Pete Hegseth claims ‘Iran begged for this ceasefire’: Live

US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth claimed today that Iran begged for a ceasefire

At a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth added that Trump achieved ‘victory with a capital V.’

Italy has summoned the Israeli ambassador to demand an explanation over shots fired at an Italian convoy in a UN mission in Lebanon, the foreign minister said, warning Israeli forces had ‘no authority to touch’ Rome’s troops.

The UN peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along a demarcation line with Israel – an area that has seen major clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

‘Israeli warning shots have damaged one of our vehicles; fortunately, no one was injured,’ Antonio Tajani told a question session in the lower house of parliament.

A defense ministry statement said the Italian logistics convoy was travelling from Shama to Beirut on Wednesday when, about 2 km after departure, the Israeli military fired warning shots. The convoy immediately stopped and returned to base, it said.

The incident came as Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with militant group Hezbollah broke out last month, saying a ceasefire suspending the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran did not apply to Lebanon.

‘Endangering convoys clearly identified with the UN flag cannot be tolerated. This is serious behaviour that risks compromising the safety of peacekeepers and the credibility of the mission itself,’ Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said.

Hezbollah, in a statement, condemned Israel’s widespread attacks across the country, including neighbourhoods in central Beirut without warning, and said it reserved its ‘natural and legal right to resist occupation and respond to its attacks.’

The militant group did not claim any attacks on Israel on Wednesday after the US-Iran ceasefire went into effect.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said on X that Lebanon’s leadership had failed to disarm Hezbollah or prevent attacks on Israel, accusing them of criticising Israeli strikes instead of taking action.

The ministry said Lebanese authorities had not enforced commitments to demilitarise southern Lebanon and warned Israel would act to remove the threat if they do not.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun earlier called Israel’s attacks in central Beirut that killed dozens ‘barbaric.’

Lebanon’s health minister Rakan Nassereddine warned the current death toll of 89 is expected to rise as more and more people are rushed to hospital.

Nassereddine said: ‘The needs are increasing, but the scale of the assault is also huge.

‘We are facing a dangerous escalation that happened in Lebanon, an Israeli aggression with more than 100 air strikes that targeted innocent civilians in Beirut, Dahiyeh, Bekaa, Mount Lebanon and the south.’

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid today of deceiving Israel and its partners with its war with Iran.

He said: ‘The prime minister deceived the citizens of Israel, deceived his partners, and, through a series of theatrical press conferences, sold the public a strategic plan that did not exist.

‘This war was managed as if the citizens of the State of Israel were the government’s cannon fodder. No sheltering solutions, no educational plans, no compensation plans, no plan for Ben Gurion Airport – nothing! Zero concern for the citizens.

‘What happened is that Netanyahu went to war under ideal conditions, but with absolutely no idea how to end it. On the battlefield, we won; on the diplomatic front, it is a total defeat.’

The speaker of Lebanon’s parliament condemned Israel’s blitz on his nation as a ‘full-fledged war crime.’

Nabih Berri said: ‘Today’s crime is a serious test for the international community and a blatant challenge to all international laws, norms, and conventions, which Israel violates through its continued targeting of civilians.’

He called on Lebanon’s political, religious and civil leaders to ‘unite in solidarity’ with the victims of the ‘Israeli killing machine in its war of extermination against Lebanon.’

Lebanon’s health ministry has updated the death and injury toll of Israel’s strikes, putting the number of dead at 89 and the number of wounded at 700.

It added that 12 medics were among those killed by Israeli strikes.