Two killed in south Lebanon as US reassures Gulf allies
Al Jazeera reported Israeli activity in Lebanon while Washington works on Iran talks, nuclear inspections and Gulf security.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
An Israeli strike killed two people in southern Lebanon as talks continued in Washington over security arrangements along the Lebanon-Israel border, Al Jazeera reported. The report came alongside US efforts to reassure Gulf allies while negotiations with Iran continue.
Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett, reporting from Tyre, said the two people were killed when their car was hit near Nabatieh. She also reported a separate strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa, though Al Jazeera said it had no confirmation of casualties from that incident.
Israeli forces were also active on the ground in Ain al-Arab, a village in southern Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera. Pett reported that residents had begun returning over the previous two days after the Lebanese military reopened roads to the village.
Al Jazeera said an Israeli patrol arrived in Ain al-Arab with a bulldozer and contacted a local community leader. The patrol warned that homes would be demolished by 5 p.m. local time Wednesday if residents did not leave, and Pett reported that most people had departed again after the deadline passed.
Border talks in Washington
The activity in Lebanon came as Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors held discussions in Washington, Al Jazeera reported. The talks center on US-proposed pilot zones where Israeli forces would hand territory to vetted Lebanese army units.
According to Al Jazeera, the plan is meant to pair an Israeli withdrawal with deployment by the Lebanese army. Pett reported that no firm timetable or detailed locations for the proposed zones were expected until at least Thursday.
Al Jazeera also reported that Israel’s defense minister said the Israeli military would not leave southern Lebanon even if the United States demanded it. The statement underscored the gap between the Washington discussions and events reported on the ground in southern Lebanon.
US seeks to calm Gulf partners
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is touring the Gulf and telling allies that Washington will protect their interests while talks with Iran proceed, Al Jazeera reported. The diplomatic push follows the recently signed US-Iran agreement referenced in Al Jazeera’s coverage.
On the nuclear file, Al Jazeera reported that Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said visits to Iranian nuclear sites will happen under a recently signed memorandum of understanding. Iran, however, said inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog would be considered and settled only within the framework of a final agreement with the United States, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera also reported that vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was continuing to recover. The movement is taking place under a UN-backed plan to evacuate 11,000 stranded seafarers, according to the broadcaster.
Iran faces broad destruction after months of attacks by Israel and the United States, Al Jazeera reported. The broadcaster said reconstruction costs are likely to exceed $300 billion.
A Reuters image carried by Al Jazeera showed a woman and her daughter, displaced by the war, standing in Nabatieh near buildings destroyed by an Israeli airstrike after returning there on June 24, 2026.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.