Beirut – Tehran: Europe and the Arabs

European media outlets focused on developments in the Middle East amid the fragile truce in the region. Under the headline "Lebanon Announces 31 Killed in Israeli Attacks," the Belgian daily newspaper Nieuwsblad reported: "The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that 31 people were killed on Tuesday in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon. The Israeli army also crossed the Green Line into southern Lebanon, violating the ceasefire agreement signed on April 17.

Among the dead were at least four children and three women, in addition to 40 wounded. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 14 people were killed in an attack on Burj al-Shamali, near the southern city of Tyre.

Israel justified expanding its ground operation in Lebanon as a response to drone attacks launched by Hezbollah, which have resulted in an increasing number of Israeli soldiers being wounded, according to The Jerusalem Post. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday evening an escalation of attacks against the Iranian-backed militia." Iran: 25 Ships Transit the Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced on Tuesday that 25 ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours. The vessels, including oil tankers and container ships, reportedly received permission from the Iranian Navy, which allegedly coordinated the transit and ensured their safety.

The Revolutionary Guard's statement was carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency, according to CNN. The statement added that the Iranian Navy maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz and that any act of aggression would be met with a crushing response. Trump: "If Iran surrenders, the media will write that it was a great victory."

On Tuesday evening, US President Donald Trump posted a scathing message on Truth Social criticizing mainstream media coverage of his military operation against Iran:

"If Iran surrenders, admits that its navy has disappeared and sunk to the bottom of the sea, that its air force no longer exists, if its entire military leaves Tehran, lays down its weapons, raises its hands, shouts 'I surrender, I surrender,' and waves the white flag, and if its remaining leadership signs all the necessary 'documents of surrender,' admits defeat to the great power of the United States, then the failing New York Times, the China Street Journal (Wall Street Journal!), the corrupt and discredited CNN, and all other fake news media outlets will write headlines that Iran achieved a great victory over the United States of America, and that it wasn't even exciting." "The Democrats (the 'stupid Democrats,' as they're called) and the media have completely lost their way. They've gone completely mad!" Trump concluded.

"Iran Demands Release of $24 Billion in Frozen Assets"
Iran is reportedly demanding the release of $24 billion in frozen assets as part of a deal with the United States. This was reported by Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, according to Fox News.

Tasnim, citing Fox News, says Iran wants the immediate release of $12 billion once a memorandum of understanding is announced, with the remaining funds to be transferred within a 60-day negotiation period.

It is reported that Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf traveled to Qatar to discuss the possibility of receiving the first $12 billion.

Iran and Qatar

The leaders of Iran and Qatar discussed ways to de-escalate tensions. The official Qatar News Agency reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed de-escalation efforts during a phone call on Tuesday.

According to the agency, the Qatari president affirmed his preference for "political and diplomatic solutions" and "peaceful solutions" for the region's security. He thanked the Iranian president for his "efforts" in this regard and called for further dialogue, including with other countries in the region. The Qatari president stressed the need for all parties to act responsibly and with restraint "to spare the region the consequences of further escalation."