A statement from the Lebanese Ministry of Health raises the number of victims from the latest Israeli attacks to "dozens dead and hundreds injured," which have especially hit the capital, Beirut, after the ceasefire declaration. This is a preliminary toll, the ministry stated, denouncing "a dangerous escalation."
The Israeli military claims to have carried out its "largest coordinated attack" against Hezbollah since the beginning of the armed conflict, which, according to the Defense Minister, targeted "hundreds" of members of the pro-Iranian militia. Israel Katz believes that the war with Iran must be distinguished from the clashes with Lebanon to provide security, he says, to the northern Israeli territory.
Israel bombed several densely populated areas in central Beirut without prior notice, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the war between the United States and Israel with Iran. Black smoke rose from various parts of the coastal capital. The explosions interrupted the honking of traffic in what had been an afternoon of blue skies, while ambulances rushed towards the flames. At least one apartment building was hit. Emergency teams were inspecting charred vehicles.
Israel does not change its security guidelines for now, despite the ceasefire
The Israeli military has not changed its security guidelines related to the war with Iran for the time being, which keeps the country on "limited" operation, despite the announced two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
"For now, the defense guidelines of the Home Front Command (the Army unit responsible for civilian protection) remain unchanged," the army told EFE, adding that "continuous assessments of the situation" are being made to update these guidelines. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that the army is analyzing "possible changes" and formulating recommendations that will be presented first to the political leadership, considering that the war in Lebanon continues despite the ceasefire.
Hegseth on Iranian uranium: "We will take it by force if necessary"
The head of the Pentagon also referred to Iranian uranium in his media appearance: "We are watching it. We know what they have, and they will deliver it, and we will get it. We will take it by force if necessary," were his words.
Israeli bombing on Beirut: Lebanese government calls on citizens to give ambulances free passage
The Lebanese Ministry of Health urged residents of Beirut on Wednesday to urgently clear the roads to allow ambulances to pass, after simultaneous and unannounced Israeli attacks, the most violent since the start of the war, targeted the heart of the capital.
"The traffic jams caused by the unprecedented wave of attacks in number and intensity" carried out by Israel "are hindering rescue operations," the ministry said in a statement, indicating that "it is necessary and very urgent to clear the traffic for the ambulances" heading to the affected areas.
Iran's Armed Forces claim to control the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian Armed Forces claim to manage the Strait of Hormuz and control it intelligently, according to a statement they have released and Reuters has reported. They also warn of a stronger response to any new attack by the US or Israel.
They also indicate that they will support the resistance fronts in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq and point out that the US will be considered part of any Israeli attack.
Iran approaches the upcoming negotiations with the US cautiously, according to its ambassador to the UN
Iran will approach peace talks with the US much more cautiously than in previous negotiations due to a significant lack of trust, and the war will affect the future legal regime of the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian ambassador to the UN in Geneva said on Wednesday.
"We do not trust the other party. Our military forces remain on alert... but, in the meantime, we will go to negotiations to see to what extent the other party is serious," Iranian ambassador Ali Bahreini told Reuters.
The first ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz with Iran's permission, according to state television
A first ship crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday with Iran's permission after the ceasefire, according to Iranian state television and Reuters.
The EU, Spain, and seven other countries welcome the ceasefire in Iran and urge negotiations to end the war
The European Union and eight allied countries, including Spain, welcomed on Wednesday the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran and strongly urged diplomatic negotiations to quickly resolve the war.
"We welcome the two-week ceasefire agreed today between the United States and Iran. We thank Pakistan and all the partners involved for facilitating this important agreement," the joint statement said. The document is endorsed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa; the President of France, Emmanuel Macron; the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez; the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the Prime Ministers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni; the UK, Keir Starmer; Canada, Marc Carney; Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and the Netherlands, Rob Jetten.
They state that "the goal now must be to negotiate a quick and lasting end to the war in the coming days," something that, they point out, "can only be achieved through diplomatic means."
Maersk will not resume its routes through Hormuz because the ceasefire "does not yet provide complete security"
The Danish shipping company Maersk announced on Wednesday that it will not resume maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz despite the temporary ceasefire in Iran, due to the fact that there is no complete security for navigation in the area.
"We are taking a cautious approach for the time being, we will not make any changes to specific services," Maersk said in a statement, one of the largest container shipping companies in the world. The Nordic firm emphasized that the ceasefire "creates possibilities for transit, but does not yet provide complete security at sea, and we must understand all potential conditions associated with it."
"The safety of our workers, ships, and goods is Maersk's top priority. Any decision to cross the Strait of Hormuz will be based on continuous risk assessments, detailed monitoring of the security situation, and guidance from relevant authorities and partners," according to the statement.