Israel Kills Three Paramedics Amid Lebanon Ceasefire Talks

Israeli forces struck paramedic teams in Mayfadoun, Nabatiyeh district three consecutive times on Wednesday, killing three paramedics, wounding six, and leaving one missing, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The attacks came as Washington hosted Israeli and Lebanese government envoys for talks mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which both sides described as positive but which Hezbollah condemned as a national sin that would deepen divisions in an already polarised country. Israel said the talks aim to disarm Hezbollah and reported striking over 200 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon in a single 24-hour period, while also renewing evacuation orders for a wide swath of the south. The broader conflict has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced 1.2 million since March 2, per Lebanese authorities. Senior Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi said Iranian pressure, including Tehran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, is being used as leverage to compel Washington to include Lebanon in any ceasefire agreement. Trump has separately urged Israel to scale back attacks, reportedly to avoid destabilising the Iran ceasefire track. UN human rights experts have condemned Israel's bombing campaign as illegal aggression.