Middle East Roundup, July 6: Lebanese president calls Israeli occupation a barrier to peace

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.

Catch up: Yesterday’s top developments

• MoU implementation difficult but possible: Ghalibaf
• Netanyahu says some Lebanese Christian villages 'asked to be annexed' by Israel
• Israel army chief vows to act 'decisively' against Hezbollah in south Lebanon
• Stand with Iran's brave leadership, says former IIOJK CM Mehbooba Mufti

Lebanese president calls Israeli occupation a barrier to peace

Published: July 6, 2026 | 22:30 GMT | by Web Desk

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says continued “Israeli occupation prevents the deployment of the army and is not in the interest of achieving our goals and those of Washington”, Al-Jazeera reported.

Aoun made the comments as Israeli air strikes continued in southern Lebanon, killing at least four people, including a married couple, it added.

“There is no place for civil war in Lebanon despite some attempts to incite strife,” he said.

Egypt coach Hassan says Palestinian suffering 'a shame on the world'

Published: July 6, 2026 | 23:43 GMT | by AFP

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said at the World Cup on Monday that the suffering of the Palestinian people was a "shame on the world" as he called on football to do more to come to their aid.

Hassan waved a Palestinian flag after the Pharaohs beat Australia on penalties to reach the World Cup last 16, where they will meet defending champions Argentina on Tuesday.

"If there is someone who has not felt the suffering of the Palestinian people then he or she has no humanity," Hassan said in a lengthy address to a question on the subject at his pre-match press conference in Atlanta.

"I would like to say this is a shame on us. A shame on the entire world, not just the Arab world, a shame on everyone and a shame on first of all decision makers who leave human beings behind."

Iran accuses Germany of complicity over Strait of Hormuz remarks

Published: July 6, 2026 | 21:47 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran has sharply criticized Germany after German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Tehran should ultimately bear the costs of any international operation to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz.

Responding on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the remarks, describing the German minister's rhetoric as "utterly shameful" and accusing Berlin of distorting reality. In a strongly worded statement, Baghaei said Germany must be held accountable for what he called its "complicity in military aggression against Iran" and alleged role in an "illegal war" against the country.

Invoking Faust by German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Baghaei compared Germany's position to "Mephistopheles," saying Berlin's stance reflected a "grotesque distortion of reality." He further asserted that "no amount of offensive posturing" would allow Germany to escape responsibility for its alleged role in aggression and war crimes against the Iranian people.

UN hails 'any step that contributes' to Gaza truce 

Published: July 6, 2026 | 20:28 GMT | by Web Desk

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that "we've taken note of Hamas' announcement concerning the dissolution of the Government of Emergency Committee and the transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza,” according to a media report.

"We welcome any step that contributes to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and advances the objectives reflected in relevant Security Council resolutions, including the full implementation of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid," he said.

Dujarric added that "we continue to support efforts towards unified Palestinian governance under the Palestinian Authority."

Iran vows 'definitive punishment' for those responsible for Khamenei’s killing

Published: July 6, 2026 | 17:35 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran's First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, said Tehran would pursue "definitive punishment" of those responsible for the killing of the late Khamenei in a post on X, after millions attended funeral processions.

"The nation's rightful demand to punish the terrorist killers, raised during today's historic funeral procession, is a legitimate demand consistent with international principles of self-defense," Aref wrote.

He said securing Iran's right to punish those responsible for the supreme leader’s death was "a sovereign duty" that would be achieved through "strategic rationality."

Lebanon says Israeli strike on south kills 4, including 3 women

Published: July 6, 2026 | 17:35 GMT | by AFP 

Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a car in the country's south on Monday killed four people, including three women, despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a school principal, her mother, a foreign female domestic worker and a male Syrian worker were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their car as they returned from inspecting their family home in Nabatieh al-Fawqa.

Israel has kept up intermittent strikes on south Lebanon, particularly in the Nabatieh area, despite the two-week-old truce.

Netanyahu urges US not to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye

Published: July 6, 2026 | 17:32 GMT | by Web Desk

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he opposed the US selling F-35 warplanes to Turkiye in an interview with Fox News. 

“I don’t think they should be given F-35s,” he said.

“It is a country that occupies half of the island of Cyprus. They speak openly about occupying Jerusalem,” he added, “they supported Hamas and did nothing in the face of Iran.”

Body of Khamenei arrives in Qom ahead of procession: state TV

Published: July 6, 2026 | 17:00 GMT | by AFP

The body of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in the holy city of Qom on Monday evening ahead of a planned procession the following day, state television reported.

"The body of the martyred leader has arrived in Qom," south of the capital Tehran, state television said on social media, alongside footage showing a helicopter carrying Khamenei's body landing in the city.

Air raid targets southern Lebanese village after funeral

Published: July 6, 2026 | 16:12 GMT | by AFP

Israeli forces have carried out an air strike on the town of Batrachia in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil district, AL Jazeera reported quoting the National News Agency reports.

The attack came following a mass funeral for civilians in the same town on Sunday that became the target of Israeli artillery fire.

Trump says there will either be a deal with Iran or US will 'finish the job'

Published: July 6, 2026 | 15:04 GMT | by Web Desk

US President Donald Trump on Monday says that Iran could face military action, if an agreement is not reached between United States and Iran.

“We’re either going to make a deal, or we’re going to finish the job,” he told the reporters at the Oval Office.

“We can knock down their bridges in one hour, we can knock down their energy supplies and all of the big plants,” Trump added.

Israel bombs homes in southern Lebanon

Published: July 6, 2026 | 14:25 GMT | by Web Desk

Israeli forces have bombed homes in the town of Qounine, in Lebanon’s southern Bint Jbeil district, AL Jazeera reported quoting the country’s National News Agency reports.

More than 1.6 million were displaced after Israel began its aerial assault and ground invasion of southern Lebanon on March 2. Hundreds of thousands have attempted to return to the area, according to AL Jazeera.

Death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon rises to 4,319

Published: July 6, 2026 | 13:23 GMT | by Web Desk

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the country has risen to 4,319, with more than 12,203 people wounded, AL Jazeera reported.

Number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza rises to 73,098

Published: July 6, 2026 | 12:22 GMT | by Web Desk

Gaza’s Health Ministry released its latest daily update on the number of casualties in Israel’s genocidal war, AL Jazeera reported.

 In a statement, the ministry said five people were killed and seven wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period. Three people were recently killed and two bodies were recovered, it added.

The figures bring the number of those killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the war to at least 73,098, with 173,571 wounded, according to AL Jazeera.

Palestinian technocratic committee says ready to govern Gaza

Published: July 6, 2026 | 11:42 GMT | by  AFP

The Palestinian technocratic committee set up by the Board of Peace established by US President Donald Trump said Monday it was ready to govern the Gaza Strip after Hamas announced it had dissolved its ruling body.

"We affirm that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is fully prepared to assume its national responsibilities as soon as the necessary resources and capabilities are available," Ali Shaath, head of the committee, wrote on X.

The dissolution of the 15-member Hamas body that governed Gaza for nearly two decades paves the way for the NCAG to assume administrative responsibilities in the territory.

Hamas announces dissolution of Gaza governing body

Published: July 6, 2026 | 10:43 GMT | by  AFP

Palestinian movement Hamas announced Monday the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule.

The move marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has run Gaza since 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year.

Since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza last October between Hamas and Israel, the group has repeatedly said it is prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance, but the thorny issue of its disarmament remains unresolved.

"The head of the government's emergency committee Mohammed al-Farra has officially submitted his resignation," Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas' government media office told AFP.

"He has also decided to dissolve the committee to facilitate the administrative and governmental transition to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)."

The NCAG was created by the Board of Peace that US President Donald Trump established when he brokered the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in October 2025.

"Hamas has taken a new step in that it will no longer be in charge of the Gaza Strip, in order to remove any pretexts for the occupation, which continues its aggression and war of extermination," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP.

Millions gather as Khamenei funeral procession begins in Tehran

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:51 GMT | by  AFP

Vast crowds gathered for the funeral procession of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Monday, with authorities estimating millions were on the streets in numbers that could rival those of his predecessor's farewell nearly four decades ago.

Authorities have yet to give an official turnout figure but AFP images showed huge numbers stretching along major boulevards in the Iranian capital.

After lying in state for two days at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex, the body of Khamenei -- who was assassinated on the first day of the Middle East war on February 28 -- began its journey through the capital accompanied by massive crowds.

Flower petals covered the coffin as it made its way along the streets, AFP images showed.

Iranian army chief says Tehran will not abandon quest for justice

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:40 GMT | by  Web Desk

“Those who committed this crime must know that the nation of Iran and all of us will never cease in our pursuit of and demand for justice,” Iranian army chief, Major General Amir Hatami said, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Press TV.

“We will not let go of them, and this is a definitive decision that we will follow through until we achieve results,” he added.

Israeli forces ‘trigger explosion’ in Lebanon

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:35 GMT | by  Web Desk

Israeli forces have “triggered an explosion” overnight in the town of Hula, in the Marjayoun district, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Lebanon’s National News Agency.

Four Palestinians killed in Israeli drone attack on Gaza

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:30 GMT | by  Web Desk

At least four Palestinians were killed and 16 others injured after an Israeli drone struck a vehicle on al-Rashid coastal road in the al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza's Khan Younis governorate, according to Al Jazeera, which cited medical sources at Nasser Hospital and al-Hilal Hospital.

Ghalibaf says peace in Lebanon cannot happen without Tehran

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:25 GMT | by  Web Desk

Iranian Speaker Baqer Ghalibaf stated that lasting peace in Lebanon is impossible unless Iran fulfills what he calls its stabilizing role in the region, according to Al Jazeera.

Iran’s chief negotiator made these comments during a meeting in Tehran with senior Hezbollah official Muhammad Fneish, who had visited Iran to attend funeral ceremonies for Khamenei.

Israel carried out over 11,000 West Bank attacks in 2026

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:20 GMT | by  Web Desk

The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission says Israeli forces and settlers have carried out 11,074 attacks across the occupied West Bank in the first half of 2026, according to Al Jazeera.

The sharp escalation reflects Israel’s campaign to expand settlements and force Palestinians from their communities, Al Jazeera reported citing a report by the Palestinian commission. 

Lebanese Christians reject Israeli ‘disinformation campaign’

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:15 GMT | by  Web Desk

Lebanese Christian figures have denied Israeli assertions that residents of Christian villages along southern Lebanon’s border have sought to join Israel or acquire Israeli citizenship, according to Al Jazeera.

Maroun el-Khouli, head of Lebanon’s General Confederation of Labour Unions, called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks “false,” saying they are intended to inflame tensions between Lebanon’s Christian and Shia communities.

He added that such statements form part of a broader psychological and media effort aimed at Lebanon’s social cohesion, arguing that Israel is attempting to undermine internal unity after failing to achieve its military goals.

Shadi Massaad, former head of Lebanon’s Central Fund for the Displaced, also said that Israeli claims do not reflect the views of residents in Christian border towns such as Rmeish, Ain Ebel, Debel, Alma ash-Shaab, and others.

Israeli defense minister threatens Iranian leaders again 

Published: July 6, 2026 | 08:13 GMT | by  Web Desk

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that his country assassinated Khamenei for allegedly leading a “plan to destroy” Israel and again threatened to “eliminate” any Iranian leader who tries to promote such actions, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Israel’s Channel 13.

Israel Katz made the comments in response to the ongoing funeral procession in Tehran, the Israeli broadcaster reported.

Khamenei funeral procession begins in Tehran as huge crowds expected

Published: July 6, 2026 | 05:50 GMT | by  AFP

The funeral procession for Iran's assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei began in Tehran on Monday, state television reported, as authorities prepared for crowds that could rival those that turned out for his predecessor nearly four decades ago.

After lying in state for two days at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex, the body of Khamenei -- who was assassinated on Feb. 28 in a US-Israeli strike -- began its journey through the capital accompanied by massive crowds of mourners, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

Assassinated Iranian supreme leader's funeral procession to last 10-12 hours

Published: July 6, 2026 | 05:30 GMT | by  Web Desk

The funeral procession of assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will begin from Tehran’s Grand Mosalla mosque, where the supreme leader’s body has been lying in state for two days, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Iran’s Press TV.

“Organizers expect the procession to last 10 to 12 hours, winding along a 10-kilometre [6.2-mile] route through Damavand Street, Imam Hussein Square, Enqelab Street, Enqelab Square, Azadi Street, Azadi Square, and Shahid Lashgari Highway, located near the Mehrabad airport,” it said.

The vehicle carrying the assassinated supreme leader's body was now “ready to enter the funeral procession route”, Al Jazeera reported moments ago, quoting Tasnim News Agency.

From the Iranian capital, Khamenei’s body will be taken to the city of Qom for further rites.

Hundreds of villagers seek refuge in Lebanese school: Report

Published: July 5, 2026 | 22:50 GMT | by  Web Desk

Hundreds of people in Lebanon still cannot return home despite a so-called ceasefire taking effect in mid-June, Al Jazeera reported.

According to it, more than 250 people from Majdal Zoun have sought refuge in an empty school in the city of Tyre because of Israel’s continued occupation of their village.

The mayor, Youssef Shihimi, told Al Jazeera that 74 families, including his own, were living in the school temporarily.

Palestinian ministry says Israeli forces kill teen in West Bank

Published: July 5, 2026 | 20:21 GMT | by  AFP

The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces fatally shot a 16-year-old boy in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the second reported killing of a Palestinian teenager within a week.

Two other boys, both aged 14, were injured in the incident at the Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah, the ministry said.

"Sixteen year old Waleed Nidal Waleed Abu Sneineh was pronounced dead after being shot by Israeli forces," the ministry said.

"Two other children sustained gunshot wounds to... lower limbs in the same incident."

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment

Tehran metro records over 7M trips for Khamenei farewell ceremony

Published: July 5, 2026 | 09:31 GMT | by Web Desk

More than seven million passenger journeys were recorded on Tehran's metro system between 5:30pm (14:00 GMT) on Saturday and 7am (03:30 GMT) on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported, citing data from the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency.

The surge in metro use comes as mourners gather for the funeral of the assassinated supreme leader and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla in Tehran, with the ceremony set to continue until 8pm (16:30 GMT).

Tasnim said event organizers have encouraged those attending the funeral to travel to the venue by metro.

 For earlier developments, read our July 5 live blog here