Municipal authorities say Israeli airstrikes conducted during the latest round of hostilities killed about 60 people in Tyre, destroyed 26 buildings and damaged roughly 1,000 homes, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee after evacuation warnings were issued earlier this month.

The attacks followed Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, drawing extensive Israeli military strikes across southern Lebanon as regional tensions escalated.

Although fighting has largely subsided following last week’s U.S.-Iran agreement and a subsequent reduction in hostilities along the Lebanese front, evidence of the conflict remains visible throughout Tyre, where damaged buildings, shattered storefronts and piles of rubble continue to dominate several neighborhoods.

Heavy equipment operators have been working around the clock to clear roads and remove debris. Residents searching through collapsed buildings for personal belongings have often found little remaining of their homes.

Authorities estimate that more than two-thirds of those displaced from the city have returned since the ceasefire took hold, beginning efforts to restore normal life despite continuing security concerns.

Business owners are among those leading the recovery. Hussein Hassan, a barber who returned after fleeing with his family during the conflict, reopened his shop despite structural damage that left walls cracked and windows destroyed.

Across the city, merchants and homeowners are undertaking repairs while assessing losses caused by the bombardment. Ali Samhat, who operates a neighborhood mini-market damaged in an airstrike, said reconstruction efforts had begun immediately after residents returned.

The destruction has also affected members of Lebanon’s diaspora. Abbas Ashour, who lives and works in Britain, returned to search the remains of the apartment he had purchased and furnished for his family before it was destroyed during the fighting.

Despite the damage, local officials are attempting to revive economic activity ahead of the summer tourism season. Deputy Mayor Alwan Charafeddine said plans are moving forward to reopen beachfront businesses and establish new cafes and kiosks along the city’s coastline.

Tyre, known for its beaches and historical significance, remains one of southern Lebanon’s most important tourist destinations. Residents have gradually returned to public spaces, including the city’s waterfront, where families and visitors have resumed recreational activities following weeks of displacement.

Many residents, however, remain cautious about the future. Israeli forces continue to maintain positions in parts of southern Lebanon, and both sides have exchanged accusations and threats since the ceasefire came into effect.

For now, the city’s recovery reflects a determination among residents to rebuild livelihoods disrupted by conflict while hoping the current period of relative calm develops into a more lasting stability along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The latest ceasefire, which took effect amid broader diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran, has brought a relative lull to the southern Lebanese city. However, many residents remain reluctant to return to normal routines, citing fears that fighting could resume as previous truce agreements have repeatedly collapsed.

The conflict, which intensified in March after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel during a wider regional confrontation involving Iran, has killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. Israeli military operations have also pushed deep into southern Lebanon, leaving extensive destruction across the region.

Tyre, one of Lebanon’s oldest cities and a major summer tourism destination, has been among the areas heavily affected. Businesses that normally depend on seasonal visitors report little activity, while public spaces and parking areas have been occupied by displaced families who fled nearby towns and villages.

Residents say uncertainty continues to dominate daily life despite the reduction in visible fighting. Many displaced people have delayed returning to their homes, particularly in communities that suffered extensive damage during the conflict.

The city’s cultural heritage has also sustained damage. Several structures near Tyre’s renowned archaeological complex were struck during the air campaign, affecting areas adjacent to Roman-era monuments and historical sites that form part of a UNESCO-recognized heritage zone. Lebanese antiquities officials said assessments are expected to determine the extent of the damage and the scope of restoration work required.

Environmental concerns have also emerged along the southern coastline. Areas near the Mansouri coastal reserve, known for its sea turtle habitats and biodiversity, have become inaccessible following military activity and bombardment.

Healthcare facilities in Tyre have likewise faced disruptions. Medical workers at one of the city’s largest hospitals said nearby airstrikes damaged parts of the facility, shattered windows and doors, and raised concerns about the safety of medical personnel operating in active conflict zones.

Doctors and nurses who have worked through previous wars in southern Lebanon said the proximity of recent strikes to hospitals marked a significant escalation in the risks faced by healthcare workers.

The ceasefire has eased immediate security concerns, but signs of continuing military tension remain visible across southern Lebanon. Israeli forces continue to maintain positions in areas near the border, while periodic military activity has been reported south of Tyre.

Diplomatic discussions between Lebanon and Israel are continuing with international mediation, though Hezbollah has rejected calls for disarmament and remains outside the formal negotiation process.

For many residents, the destruction left behind by months of fighting has underscored the uncertainty surrounding the region’s future, even as diplomatic efforts seek to prevent a return to large-scale conflict.

The talks come as negotiations remain deadlocked over Hamas’s disarmament and Israel’s military presence in Gaza. A Hamas delegation led by chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya is expected to attend discussions in El-Alamein.

Hamas said progress was possible if Israel showed willingness to reach an agreement, while reiterating its rejection of disarmament under Israeli conditions.

The meeting follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for the military to take control of 70% of Gaza, a move Hamas called a violation of the ceasefire.

The conflict has intensified despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire and broader regional de-escalation. Areas south of the Litani River have been largely depopulated and heavily damaged, while Israeli military activity has increasingly extended north of the river.

Recent clashes have highlighted Hezbollah’s evolving battlefield approach. According to Israeli media reports cited in the source material, a Hezbollah fighter infiltrated an area near Qawzah, north of the border, and killed an Israeli major before escaping. In another reported incident, a Hezbollah drone targeted the commander of Israel’s 401st Armored Brigade in the town of Debel.

Military sources cited in the report said Hezbollah has largely moved away from the extensive use of guided missiles and rocket barrages that characterized earlier phases of the conflict. Instead, the group is relying on small, mobile units conducting ambushes, infiltration operations and drone attacks designed to inflict casualties while avoiding direct confrontation with Israel’s superior air power and surveillance capabilities.

Analysts said advances in Israeli intelligence gathering, including drones, surveillance balloons and satellite monitoring, have made traditional launch-and-withdraw tactics increasingly difficult. As a result, Hezbollah has adapted by dispersing fighters into smaller independent units operating across multiple locations.

A Lebanese military source said the growing use of fiber-optic first-person-view drones has altered the nature of the battlefield by enabling more precise attacks against Israeli positions. However, Israeli forces continue to maintain overwhelming advantages in airpower, intelligence collection and long-range strike capabilities.

The humanitarian impact has continued to mount. According to figures cited in the report, more than 3,120 civilians have been killed and over 9,500 wounded since March 2. Israeli forces recently issued additional evacuation warnings covering dozens of villages north of the Litani River ahead of further military operations.

The destruction has fueled debate inside Lebanon over the costs of continued fighting. Israeli newspaper reports cited in the article suggested that Hezbollah faces difficulties rebuilding its ranks and is under pressure to reach a ceasefire, although the group has not publicly commented on such claims.

Retired Lebanese military officials offered differing assessments of the conflict’s trajectory. Retired Major General Abdul Rahman Chehaitli argued that Hezbollah’s guerrilla tactics complicate Israeli efforts to hold territory but are unlikely to produce a decisive military outcome.

He said civilians and the Lebanese state remain the principal victims of the confrontation.
Retired Brigadier General Khalil Jamil said Hezbollah’s tactics can impose costs on Israeli forces but are unlikely to compel a withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

He argued that Israel increasingly views the conflict through an existential security lens and has demonstrated a willingness to sustain a prolonged campaign despite casualties and domestic pressure.
Both officers agreed that a military solution remains unlikely and that negotiations ultimately represent the only viable path to ending the conflict.

Diplomatic attention is focused on upcoming security discussions expected later this month between Israeli and Lebanese officials under U.S. sponsorship, followed by a broader political track in June. The talks come amid wider regional diplomacy, including ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran.
Israel continues to reject any arrangement that would permit Hezbollah to maintain a presence in southern border areas, while Lebanon is seeking a comprehensive ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, prisoner releases, the return of displaced civilians and reconstruction assistance.

According to Yassin Jaber, economic losses from the war, including damage to homes, infrastructure and businesses, have reached approximately $20 billion. He said international aid flows have been significantly lower than those received during previous conflicts.

As diplomatic efforts continue, fighting on the ground shows little sign of easing, leaving southern Lebanon caught between Hezbollah’s campaign of resistance and Israel’s determination to secure its northern frontier.

Accounts from residents, analysis of satellite images and observations by AFP journalists indicate that dozens of towns and villages near the Israeli border have suffered severe damage, including the destruction of homes, schools, religious sites, public infrastructure and agricultural land.

Israel launched a military campaign in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group, opened a front against Israel on March 2. Israeli forces responded with large-scale airstrikes and a ground offensive in areas where Hezbollah maintains a strong presence.

Although a ceasefire came into force on April 17, residents and Lebanese officials say demolitions, bulldozing operations and strikes have continued across parts of southern Lebanon. Israel has maintained that its actions target Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives and are intended to prevent future attacks on Israeli communities.

Satellite images reviewed by AFP showed extensive destruction in the border village of Yaroun, located less than one kilometer from Israel. Residents said much of the town, including residential neighborhoods and public buildings, has been reduced to rubble.

Images from Bint Jbeil, a major town in southern Lebanon and a longstanding Hezbollah stronghold, also indicated widespread damage. Satellite photographs taken in early April showed relatively limited destruction, while images captured a month later suggested that large sections of the town had been demolished.

Lebanese Environment Minister Tamara Zein has accused Israel of carrying out what she described as “urbicide,” a term used to describe the deliberate destruction of urban areas. Researchers at Lebanon’s government-linked National Council for Scientific Research echoed concerns that destruction accelerated during the ceasefire period.

According to the council, Israeli attacks since 2023 have damaged more than 290,000 housing units across Lebanon, including roughly 61,000 since the latest conflict began. Researchers estimate that around 12,000 units were completely or partially destroyed after the ceasefire took effect.

Lebanon’s Agriculture Ministry said earlier this month that more than 560 square kilometers of farmland had been damaged by Israeli military operations and attacks.

Israeli forces continue to operate inside a self-declared security zone extending approximately 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory. Israeli officials say the measures are necessary to protect border communities from Hezbollah attacks and prevent the group’s military re-establishment near the frontier.

The destruction has complicated efforts by displaced residents to return home. More than one million people have been displaced from southern Lebanon during the conflict, according to Lebanese officials and researchers.

The latest allegations come as Lebanese and Israeli representatives continue direct talks in Washington aimed at preserving a fragile truce and preventing a broader escalation along the border.

The June 15-17 summit will be held in Évian-les-Bains in southeastern France, with Syrian representation expected to focus on regional trade routes, supply chains and post-war economic reconstruction, according to the sources.

One Syrian official said an invitation for Sharaa was hand-delivered earlier this week to Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh during G7-related financial meetings in Paris.

The official said Syria’s participation would likely center on the country’s potential role as a “strategic hub for supply chains” following disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Commercial shipping through the critical waterway has been severely affected since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in late February, contributing to volatility in global energy and transport markets.

Syria, seeking to rebuild after a 14-year civil war, has increasingly moved closer to Western governments following shifts in regional diplomacy and gradual easing of sanctions imposed during the rule of former presidents Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad.

Despite the easing of many restrictions, Syrian officials continue to face challenges attracting foreign investment, restoring banking connectivity and reviving infrastructure damaged during years of conflict.

The invitation signals a significant diplomatic development for Damascus as Western powers reassess Syria’s regional role amid broader geopolitical and economic disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

In a statement issued by Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, Guterres said he looked forward to working with the new Iraqi administration to advance the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

The statement said the UN chief remained committed to supporting Iraq in its efforts toward development, governance and long-term stability.

The announcement follows the formation of a new Iraqi government after months of political negotiations and comes at a time when Baghdad faces economic challenges, reconstruction demands and regional security pressures.

The United Nations has maintained a long-standing political and humanitarian presence in Iraq, assisting with institutional development, humanitarian coordination and post-conflict recovery initiatives.

Authorities said the damaged site at Isfahan University of Technology, one of Iran’s largest higher education institutions, would be converted into a permanent museum following strikes in March that hit the campus during the broader U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

“The current damaged site will be preserved as a war museum at the university to remain a document of the country’s scientific oppression in history,” Zafarollah Kalantari, head of the university, said on Saturday, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Kalantari said separate land had been allocated for the construction of a new academic building and the installation of advanced replacement equipment to restore the university’s research and teaching capacity.

Initial assessments estimated damage to the university’s buildings and facilities at around $11 million, he added.The university, located in the central city of Isfahan, was among dozens of educational institutions affected by the strikes launched during the war that began in late February and expanded across multiple fronts in the region.

Iranian officials have said more than 30 universities across the country were hit during the conflict, including campuses in Tehran, alongside residential neighborhoods and other civilian infrastructure.

The strikes formed part of a broader campaign by the United States and Israel targeting what Washington and Tel Aviv described as strategic military and nuclear-linked infrastructure, though Iranian authorities have repeatedly said civilian and academic institutions were also heavily affected.

The conflict triggered significant regional instability before a ceasefire took effect on April 8, temporarily halting direct hostilities but leaving diplomatic tensions and reconstruction challenges unresolved.

Iran has increasingly framed the damage to universities and research facilities as evidence of what it calls international attempts to suppress its scientific and technological development, using such sites as symbols of national resilience and resistance.

The decision to preserve the damaged section of Isfahan University reflects that broader political message, turning the remains of the strike into both a memorial and a state narrative of wartime loss.

Three months after a major earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, access to safe drinking water remains a central challenge for thousands of displaced families, as humanitarian agencies scale up efforts to restore damaged infrastructure and prevent disease outbreaks.

The earthquake affected multiple provinces, including Nangarhar Province, Kunar Province, and Laghman Province, causing widespread destruction to homes and critical public services. Among the most significant impacts was the damage to water systems, with wells collapsing and water sources becoming unusable. The disruption has forced many families to rely on temporary solutions while living in displacement camps, where conditions remain fragile.

Sharifa, a displaced resident, described the daily challenges following the disaster. Prior to the earthquake, her household depended on a nearby well for water. After the infrastructure was damaged, securing safe drinking water became uncertain. She said that each day began with concern over how to meet basic needs, reflecting a broader pattern among displaced families facing similar conditions.

Humanitarian assessments indicate that more than 130 water points were destroyed in the affected areas. The loss of these facilities, combined with overcrowded living conditions in camps, contributed to increased reliance on unsafe water sources in the immediate aftermath.

The situation was further compounded by inadequate sanitation practices, including open defecation, which heightened the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.In response, UNICEF, through its polio programme and partner organizations, has implemented water, sanitation and hygiene interventions across seven camps and more than 50 affected communities.

According to programme data, over 20,000 people are currently receiving support aimed at restoring access to clean water and improving hygiene practices.Dr. Godwin Mindra, identified as UNICEF’s Chief of Immunization, stated that the earthquake disrupted essential services, including immunization systems and water supply networks.

He noted that social mobilizers have been deployed to promote health education and sanitation practices, with the objective of reducing the risk of disease outbreaks, including polio, during the recovery phase.In Khas Kunar Camp, a newly installed water supply network has begun operations, with a production capacity of approximately 120,000 liters per day.

The system has reduced dependence on water trucking, which had been the primary source of supply immediately after the earthquake. Humanitarian agencies report that water trucking continues to provide short-term relief, while more durable infrastructure is being developed to ensure long-term sustainability.Across six displacement camps, more than 15,500 people are reported to have continuous access to safe drinking water following recent interventions.

The establishment of permanent water systems has also led to a measurable reduction in reliance on emergency water deliveries. In Khas Kunar camp, daily water trucking requirements have decreased by more than half since the completion of the new system.Additional infrastructure has been deployed to support water access and storage.

According to operational data, 76 water reservoirs and 188 tap stands have been installed across affected locations. Distribution efforts have included more than 11,000 jerry cans, enabling households to collect and store water safely. These measures are intended to reduce contamination risks and improve overall water management at the household level.

Despite progress, challenges remain in ensuring consistent access across all affected areas. Work is ongoing in camps such as Satarwal Camp and Zeri Baba Camp, where additional water systems are under development. At the same time, efforts are being made to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure in home communities, allowing families to return when conditions permit.

Displacement remains a key issue, with many families reluctant to return to their villages due to concerns over aftershocks and structural safety. As a result, camps continue to serve as temporary settlements for extended periods, increasing the importance of reliable water and sanitation services in these locations.Sharifa noted that the restoration of water supply has had a tangible impact on daily life.

She described access to clean water as a critical step toward recovery, linking it to broader improvements in safety and living conditions. Her account aligns with observations from aid agencies that water access is a foundational element in stabilizing displaced communities.Humanitarian officials emphasize that water supply interventions are closely linked to public health outcomes.

The provision of clean water, combined with hygiene promotion, is seen as essential in preventing outbreaks of communicable diseases in high-density camp environments. These measures also support the continuity of other services, including immunization campaigns, which depend on stable operating conditions.

The response has received support from international partners, including the United States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to programme updates, the focus is gradually shifting from emergency relief to the development of durable systems designed to enhance resilience against future shocks.Rehabilitation efforts in affected communities are expected to play a critical role in the transition from displacement to recovery.

Restoring local water systems is seen as a prerequisite for enabling families to return to their homes and resume normal activities. However, progress is contingent on both infrastructure repair and improvements in safety conditions.The ongoing situation highlights the central role of water access in post-disaster recovery efforts.

In the absence of functioning systems, basic daily activities are significantly disrupted, with implications for health, sanitation, and overall stability. As reconstruction continues, the effectiveness of water and sanitation interventions will remain a key factor in determining the pace and sustainability of recovery in eastern Afghanistan.

Speaking alongside Syrian transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Berlin, Merz said both governments were seeking to create conditions that would allow more Syrians to return voluntarily to their homeland.

Germany hosts the largest Syrian diaspora in the European Union, with more than one million Syrians, many of whom arrived during the 2015–2016 migrant influx.“We are working jointly toward more Syrians being able to return to their homeland,” Merz said at a joint press conference.

Sharaa said Damascus and Berlin were exploring a “circular” migration framework that would allow Syrians to participate in rebuilding their country while retaining the option to remain in Germany.

Such a model would enable returnees to contribute to reconstruction efforts without permanently relinquishing the economic and social stability they have established abroad, he said.

Merz said Germany intended to support Syria’s reconstruction after years of civil war, adding that a German delegation would travel to Syria in the coming days to advance cooperation.

However, he stressed that deeper bilateral engagement would depend on progress toward establishing rule-of-law institutions.

“Many joint projects in the future will depend on our finding a state governed by the rule of law,” Merz said, adding that he was confident such conditions could be achieved following discussions with Sharaa.