Policy, told Al Jazeera that even Iranians who had been critical of their own government increasingly view the war as an assault on the Iranian people rather than its leadership, saying the targeting of water, electricity, gas, cultural heritage, schools and hospitals was 'unacceptable.'Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would 'intensify' its campaign and expand the range of sites it targets, accusing Tehran of deliberately directing missiles at Israeli civilians.

The Houthis, allied with Iran, have stated they are prepared to intervene militarily if new alliances join the US and Israel against Iran or if the Red Sea is used for hostile operations. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, made the announcement in a televised speech on Friday.Saree emphasized that their 'fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention' under these conditions. The warning heightens the risk of a broader regional conflict, especially considering the Houthis' capability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes in the Arabian Peninsula.The Houthis have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the northwest since 2014. Following Israel's actions in Gaza, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and carried out drone and missile attacks on Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinians.In response to escalating tensions, Saree also called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. The Houthis have previously agreed to a truce with the US, which included a commitment to cease attacks on US shipping in the Red Sea.

BBC Arabic has faced sustained criticism in recent years for its selection of coverage and for featuring guests who have expressed antisemitic views on social media. However, Fiona Crack, the director of the BBC World Service, has defended the service, stating that it provides a unique and important perspective in the region.Crack argued that without BBC Arabic, the Arab world would lose one of the only independent and impartial outlets reaching nearly 40 million people in the region each week. She highlighted the service's coverage of the Gaza war, where it provided an Israeli perspective and Israeli experience that may not have been reported otherwise.The service has also been praised for reporting on serious incidents in the region that were ignored by other media, such as the big oil refinery fire in Saudi Arabia and jets that were brought down. Crack noted that many countries in BBC Arabic's region feature low down in media freedom rankings compiled by Reporters Without Borders, with Syria ranked 177th, Afghanistan 175th, Egypt 170th, the UAE 164th, and Saudi Arabia 162nd.Crack acknowledged that the service has made mistakes, but emphasized that they have apologized for them and taken steps to strengthen their systems. She also highlighted the importance of public service media in the region, stating that it is under threat and should be protected.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has yielded limited results in terms of destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. According to a report by Reuters, based on information from five people familiar with US intelligence, the US has only destroyed about a third of Iran's missile and drone arsenal after a month of military action. The report suggests that another third of Tehran's missiles may have been damaged or buried in underground tunnels and bunkers, leaving a sizeable stockpile still accessible to Iran. This assessment directly contradicts statements made by Donald Trump on Thursday that Tehran had "very few rockets left" and claims from other US officials that the war has eliminated Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Iranian officials view their ballistic missile program as a crucial deterrent against the US and Israel, given the significant military superiority of these countries. Iran has effectively used ballistic missiles and drones over the last month to attack Israel and critical infrastructure in the Gulf, causing substantial damage to the global economy. The US and Israel have identified degrading Iran's ballistic missile capacity as a primary objective of the war. Washington has deployed thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in recent days, with the administration reportedly considering a ground operation on Kharg island to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has targeted ballistic missile caches and launchers in its aerial campaign against Iran, claiming to have "neutralized" 335 or 70% of Tehran's missile launchers. However, Iran has dispersed its launchers across the country to evade detection and airstrikes, making it challenging for Israel and the US to completely eliminate the threat. Despite the decline in the number of launches due to the ongoing bombing campaign, Iranian missiles have still managed to hit Israel and the Gulf, as interceptors also run out. The conflict has resulted in billions of dollars spent and critical interceptor stocks expended by Israel, the US, and Gulf states to block Iranian missile barrages. A US official noted that assessing Iran's missile stockpile accurately is difficult due to much of it being stored underground, suggesting that "I don't know if we'll ever have an accurate number". The vast tunnel network created an extra challenge in destroying Iran's missile stockpile, but the US military has vowed to continue its efforts.

The conflict between Iran and Israel has taken a dangerous turn with the entry of Houthi forces from Yemen, who have launched a salvo of ballistic missiles at sensitive Israeli military sites. The Houthis, close allies of Iran, have vowed to continue their military operations until the 'aggression' comes to an end on all fronts.In response, Israel has reported intercepting one missile originating from Yemen. The escalation has raised concerns about the potential for a wider regional conflict, with Pakistan attempting to host a meeting of Middle Eastern powers to find a regional approach to ending the conflict.The entry of the Houthis poses a direct threat to the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, a critical choke point for energy supplies and trade. A shutdown of this strait, combined with Iran's near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, would have a devastating impact on the global economy.The conflict has also seen an escalation in the array of weapons being used, with reports of the US dropping cluster munitions and Iran using ballistic missiles carrying cluster warheads. Experts have cited concerns about the indiscriminate nature of these weapons, which have been banned by over 100 countries.The situation remains volatile, with US President Donald Trump suggesting that he had hoped for Saudi Arabia to join other Arab countries in normalizing relations with Israel in return for the attack on Iran. However, the survival of the Islamic Republic's regime after a month of bombing has left Trump with the choice of either extricating the US from the costly war or intensifying the campaign.

In a devastating incident, three journalists were killed in southern Lebanon on Saturday, prompting outrage and condemnation from the Lebanese government and the international community. The victims, identified as Ali Shoeib from Hezbollah-owned al-Manar television station, and Fatima Ftouni and her brother Mohammed Ftouni from pro-Hezbollah outlet al-Mayadeen, were struck by an Israeli missile while driving in Jezzine, a district in south Lebanon far from the frontlines.The Israeli military claimed that the target was Shoeib, whom it accused of being a Hezbollah 'terrorist' in an intelligence unit who had reported on the locations of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. However, international law clearly states that journalists are considered civilians and targeting them is a war crime, regardless of their political affiliation.The Lebanese government has strongly condemned the killings, with Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, describing the journalists as 'civilians doing their professional duty'. The minister of information, Paul Morcos, stated that the killing of the three journalists 'constitutes a deliberate and blatant war crime against the media and the mission of journalism'. The Lebanese government has compiled a list of Israeli attacks against healthcare workers and media personnel, which it will submit to the UN and the EU.This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence against journalists in the region. Israel has killed more than 220 journalists since 2023, according to Reporters Without Borders. The fighting in Lebanon started when Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel on 2 March, triggering an Israeli aerial campaign and invasion. The conflict has resulted in 1,189 deaths and 3,427 injuries in Lebanon, including 48 healthcare workers, according to the Lebanese ministry of health.