IMF Warns Iran War Will Have Lasting Economic Scars, Even With A Potential Ceasefire

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed 182 people — the deadliest single-day toll since the Israel-Hezbollah war began.

The strikes targeted central Beirut and other parts of the country even as a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran came into effect. While Iranian officials say Lebanon was meant to be covered by the deal, Israel and the U.S. maintain that it was not.

The ministry said 890 people were also injured in the attacks. In just over five weeks of fighting, the war has left 1,739 people dead and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warns that the ceasefire remians fragile as Israel has "finger on the trigger" and is ready for military action to "return to battle at any moment".

In his first address since the brokered 2-week ceasefire, Netanyahu has warned that Isareli forces will continue to strike Hezbollah, claiming that it is not in violation of the ceasefire conditions.

Hezbollah said it launched rocket attacks early Thursday on Manara in northern Israel, as sirens sounded in several border communities near Kiryat Shmona—an area frequently targeted during the ongoing conflict.

In a statement, the group said the strikes were part of an ongoing response and would continue “until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases.”

AP

Lebanon declares day of mourning following wave of Israeli attacks that killed at least 254 people, injured more than 1,165 in a single day on Wednesday, as Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said to be mobilising “all of Lebanon’s political and diplomatic resources to stop the Israeli killing machine”.

While speaking to reporters, US Vice-President who is enroute to Pakistan for peace talks, defended allegations of violation of a ceasefire, stating, "Ceasefires are always messy. This is the nature of a ceasefire. We have been very clear that we want to stop the bombing, we want our allies to stop the bombing and we want the Iranians to do the same thing."

Vance stated that US disagrees with Iranian Speaker of the Parliament Ghalibaf who is firm that Iran will not refuse thier right to enrichment. "We don't really concern ourselves with what they claim to have the right to do. We concern ourselves with what they actually do. The President has been very clear on the enrichment question and our postion on it hasn't changed," said Vance.

In unusually strong language, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon that killed and injured hundreds on Wednesday, warning of the rising civilian toll.

His spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the mounting toll on civilians” and warned the strikes pose “a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.”

The strikes targeting central Beirut killed more than 180 people and wounded hundreds, marking the deadliest day in the ongoing war, with the UN chief urging all sides to immediately cease hostilities.

Amid Israel’s Iran Offensive The Al-Aqsa Mosque reopened to Muslim worshippers in East Jerusalem after a 40-day Israeli closure, with hundreds gathering for dawn prayers in an emotional return marked by tears and prostrations.

The shutdown, which began on February 28 alongside Israeli strikes on Iran, had barred most Palestinians from the compound and even halted Eid prayers—an unprecedented move since 1967.

Asutralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has termed the recently announced two-week ceasefire in the Middle East a “fragile but important step,” urging that it be extended to include Lebanon as well. Stressing the need for a broader peace framework, he said Australia wants the truce to evolve into a lasting agreement across the region.

U.S ⁠President ⁠Donald ⁠Trump said all U.S. ​ships, aircraft, and military ‌personnel would stay ‌in ⁠place ⁠in and around Iran until it fully ​complied with a deal.

"All U.S. Ships, ​Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with ⁠additional ⁠Ammunition, Weaponry, ⁠and anything ​else that is appropriate and ​necessary ⁠for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already ⁠substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in ⁠place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with" Trump said in ⁠a post on Truth Social on Wednesday.

- Reuters

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Australia issued a statement marking the 40th day after the death of Ali Khamenei, saying, “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran offers its condolences on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader… at the hands of American-Israeli enemies,” adding that “the memory and name of the martyred Leader will forever remain a shining beacon for all freedom-seekers.”

A New York-based think tank is warning that the tentative ceasefire in the Iran war “hovers on the verge of collapse.”

The Soufan Center said the Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday risked the deal falling apart.

“Even if Lebanon was formally outside the deal, the scale of Israel’s strikes was likely to be viewed as escalatory, nonetheless,” it wrote in an analysis published Thursday. “Israel’s strikes can be understood both as an effort to drive a wedge between Iran and its proxies and as a response to being allegedly sidelined in the original ceasefire discussions.”

- AP

Reuven Azar said Israel does not view Pakistan as a credible mediator, adding, “We don't see Pakistan as a credible player. I think that the United States has decided to use the services of the facilitation of Pakistan for their own reasons.”

He noted Washington has previously engaged countries like Qatar and Turkey to broker talks with Hamas, stressing, “For us, it is very important to stay in sync with the United States when it comes to the substance and the essence of the outcome we want to see.”

UN expert Francesca Albanese has intensified criticism of Israel, urging states and citizens worldwide to take action to halt what she describes as decades of violence, displacement, and repression of Palestinians. Her remarks, widely shared online with hashtags like #StopArmingIsrael and #NoTradeWithIsrael, call for sustained international pressure.

Iranian news agencies have published a chart indicating that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may have deployed sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz during the war.

The graphic marks a “danger zone” along the main shipping route and suggests vessels divert closer to Iran’s coast near Larak Island, with the indicated timeframe spanning from February 28 to April 9.

Reza Amiri Moghadam confirmed that an Iranian delegation will arrive in Islamabad for ceasefire talks hosted by Shehbaz Sharif. Acknowledging public skepticism over repeated violations by Israel, he said the team is coming for “serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran.”

"Despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative, invited by Hon. PM Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran," says Reza Amiri Moghadam, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan.

Authorities in Islamabad have tightened security, deploying additional police and paramilitary forces and sealing key routes to the Red Zone ahead of high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran. The White House confirmed that JD Vance will lead the American delegation, with negotiations aimed at securing a lasting end to the war.

-AP

Israel said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, killing more than 250 people in one of its deadliest offensives in recent weeks. The military claimed it eliminated dozens of operatives and seized weapons, even as the strikes triggered widespread casualties and raised fears of further escalation.

"Netanyahu has launched a severe attack on Lebanon. His disregard for human life & intrl law is unacceptable. Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire. The international community should condemn this. The EU should suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. No impunity."

- Embassy of Spain UK

Pakistan has shut schools and government offices for two days in the capital, Islamabad, to keep people off the roads as authorities ramp up security ahead of U.S.-Iran talks later this week.

Officials have imposed sweeping restrictions across the city, including blocking key roads connecting Islamabad with neighboring Rawalpindi.

Shipping containers have been placed at multiple points to restrict movement and limit public access to sensitive areas.

Islamabad appeared unusually quiet Thursday, with many residents staying home as traffic diversions forced longer commutes between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The restrictions follow recent unrest in March, when protests by Shiite groups erupted across the country in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

More than two dozen people were killed in those demonstrations nationwide.

In Karachi, 12 people were killed when protesters stormed the U.S. consulate and attempted to set it on fire.

AP

Semi-official Iranian news agencies on Thursday released a chart suggesting the Revolutionary Guard laid sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz during the war, a move seen as pressure on the U.S. amid uncertainty over the two-week ceasefire and upcoming negotiations in Pakistan.

The map, published by ISNA and Tasnim, marked a large “danger zone” over the main shipping route through the strait — a vital passage that once carried about 20% of global oil and gas trade — and indicated vessels should move further north near Larak Island.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an online statement Thursday insisting that his surge of warships and troops will remain around Iran “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”

Trump’s comments on his Truth Social platform appear to be a way to pressure Iran as uncertainty hangs over the tentative two-week ceasefire now holding in the war.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” Trump wrote.
He also insisted Iran would not be able to build nuclear weapons and “the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.” That comes as vessels are not moving through that waterway, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

AP

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, deleted a social media post that had said Tehran’s negotiating team would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night for talks. The message did not specify who would be part of the Iranian delegation.

The post was removed without explanation, adding to uncertainty around the planned negotiations as Pakistan prepares to host sensitive talks aimed at easing tensions between Iran, the U.S., and their allies.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said his country will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with “international norms and international law” once the United States ends its “aggression” in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that Iran had closed the strait after U.S. ally Israel committed an “intentional grave violation of the ceasefire.”

He said “you cannot have a cake and eat it at the same time. That was the message that Iran sent quite clearly, crystal-clearly, to Washington and to the Oval Office last night.”

Khatibzadeh added: “Definitely we are going to provide security for safe passage and it is going to happen after the United States actually withdraws this aggression. Does it mean that Iran is going to control the Strait of Hormuz in terms of letting ship by ship to go through that?

“I think that we have shown to everybody that energy security is pivotal for Iran, is pivotal for this body of water in the Persian Gulf, and we are going to be abided by the international norms and international law.”

AP

Britain, France and Australia have called for Lebanon to be included in the Middle East ceasefire as Israel continues strikes in the country. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the attacks were “completely wrong” and warned they were causing mass displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged all sides to respect the ceasefire, including in Lebanon, and condemned Israel’s “indiscriminate strikes” after speaking with leaders of Iran, the U.S. and Lebanon. More than 180 people were killed in Lebanon on Wednesday in the deadliest day of fighting there.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also backed including Lebanon in the truce, as Western countries urged Israel to halt its strikes and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, where the peace negotiations are being held, released a press statement condemning "in the strongest terms" the aggression against Lebanon.

It added, "The Israeli actions undermine international efforts to establish peace and stability in the region and constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles."

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that any additional Iranian duties in the Strait of Hormuz would have “unpredictable economic consequences,” stressing the need for a full restoration of freedom of movement in the strategic waterway. She said the passage “must not be subject to any restrictions,” calling it a critical element of the U.S.-Iran understanding.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said European and partner nations are “finalizing” plans for a naval escort mission to safeguard shipping in the strait once fighting ends. He added that traffic could resume safely “with an escort system,” noting preparations for the mission are already well advanced.

Israel’s energy ministry says it has instructed Energean to begin resuming operations at the Karish natural gas platform off Israel’s Mediterranean coast following the US ceasefire with Iran.

The platform had been closed since February 28, when the US-Israeli war on Iran began, due to safety concerns.

Energean confirmed it had received notice from the energy ministry that would permit the safe restart and resumption of production and operations at its Karish site.

“Energean is working to safely restart production and resume normal operations in line with its operating procedures,” it said.

The toll from simultaneous Israeli air strikes on Beirut and other areas in Lebanon on Wednesday rose to more than 200 dead and at least 1,000 wounded, Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine says.

Before taking part in a cabinet meeting, Nassereddine said: “The death toll stands at 203 martyrs and more than 1,000 wounded in the aggression against Lebanon on Wednesday.”

President General Joseph Aoun received a phone call from the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which he extended his condolences, along with those of the sisterly Qatari people, to the victims of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, expressing the State of Qatar's solidarity with Lebanon in the difficult circumstances it is going through, and its readiness to assist in everything that leads to stopping the military escalation, especially with regard to including Lebanon in the ceasefire agreement between the United States of America and Iran.

President Aoun thanked the Emir of Qatar for his positions that are always in solidarity with Lebanon and its people, appreciating the support that Qatar provides to Lebanon and the Lebanese in all fields and circumstances, especially urgent medical and relief equipment.

Iran has said its delegation will travel to peace talks in Islamabad only if Israel stops its attacks on Lebanon. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh stated that any peace agreement in the region must include Lebanon, adding that the coming hours would be critical. He also revealed that Iran was close to retaliating the previous night but held back to allow space for diplomacy, including calls from the United States urging Israel to halt strikes on Lebanon.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel will "keep striking Hezbollah wherever necessary," AFP reports, a day after Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon, killing more than 200 people and injuring over 1,000 in a single day

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, says, “As you are aware, LPG supply has been affected due to the present geopolitical situation, and nearly 60% of the country’s LPG requirement is met through imports. In view of this, domestic consumers have been prioritised, and 100% supply for household use has been ensured. No dry-out has been reported at any LPG distributor. Yesterday alone, more than 51 lakh households received LPG cylinder deliveries.

Our online booking has reached 98%, and OTP-based LPG delivery stands at 92%. There has been some impact on commercial LPG; however, it has been restored to around 70%. Bulk non-domestic LPG supply has also been restored for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food, polymers, agriculture, packaging, and paints, among others.”

Addressing a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “ We are closely following the developments in West Asia. We continue to engage with countries in the region. As you would have seen our press release earlier yesterday, the External Affairs Minister will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates from 11th to 12th April 2026. During the visit, he will meet the leadership of the UAE to review close cooperation and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the US should exert some control over Israel to ensure the success of the ceasefire with Iran

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released a map portraying alternate shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz for ships to avoid naval mines, according to local media reports.

The circle on the map below is labelled an “area of danger”. The IRGC Navy says ships must coordinate with them to avoid naval mines.

Tankers that used to pass close to Oman, which is in the south of the Strait, are now being told to take a more northerly route, closer to the Iranian coast.

Mohammad Eslami says the country’s uranium enrichment programme will not be curtailed.

He said “the enemy won’t succeed in restricting Iran’s enrichment programme,” according to a report by the Iranian Students’ News Agenc

The European Union says freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be ensured with “no payment or toll whatsoever”, after Iran suggested it could charge for letting ships through the vital Gulf waterway.

“International law provides for the freedom of navigation, which means… basically no payment or toll whatsoever,” European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni told a news conference in Brussels.

“Freedom of navigation is a public good and needs to be ensured.”

South Korea’s foreign ministry says top diplomat Cho Hyun is sending a special envoy to Iran to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations.

In a ‌phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the ministry ⁠said Cho welcomed Iran’s ceasefire agreement with the US and emphasised ⁠the importance of ⁠free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s parliament speaker said Lebanon was a key part of the two-week ceasefire with the U.S., warning that violations would bring severe consequences, following massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon.

“Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran’s allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on X.

“Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses,” he added.

- AFP

The Israeli army says Hezbollah fired around 30 rockets targeting northern towns.

The Times of Israel reports sirens being heard in several areas, including Kiryat Shmona and the Galilee Panhandle.

Reports of casualties have not been received.

We are hearing from our correspondents on the ground in Lebanon that the Lebanese government is calling for direct talks with Israel.

The move came amid the worst Israeli attacks on Lebanon in six weeks.

We will bring you more shortly.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-running corruption trial will resume on Sunday, the court’s spokesperson said, hours after Israel lifted a state of emergency imposed over its war with Iran.

“With the lifting of the state of emergency and the return of the judicial system to work, hearings will resume as usual,” a statement from the Israeli court said, adding that they would take place between Sundays and Wednesdays.

Netanyahu, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, denies charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust brought in 2019 after years of investigation. His trial, which began in 2020 and could lead to jail terms, has been repeatedly delayed due to his official commitments, with no end date in sight.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, discussed the effects of the crisis caused by Iran’s retaliatory blocking of the strait, calling the current global energy crisis “the mother of all crises”.

Bayraktar argued that thanks to Turkiye’s extensive investments in energy and infrastructure, its geographical location between Asia and Europe, and the presence of oil and natural gas reserves in its region, it has become a pivotal country in the region in the field of energy, especially as it harbours two key pipelines, the “Blue Stream” and the “TurkStream”.

The minister also suggested Ankara is well-suited to weather the crisis, as it has sufficient strategic energy reserves, with gas storage facilities that are 72 percent full, compared with Europe’s at just 28 percent.

The head of Russia’s state nuclear giant Rosatom says the company hasn’t reversed its decision to evacuate its staff from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, despite the ceasefire.

“We are not cancelling the evacuation yet… it is not yet time to return our comrades there,” Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom’s CEO, told reporters.

“The situation remains unchanged. Of course, things have eased a bit since the ceasefire was announced. We don’t understand how this ceasefire will end, for obvious reasons,” he was quoted by the Russian Interfax news agency as saying.

Of 639 Rosatom staff originally at the plant, 611 have been evacuated via Armenia, with around 50 volunteers remaining on site.

Bushehr, Iran’s only functioning nuclear plant, built and staffed by Russia, has been struck four times since the US-Israel war on Iran began in February.

Pakistani officials have shared the names of people likely to be involved in the negotiations to end the war between Iran and the US.

The officials said details of the talks, expected on Saturday in capital Islamabad, are still being finalised and the list of participants could also change.

Pakistan (host)

• Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif

• Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff

• Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

• Lt. General Asim Malik, National Security Advisor and head of country’s main intelligence agency, Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI)

US delegation

• J D Vance, Vice President

• Steve Witkoff, White House Special Envoy

• Jared Kushner, former senior presidential adviser

• Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander (likely to attend)

Iranian delegation

• Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Parliament

• Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister

• Majid Takht Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held a call with his Lebanese counterpart, Nawaf Salam.

In a readout issued after the call, the Pakistani prime minister’s office said Islamabad “strongly condemned” Israel’s ongoing attacks.

It added that Lebanon’s prime minister had “sought Pakistan’s support for bringing an immediate end to the attacks targeting Lebanon and its people”.

Confusion has emerged over whether Lebanon is included in the recently agreed ceasefire between the US and Iran. Washington says it is not, while Pakistan, which is mediating the talks, maintains it is.

The leader of Yemen’s Houthis, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, has described the recently agreed ceasefire between the US and Iran as a “great victory” for Tehran and the so-called “axis of resistance”, a network of Iran-aligned groups across the Middle East.

“The announcement of the ceasefire in and of itself is a great victory for the Islamic Republic in Iran, for the countries of the axis of resistance, for the Islamic nation, and for the free people of the world,” the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV station quoted al-Houthi as saying.

In a video statement, al-Houthi added that the war had helped restore deterrence in Iran’s strategic posture.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the Iran war will leave lasting “scarring effects” on the global economy, with consequences likely to persist even if a ceasefire is reached.

Kristalina Georgieva, the organisation’s managing director, said that even the “most hopeful scenario” would involve a downgrade in global growth, adding that there would be “no neat and clean return to the status quo.”

Some ⁠of ⁠Lebanon’s hospitals could run out of life-saving trauma ⁠medical kits within days as supplies ⁠near depletion following mass casualties from large-scale Israeli strikes over the past ‌day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

“Some of the trauma management supplies were in short [supply] ⁠and we may run ⁠out in a few days,” Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, the ⁠WHO’s representative in Lebanon, told the Reuters news agency.

The ⁠life-saving trauma kits include bandages, antibiotics and anaesthetics to treat ‌patients who sustained war-related injuries, he said.

The Israeli government has approved 34 new settlements across the occupied West Bank, a decision taken amid the ongoing war.

According to recent Israeli reports, the move was kept largely under wraps at the request of the US administration, adding a layer of secrecy to the decision.

These settlements are expected to be built not only in areas without Palestinian residents but also across parts of the occupied West Bank, including locations that fall within the jurisdiction of Palestinian cities — areas classified as Area A, which are officially under full Palestinian administrative control.

Such a move is considered unprecedented, though it aligns with the Israeli coalition’s 2022 programme advocating the complete annexation of the occupied West Bank. With this latest approval, the current government has now authorised 103 new settlements since it came to power.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and has warned in a statement that they threaten to derail the ongoing negotiation efforts.

“Such actions only push Lebanon towards the brink of an escalating humanitarian catastrophe and further worsen already fragile social and economic conditions,” the ministry said in a statement.

A ceasefire proposal with Israel and the commencement of direct negotiations with Israel have begun, and so far have received a “positive response”, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun says.

“The only solution to the current situation in Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon,” he said.

The holding of talks to end the war is contingent on America’s adherence to ceasefire commitments on all fronts, especially in Lebanon, says Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

Here are some of the major talking points from his briefing with reporters:

• Strongly condemned Israeli attacks in Lebanon

• The cessation of the war in Lebanon is an integral part of the ceasefire agreement proposed by Pakistan

• Pakistan’s PM clearly stated that the US is committed to stopping the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon

• Any action or stance contrary to this commitment constitutes US failure to adhere to its commitment.

House Democrats were blocked on Thursday in an attempt to pass a resolution curbing Trump’s war powers over Iran.

Democrats returned to Washington during a scheduled two-week recess to try to force a vote, but the Republican lawmaker chairing the session simply closed it without giving them the chance to speak.

“After Trump’s threats of war crimes against Iranians, Democrats once again tried to rein in this conflict through a War Powers Resolution. Republicans just blocked it. Without congressional action, Trump will continue to conduct a war with no accountability or endgame,” Democrat Congresswoman Deborah Ross said on X.

Senate Democrats say they will force a fresh war powers vote when Congress returns next week.

Following Netanyahu’s announcement that he has issued an instruction to start direct negotiations with Lebanon, Israel’s Foreign Minister Katz has told Channel 14 that “the war will not be stopped.”

A Lebanese official told Al Jazeera that Lebanon is seeking a ceasefire before agreeing to enter direct negotiations.

The official added that the talks would take place under US oversight and would be led by former Lebanese ambassador Simon Karam.

This comes after Israel’s FM said the “war will not stop”.