Israel-Hezbollah conflict: Fresh strikes as Hezbollah rejects US ceasefire, Washington warns Americans in Middle East

A dual US-Iranian national and CEO of a Tehran-based technology company was arrested on federal charges accusing him of conspiring to violate US sanctions by supplying sophisticated American networking, security and encryption equipment to Iran’s military and nuclear programs, according to the US Justice Department.

Jamshid Ghomi, 63, of Newport Coast, was taken into custody at his $35-million-dollar waterfront home in Orange County following a federal investigation, authorities said. He faces a charge of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and could receive up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The US State Department sent a security alert overnight on Friday to Americans across the Middle East, highlighting a complex environment with potential for hostilities due to ongoing strains like Israel's operations in Gaza and Lebanon, Iranian proxy activities, and Houthi shipping attacks.

Embassies from Jerusalem to Riyadh urged enrolling in the Smart Traveler program, avoiding crowds, monitoring news, and keeping a low profile near US sites — echoing shelter precautions common in rocket-prone areas like Israel. Travel advisories remain unchanged, with many countries at Level 3 'Reconsider Travel' and others at Level 4 'Do Not Travel,' signaling caution without calling for evacuations. While social media buzzed with speculation about US planes and unverified ultimatums, officials emphasized vigilance over alarm.

Hezbollah and Israel exchanged fresh attacks despite renewed diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions across the Middle East, underscoring the fragile state of a proposed ceasefire and the uncertainty surrounding negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Israeli forces carried out new strikes in southern Lebanon while Hezbollah launched rockets and drones toward northern Israel, raising fears that the Lebanon front could derail broader efforts to end months of conflict linked to the wider Iran war.

The renewed fighting is unfolding against the backdrop of delicate US-Iran diplomacy. 

Iran-backed Hezbollah has rejected a renewed ceasefire arrangement negotiated by Lebanon and Israel with US mediation, casting doubt on efforts to stabilise the volatile border and prevent a broader Middle East conflict.

The heavily-armed group operating in Lebanon and classified as a terrorist group by the UAE, the GCC, the US, the UK, and several other countries, said it was "not bound" by the agreement and vowed to continue what it described as "resistance operations" against Israel, underscoring the challenge facing Lebanese authorities as they seek to enforce a truce after months of cross-border fighting.

The ceasefire was intended to halt hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, facilitate the return of displaced civilians and create conditions for broader diplomatic talks. Lebanese officials backed the arrangement in hopes of avoiding another devastating war, while Israel presented the deal as a step toward restoring security in its northern communities.

Hezbollah's rejection highlights a longstanding complication in Lebanon's political and security landscape: while the Lebanese government can negotiate on behalf of the state, Hezbollah maintains an independent military structure and significant influence.

The renewed fighting has stalled Lebanon's rare push to disarm the militia, reshaping power, security and US-backed diplomacy.

An Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon killed five people on Thursday, while another attack near the southern city of Tyre killed three more, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The strikes also left eight wounded, including three children and two women. They came a day after the Lebanese and Israeli governments agreed a ceasefire plan for Israel's war with Hezbollah, which the group has rejected.

The United States has switched its attention away from trying to end the Ukraine conflict since it launched its war against Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

"Naturally, we can all see and understand that the US administration is being forced to shift its attention and deal with this issue above all others," Putin told foreign journalists, including AFP, in Saint Petersburg.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday condemned Iran's "outrageous" attack this week on a Kuwait airport that killed one person and wounded dozens.

Meeting Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in Washington, Rubio "condemned Iran's outrageous and unacceptable attacks targeting Kuwait International Airport and other parts of the country and expressed condolences for those killed and injured in that attack," according to a State Department readout.

Day 97: UN peacekeeper killed in south Lebanon shelling

Day 96: US: Iran's Kuwait attack was 'deliberate & calculated'

Day 95: Rubio says Iran's Khamenei alive and 'increasingly engaging'

Day 94: Kuwait intercepts missiles, drones; Iran halts US talks

Day 93: Trump asked for tougher terms in proposed Iran war deal

Day 92: Hormuz disruption raises summer fuel shortage fears

Day 91: Trump wraps Iran talks without announcement

Day 90: US, Iran reach deal pending Trump's final approval

Day 89: Trump says 'not satisfied' yet on Iran deal

Day 88: Iran condemns US attacks as violation of ceasefire

Day 87: 'Proceeding nicely': US-Iran talks intensify, oil drops

Day 86: US-Iran talks: Trump says 'I don’t make bad deals'

Day 85: Trump: Iran deal ‘largely negotiated’, Hormuz to open