Here are the latest developments related to the war in the Middle East on Saturday.
. An Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon
An Israeli soldier was killed in southern Lebanon, the army announced on Saturday, bringing the total number of deaths in its ranks to 21 since the beginning of the war with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in early March.
Captain Maoz Israel Recanati, 24, “fell in combat in southern Lebanon,” the army said, without providing further details.
On the Israeli side, 20 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed in the neighboring country since the conflict began.
. Pakistani Minister in Tehran “to facilitate” Iran-USA talks
Pakistani Interior Minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday “to facilitate” peace talks, currently at a standstill, between Iran and the United States, Iranian media reported.
“Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in the Islamic Republic of Iran for a two-day official visit as part of Pakistan’s continued efforts to facilitate discussions and promote regional peace,” reported the Tasnim news agency. The minister was received by his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni.
. Palestinian flag displayed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Six people were arrested and placed in custody on Friday in Paris after unfurling a Palestinian flag at the first level of the Eiffel Tower, police sources told AFP on Saturday.
This action, claimed by the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion, aimed to commemorate the Nakba, “catastrophe” in Arabic, a period during which about 760,000 Arabs from Palestine fled or were driven from their homes during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.
. Iran claims discussions with European countries on Hormuz
Iran claimed on Saturday that European countries were in discussions with Tehran to obtain permits to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
“After the passage of ships from East Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Pakistan, we have received information today that Europeans have initiated negotiations with the Revolutionary Guards’ navy to cross the strait,” announced the Iranian state television without specifying the names of these countries.
. Iraqi oil exports via Hormuz decrease tenfold in April
Iraq’s oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, a major hotspot in the Middle East conflict, were nearly tenfold lower in April compared to pre-war months, the country’s new Oil Minister announced on Saturday.
“Iraq used to export 93 million barrels per month through the Strait of Hormuz, but in April, we only exported 10 million, due to the war,” Bassem Mohammed Khudair stated after assuming office, following the formation of a new government on Thursday.
. Lebanon: new Israeli strikes despite truce extension
Israel conducted new strikes in southern Lebanon after ordering residents of nine villages to evacuate, despite a month and a half extension of the truce following negotiations between the two countries in Washington the day before.
“Israeli defense forces began striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon,” said the Israeli army in a statement. The Lebanese National News Agency reported strikes on at least five villages in the South, leading to a movement of residents towards the city of Tyre and Beirut.
. Modi advocates for an “open and safe” Hormuz Strait
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a six-day tour that will take him to Sweden, Norway, and Italy. This tour highlights India’s desire to diversify its economic and strategic partnerships while asserting itself as a major industrial and technological hub.
On Friday, during a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates, Narendra Modi called for maintaining an “open and safe” Hormuz Strait as his country faces the economic consequences of the Middle East conflict.
. Debt costs soar with inflation fears, oil prices continue to rise
Inflationary pressures became a central concern for global markets on Friday, leading to a surge in interest rates and a decline in stock markets after a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping that failed to reassure.
Oil prices also continued to rise, with the Brent crude barrel gaining 3.35% to $109.26, and the American WTI equivalent advancing by 4.20% to $105.42.
. Dubai opens its contemporary art fair despite the war
The leading contemporary art fair in the Middle East opened in Dubai on Friday despite the ongoing war.
As an annual meeting point for art dealers and collectors in the region, the twentieth edition of Art Dubai welcomed the public with a one-month delay, as the conflict forced organizers to rethink their plans.
. Israeli army says it struck Gaza targeting Hamas military branch chief
The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Friday that it carried out a strike in Gaza targeting the chief of the military branch of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister, Israel Katz, the armed forces carried out a strike in Gaza targeting top terrorist Ezzedine al-Haddad, commander of the Hamas military branch and one of the main architects of the October 7 massacre,” according to a statement from the ministry.
