Today's Essential

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun made a rare visit to southern Lebanon on Saturday, traveling to the city of Nabatieh accompanied by army commander-in-chief Rodolphe Haykal. “We stand with you and are looking at how to provide all the services needed so that you can remain here and to ensure your safety,” Joseph Aoun said. “Israel’s withdrawal, the return of prisoners and displaced people, and reconstruction are national imperatives that the state is committed to carrying out,” he pledged. By way of reminder, last Tuesday, Shiite opponents of Hezbollah, along with local dignitaries and other citizens, launched an “Appeal to Save Nabatieh” and put an end to the destruction caused by the conflict between the pro-Iranian militia and Israel. The appeal’s 400 signatories called on the state to deploy the army in the city and district, stressing its responsibility to do so.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized Yemen's Red Sea coast and the islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Friday, following a lightning offensive that strengthens their grip on this strategic passage linking Europe and Asia. Neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, now finds itself caught in a vise, with the Strait of Hormuz, on the other side of the peninsula, having been sealed off by Tehran since the war in the Middle East began. Saudi authorities also announced the temporary closure of the East-West oil pipeline following the attacks. Since the start of the war in the Middle East, Riyadh had stepped up its use of the pipeline, which connects Abqaiq, near the Gulf, to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, to bypass Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, September 10, it was the Yemeni front that drew the most attention in the Middle East. After days of fierce fighting between pro-Saudi government forces and the pro-Iranian Houthis, the latter seized control of the Red Sea city of Mokha on Thursday, marking a notable advance toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This passage, which links Asia to Europe via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, has become increasingly important since the start of the war in the Middle East, following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the peninsula. The Houthis have also reportedly seized Zuqar Island, located in the middle of the strait.

The Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula experienced another day of military escalation on Wednesday, marked by strikes and reprisals, statements and counterstatements between Iran and its proxies on one side, and the United States and its Gulf allies on the other. Two developments nevertheless dominated the news: surging oil prices and suspicions that Iran may be resuming the development of its nuclear industry. Iran said it attacked more than a dozen vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, sending oil prices soaring, and announced that it would soon extend the area requiring navigation clearance beyond this strategic passage.

Three developments in Lebanon deserve close attention because of their significant sociopolitical implications: the second “Appeal to Save Nabatieh,” published Monday and signed by nearly 400 figures, many of them Shiites, from the region of southern Lebanon; an armed clash – the second in 24 hours – between alleged members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and residents of the village of Nmayreh, backed by supporters of the Amal Movement, an ally of Hezbollah; and, finally, statements issued by two Shiite villages, Arabsalim and Doueir, calling on the army to establish permanent posts at the entrances to their communities.

Lebanon awoke Monday to the aftermath of a deadly night in the south, where at least 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes, including nine members of the same family, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The escalation continued throughout the day, with deadly targeted strikes and near-continuous raids, mainly around the city of Nabatiyeh. It is fueling fears that Israel could expand its military operations now that the strategic Ali el-Taher hill has fallen under the control of the Israeli army. The bloodshed unfolded overnight Sunday into Monday in the village of Kfar Remmane, where an entire building was destroyed. Nine members of the same family, including two newborns, were killed. Two rescuers from the Islamic al-Rissala Scouts, affiliated with the Amal movement, were then killed in a targeted strike. On Monday, a 12th person was also killed in a strike on the al-Rihane road in Jezzine.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on Friday that it had transferred four more people released by Israel to Lebanon, a day after the release of a first civilian. They are three Lebanese nationals and two Syrians, according to the ICRC. This is the first time such an operation has taken place since negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began in April under US auspices. During the last round of talks in August, Beirut had requested the release of a first group of its nationals captured by Israel in southern Lebanon, where Israel is at war with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah.

The Israeli military announced Thursday that it had "completed the clearing of two Hezbollah underground infrastructures on the Ali al-Taher ridge" in southern Lebanon, stating that "its forces are now working to neutralize them." Quoted by the Jerusalem Post and on its X account, the Israeli military specified that "the forces of the 36th Division have operated in the area over recent weeks and have taken operational control of the ridge, both above and below ground. During the operation, the area was cleared of Hezbollah fighters who had been deployed there — some were killed while others fled."

Since the American strikes against Iran on Tuesday night—the first in roughly a month—tensions between the warring parties have reached a breaking point. Iran has continued its strikes throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday, targeting neighboring countries, as it typically does whenever it comes under attack. Jordan said it had shot down several drones. In Kuwait, a fire broke out following a drone attack, and the Iranians themselves claimed to have targeted the Al Dhafra and Al Minhad bases in the United Arab Emirates. Later in the day, the Revolutionary Guards announced they had struck American targets in Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The United States launched major strikes against Iran on Tuesday night for the second time in a matter of days, with CENTCOM announcing that it had "begun operations against targets belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." U.S. President Donald Trump went so far as to threaten an even more devastating future attack: "If the failing nation of Iran retaliates against this perfectly justified attack, it will be struck again, far harder," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Despite the American warning, Tehran in turn announced a "decisive" response, directly threatening U.S. interests: "American bases and interests in the region are being targeted by Iranian missiles and drones."