Int’l Desk:

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the government is focused on “defence” following attempts at negotiations, and with the death toll from US-Israeli attacks across Iran has risen to 787, state media report, citing the Iranian Red Crescent.

“Eternal disgrace will remain upon those who claimed to pursue diplomacy but, in the face of Iran’s logic, bowed down and turned to the military option,” said spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

On escalating tensions with regional neighbours by attacking their energy infrastructure, he only emphasised that Tehran considers itself “committed to humanitarian principles”.

“The Zionist regime refrains from no act of malice. I ask my Arab friends to reflect carefully. The regime has no hesitation in expanding the scope of the war, smearing Iran’s reputation, and committing crimes in other countries.”

Baghaei said “Iran is currently the only remaining force standing against evil”, also appearing to refer to the US as “the devil”.

Pakistan defence minister says Zionism a ‘threat to humanity’, conflict ‘imposed upon’ Iran

In a social media post, Khawaja Asif calls Zionism a driving force behind instability in the Muslim world and a “threat to humanity”, warning that the war on Iran threatens Pakistan’s security.

“From the establishment of Israel on the land of Palestine until today, every catastrophe that has befallen the Islamic world, every war imposed upon it, will show the direct or indirect hand of Zionist ideology and the state,” the defence minister said as he hailed Pakistan’s nuclear capability as a shield against external threats.

Asif argued that the current conflict had been “imposed upon” Iran despite its readiness to reach an agreement in negotiations with the US.

FRANCE READY TO DEFEND PARTNERS, ITS FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

France is ready ⁠to ⁠defend its partners if they request support and reserves its right to intervene, Foreign Minister ⁠Jean-Noel Barrot says.

In comments to French broadcaster BFM TV, he said fighting was “dragging a number of countries in the region into the ‌conflict with which we have relations, defence agreements and interests, including military bases”.

He said about 400,000 French nationals were in affected countries in the region and France was ready to repatriate those most at risk with commercial and military flights.

LEBANESE TROOPS PULLED BACK FROM BORDER DUE TO ESCALATING ISRAELI ATTACKS: SOURCE

A Lebanese military source has told Al Jazeera that the army has pulled its troops back from the border area to ensure their safety amid an escalation in Israeli attacks.

As we reported earlier, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army is evacuating “advanced positions” along the border with Israel, with Reuters reporting it has withdrawn from at ⁠least seven ⁠forward operating positions along the ‌border, quoting witnesses.

The moves come as Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel’s army had been instructed “to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements”, following an earlier deployment of troops to the border.

IAEA CONFIRMS ‘RECENT DAMAGE TO ENTRANCE BUILDINGS’ OF IRAN’S NATANZ NUCLEAR FACILITY

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said it can confirm, based on the latest available satellite imagery, “some recent damage to entrance buildings” of Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP).

“No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict,” it added, referring to the 12-day war launched by Israel against Iran last year that also included US attacks on the Natanz facility, alongside two others.

TIME FOR PAKISTAN TO LEAVE THE BOARD OF PEACE,’ SAYS FORMER ENVOY TO THE UN

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the UN has urged the PM to leave Trump’s so-called Board of Peace on Gaza following the attacks on Iran.

“Time for Pakistan to leave the Board of Peace which it should not have joined in the first place, set up and headed by a man who has launched attacks against 7 countries and whose admin is complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” Maleeha Lodhi, who was also ambassador to the US and the UK, said on X.

BAN ON HEZBOLLAH MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN LEBANON IS ‘FINAL’: PRESIDENT AOUN

Lebanon’s president says the government’s move to immediately ban Hezbollah’s military activity is “final”, declaring there is “no turning back” from the order.

Aoun said the cabinet decision obliges Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the state, underlining that the authority to decide matters of war and peace rests solely with the government.

In a statement posted on X, Aoun described Monday’s decision as a move that would “preserve the right of the Lebanese state alone, and no other, to hold the decision of war and peace”.

The decision followed renewed cross-border attacks after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in response to the Israeli-US war on Iran. It was the first time in more than a year that Hezbollah had fired into Israel, which has carried out hundreds of attacks on Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024.

Israel’s response to the Hezbollah rocket fire has killed at least 52 people across Lebanon.

SAUDI ARABIA CONDEMNS IRANIAN ATTACK ON US EMBASSY IN RIYADH

We have reaction from Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry about the Iranian attack on the US embassy in Riyadh.

In a statement, the ministry said it condemned the “treacherous” assault “in the strongest terms”.

It also said the kingdom reaffirms its right to take all measures to defend itself and its interests, including the option of responding to any ‌aggression.

IRANIAN MISSILE HITS CENTRAL ISRAEL: REPORT

A missile carrying a fragmentation warhead has struck the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, Israel’s Channel 12 is reporting.

The Times of Israel reported that fragments from an Iranian missile had made impact in central Israel, causing damage. No injuries have been reported.

HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL SAYS ‘ERA OF PATIENCE HAS ENDED’

A senior Hezbollah official says the recent attacks have left the group with “no option but to return to resistance”.

Israel wanted open war, “so let it be an open war”, said Mahmoud Qmati, adding that “the era of patience has ended.”

AT LEAST 30,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE IN SHELTERS IN LEBANON

At ⁠least ⁠30,000 displaced people have sought protection in ⁠shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between ⁠Israel and Hezbollah began on Monday, says UNHCR.

“Many more slept in their cars on ⁠the side of ⁠roads or were still ⁠stuck in traffic jams on the roads,” said UNHCR spokesperson ⁠Babar Baloch.