Israel ramps up Iran war preparations as Lebanon clashes fuel regional tensions

Israel intensified military preparations against Iran while continuing strikes in Lebanon despite an extended ceasefire with Hezbollah on May 17, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

Israeli Minister Ze’ev Elkin said the country’s military was prepared to target Iran and its strategic infrastructure if authorised, though he noted that the final decision rested with US President Donald Trump.

According to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, security officials are preparing for a prolonged confrontation that could last several days or weeks. The report said Israel’s aim would be to inflict significant damage on Iran in an effort to push Tehran back to negotiations.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has been tasked with supervising Tehran’s relations with China amid ongoing regional tensions and diplomatic efforts.

CNN reported that divisions were emerging within the Trump administration over how to deal with Iran, with some officials supporting tougher military measures while others continued to push for diplomacy after recent talks failed to produce a breakthrough.

US Senator Rick Scott accused Iran of continuing to threaten both the United States and Israel, saying Tehran was attempting to rebuild its weapons capabilities.

In the Gulf, Qatar said Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on regional developments and mediation efforts aimed at preventing further escalation and achieving a long-term settlement through dialogue.

Iran’s Interior Minister also met his Pakistani counterpart to discuss bilateral relations and possibilities for reviving peace negotiations, according to Iran’s Nournews agency.

Despite the ceasefire extension in Lebanon, clashes continued along the border. The Israeli military claimed Hezbollah launched rockets and explosive drones at Israeli troops operating near the frontier overnight. It also said an aerial object crossing from Lebanon towards Misgav Am landed near Israeli forces without causing casualties.

Al Jazeera reported Israeli airstrikes targeting Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Yahmar and Sahmar in southern and eastern Lebanon.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it detonated explosives targeting Israeli military bulldozers near Rashaf and Hadatha before firing rockets at Israeli troop concentrations.

Israel’s military confirmed the death of one soldier in southern Lebanon, taking the number of Israeli military fatalities since fighting resumed in March to 21, AFP reported.

Lebanese Economy Minister Amer Bisat said the conflict had caused losses of nearly USD 2 billion since early March, equivalent to around seven per cent of the country’s GDP. He said sectors such as tourism, agriculture and manufacturing had suffered major disruption as businesses shut and visitor numbers declined.

Regional instability also continued to affect maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times reported a sharp decline in ship movements compared with pre-conflict levels, while Bloomberg said a tanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi crude resumed its journey to Vietnam after being delayed in the Gulf of Oman following detention by US forces.

Iranian state television reported that several European countries had opened discussions with Tehran over ensuring safe passage for ships through the strait after crossings resumed for vessels linked to China, Japan and Pakistan.

Separately, ANI reported that a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker carrying around 20,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas arrived at Gujarat’s Kandla Port after crossing the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.

In India, compressed natural gas prices across Delhi-NCR rose by Rs 1 per kg from Sunday amid concerns over possible supply disruptions linked to Gulf tensions. The revised rates increased prices to Rs 80.09 per kg in Delhi and Rs 88.70 per kg in Noida and Ghaziabad.

Britain also announced the deployment of a low-cost anti-drone defence system in the Middle East. The UK Ministry of Defence said the technology had been moved rapidly from testing to operational use through coordination with defence companies.

Political tensions also deepened in Israel. Defence Minister Israel Katz urged the Israeli Air Force Veterans Association to withdraw plans to appoint former military chief Dan Halutz as its president, accusing him of encouraging refusal to serve in the military and making inflammatory remarks against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich separately said national development and settlement expansion should take precedence over concerns related to inflation, investment and financial markets.

Meanwhile, videos circulating online showed members of the Iranian diaspora gathering in Manhattan in support of the Iranian public and exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi. Protesters called for unrestricted internet access in Iran and demonstrated against executions carried out by Iranian authorities.