Rome: Israel announced during talks in Rome on Thursday that it would not proceed with further withdrawal from additional areas in southern Lebanon until the Lebanese army establishes full control over two initial "pilot zones," as revealed by a Lebanese presidential source.

According to France24.com, the decision comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with the shaky ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah showing signs of volatility. The Israeli military had earlier issued an evacuation warning to residents of the southern Lebanese village of Mansouri, marking the first such warning in weeks. Following this, Israel reported conducting "precise strikes" in southern Lebanon, citing a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" that had been largely respected since June 20.

In a related development, Iran announced it is in the "final stage" of drafting an agreement with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Concurrently, US President Donald Trump suggested that a deal might be announced within the week. Despite these advancements, US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that the US's efforts in Iran could appear stagnant, describing the peace process as "messy" and stating that "it's going to take some time."

In Yemen, the situation remains tense as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker on the Red Sea near the Saudi port of Yanbu. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate their claim, and there has been no immediate response from Saudi Arabia.