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Lebanon's health system near collapse: Hospitals struggle to treat wounded & displaced

Lebanon's health system near collapse: Hospitals struggle to treat wounded & displaced
By Nils Adler, Tamila Varshalomidze, Edna Mohamed, Zaid Sabah, Heba Habib and Danai Nesta Kupemba
Published On 3 May 2026

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4 May 2026 - 16:30
 (16:30 GMT)

Latest updates on UAE and Iranian attack allegations

  • The UAE defence ministry says air defences are “currently engaging with missile attacks and incoming drones from Iran”.
  • Three missiles fired from Iran were intercepted earlier, with a fourth falling into the sea, the ministry said.
  • The media office in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates said a large fire broke out at a petroleum site after an Iranian drone attack.
  • A fire was reported in the engine room of a South Korean bulk carrier in the Strait of Hormuz. The South Korean shipping firm HMM told Reuters that the cause of the blaze was being investigated.
  • The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations organisation said it had received reports of a fire on a cargo vessel off the coast of Dubai.
  • Iran has yet to issue a statement claiming responsibility for any of the emergencies.
3 May 2026 - 23:59
 (23:59 GMT)

Our coverage continues

This live page is closing, but our 24-hour coverage of the conflict continues.

Join us for all the latest developments, analyses and reactions here.

3 May 2026 - 23:50
 (23:50 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

  • Trump has announced a plan, dubbed “Project Freedom”, to escort ships from neutral countries that are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz and said it will begin on Monday.
  • The head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, Ebrahim Azizi, warns that US intervention in the waterway “will be considered a violation of the ceasefire”.
  • Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, says Tehran has received the US’s response to its 14-point plan and is reviewing it. He adds that Tehran’s plan was tied to ending the war and having no nuclear negotiations “at this stage”.
  • Trump has told Israel’s Kan broadcaster that he has reviewed Iran’s plan and deemed it “unacceptable”.
  • Israeli forces and Hezbollah continue to trade fire, with the armed group claiming attacks on Israeli vehicles and soldiers in the town of Biyad in southern Lebanon.
  • The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency says a bulk carrier was attacked by multiple small craft off the Iranian coast, but all crew are safe.
3 May 2026 - 23:30
 (23:30 GMT)

Israel ‘exploiting’ Greece to advance regional hegemony, UN expert warns

Israel has chosen Greece to advance its regional ambitions and will exploit Greek fears and insecurity to do so, the UN special rapporteur on Palestine has said.

Speaking at a presentation of her new book, When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words and Wounds of Palestine, at the Trianon cinema in Athens, Francesca Albanese cautioned that some circles in Greece hold the “wrong perception” of their alliance with Israel.

“You think that you have chosen Israel in order to secure peace from your eternal enemy. I don’t think so,” Albanese said. “Israel has picked you. Israel has chosen you, and it’s going to exploit your fears and your insecurity, because this is what Israel does to advance its regional hegemony” .

The event also featured a conversation with former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who remarked that Greece “manifests the greatest example of Israelisation… more than any other country in Europe”.

Albanese specifically criticised Greek authorities for their cooperation with Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla Sumud off Crete on Friday.

“The fact that the Greek authorities go hand-in-hand with the Israelis in stopping a humanitarian mission is wrong,” she said.

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, is interviewed by the Associated Press in Rome, on July 29, 2025 [Gregorio Borgia/AP]
3 May 2026 - 23:15
 (23:15 GMT)

Photos: Pakistani Muslims march to mark 40 days of mourning for Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei

Shia Muslims hold a portrait of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and slain former leader Ali Khamenei to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period, in Karachi, Pakistan, May 3, 2026 [Shahzaib Akber/EPA]
A woman holds a rifle next to cardboard cutouts depicting US President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [Shahzaib Akber/EPA]
A man looks at a display of pictures of children killed in US-Israeli air strikes [Shahzaib Akber/EPA]
Muslims hold placards depicting Iran’s supreme leaders, the late Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei, and incumbent Mojtaba Khamenei [Shahzaib Akber/EPA]

3 May 2026 - 23:00
 (23:00 GMT)

Germany says US remains ‘most important’ NATO partner, despite troop withdrawal

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reaffirmed the United States as Germany’s “most important partner in the North Atlantic Alliance,” in an X post, striking a conciliatory tone even as Washington moves ahead with plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from the country.

The statement comes days after the Pentagon announced that Defense Secretary Hegseth had ordered the troop drawdown, a move widely seen as a rebuke to Berlin amid transatlantic tensions over the handling of the war on Iran.

Merz had earlier sparred with US President Donald Trump after accusing Iran of “humiliating” the United States in stalled peace talks. Trump threatened the troop reduction shortly after that exchange.

3 May 2026 - 22:52
 (22:52 GMT)
Houthi

Iran parliament official Azizi warns US any Hormuz intervention violates ceasefire

The head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, Ebrahim Azizi, has warned that any US interference in the maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz “will be considered a violation of the ceasefire”.

In a post on X, Azizi also dismissed what he called US “blame game scenarios,” insisting that the strait and the Gulf will “not be managed by Trump’s delusional posts”, and that they are “not a place for rhetoric.”

As we’ve been reporting, Trump announced a naval mission a short while ago to escort stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

3 May 2026 - 22:45
 (22:45 GMT)
ANALYSIS

Trump’s Hormuz move attempts to break impasse, but risk of war’s return is ‘real’

Trump’s plan to help ships exit the Strait of Hormuz is an “attempt to break the current standoff” with Iran, which has gone on for a few weeks, geopolitical risk specialist Marco Vicenzino has told Al Jazeera.

“Both sides are probing each other without wanting to return to war. We see this as a way to try to break that impasse, to try to create momentum, but, at the same time, there’s always the risk of miscalculation – and that risk is high”, he said.

Vicenzino said the possibility of a return to war is “real”.

He explained that there has been a new “status quo” that has been evolving over the last few weeks, which takes the form of each side “probing” the other and described it as a “dance in the Gulf”.

The risk specialist emphasised, however, that this is not just an Iran-US situation, but that the consequences for global trade and stability are “enormous”.

Vicenzino said, even if the ships are freed up on Monday, it will take weeks or even months for the energy sector to be relieved.

“This is not going to be an overnight change,” he said. “This won’t be a return to the previous normal.”

3 May 2026 - 22:30
 (22:30 GMT)
Analysis

‘Trump’s ego may be the biggest obstacle’ to deal

There are signs of movement towards a deal, but President Trump’s ego may be the biggest obstacle, according to Negar Mortazavi, the host of the Iran Podcast and a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy.

“The Iranians are showing flexibility by amending and resubmitting their proposal,” she told Al Jazeera. “And I think Trump also wants to exit the war. The problem is, it has turned into an ego situation. He wants to be the absolute winner; he wants surrender and capitulation. But the sooner the White House understands that the Iranians are not going to fully surrender, the sooner they can try to bridge the gap on multiple issues.”

3 May 2026 - 22:15
 (22:15 GMT)

Israeli military intercepts aerial targets as sirens sound in northern Israel

The Israeli military says the air force successfully intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” before it crossed into Israeli territory following alerts in the Yiron area.

Rocket and missile alerts were activated due to concerns over falling interception fragments, the military said in a post on X.

In a separate incident, the military said interceptors were launched towards two additional suspicious aerial targets identified in an area where its forces are deployed.

The incidents come amid ongoing cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with the Lebanese armed group and Israeli forces regularly exchanging fire along the southern Lebanese border, despite a ceasefire that has been in place since April 17.

The Yiron area is located in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon.

3 May 2026 - 22:00
 (22:00 GMT)
Analysis

‘This is a war zone’: Escort mission could be seen as a provocation, not aid

President Trump’s announcement of a US Navy escort mission in the Strait of Hormuz is likely to be viewed as a provocation rather than a humanitarian gesture by Tehran, according to Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and the host of the Iran Podcast.

“It’s a war zone, and I think it is going to be seen that way from the Iranian side”, Mortazavi told Al Jazeera. “This is also going to bring US forces and assets closer to the shooting range of Iran. I don’t know if this is a threat, a negotiating tactic, or leverage on the proposal submitted by Iran, but it certainly won’t be seen as a humanitarian mission from the Iranian side.”

She said that if Iran is genuinely involved in the plan, there would be no need for an escort in the first place. “If Iran is involved, meaning they fully open the Strait of Hormuz and the US removes the blockade, then there does not really need to be an escort.”

The strait, she stressed, is Iran’s primary card. “It is leverage they are playing to end the war. And ending the war for them is not just a temporary ceasefire; they want a permanent end.”

3 May 2026 - 21:45
 (21:45 GMT)
ANALYSIS

Trump’s Hormuz plan could ease fertiliser crisis

Former US Assistant Secretary of State Mark Kimmitt has told Al Jazeera that Trump’s announcement to help ships exit the Strait of Hormuz could be “positive news.”

“The world needs this type of humanitarian assistance, primarily to get the fertiliser out of the Gulf,” he said, noting that the slowed shipments due to the blockades in the strait have put harvests at risk. “It has been sitting there for quite some time, and it is planting season.”

He believes the US Navy has already identified and prioritised which vessels are most urgently needed, but cautioned that the waters remain “dangerous” due to mines placed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and expressed hope that Washington had a clear plan for navigating the threats.

“This is good news. Let’s hope, in fact, [that it has been coordinated] with the Iranians. That the Iranians can pilot these ships through minefields to get them out,” he said.

He also warned that many ships remain “shackled” by their insurance companies, which may block transits given the risk involved.

3 May 2026 - 21:30
 (21:30 GMT)

Trump floats ‘Project Freedom’ to escort stranded ships out of Strait of Hormuz

By Mike Hanna

Reporting from Washington, DC

Trump is proposing that the US Navy escort ships that have been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, both because of the ongoing US blockade and because of actions by the Iranians. He describes this as a humanitarian position, noting that many of these ships have no connection whatsoever with any of the parties to this conflict. He has labelled it ‘Project Freedom’.

How it would work in practice is another matter entirely, as is the question of how many ships need to be escorted out. But of most interest in that Truth Social post is his phrase about “very positive discussions” his representatives are having with Iran.

It is unclear whether the discussions his representatives are having with Iran are about this plan to allow ships to be escorted out of the strait, or whether they are about wider issues. This is a key point.

Perhaps his representatives are talking to Iran about freeing these ships for humanitarian reasons, but it may also be a way of offering President Trump an off-ramp from his insistence that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz must continue, which has been one of the biggest stumbling blocks in any attempt to resuscitate dialogue with Iran.

3 May 2026 - 21:15
 (21:15 GMT)

WATCH: Is Israel’s strategy of ‘permanent war’ a race against time?

Israel is in a race against time to “lock in its domination” across the Middle East, argues former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy.

Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project, tells host Steve Clemons that Israel’s strategy of “permanent war” allows for only two types of countries in the region: either dependent, or “too collapsed, failed and fragile to pose any challenge”.

Al Jazeera’s The Bottom Line speaks to Levy on Israel’s possible plan for “permanent wars”.

Watch the discussion below:

3 May 2026 - 21:00
 (21:00 GMT)

If you’re just joining us

Let’s get you up to speed on the latest developments:

  • Iran says the United States has responded to a peace plan it submitted, and that it is studying that proposal. The plan has three main stages and aims to transform the ceasefire into an end to the war within 30 days.
  • US President Donald Trump reportedly told Israeli media that he has studied the new proposal from Iran and found it “unacceptable.” Trump also said Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu should be pardoned by President Isaac Herzog.
  • Strikes have continued between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in south Lebanon. Hezbollah reports hitting Israeli forces with “kamikaze” drone and rocket strikes in south Lebanon, while Israeli forces have targeted the towns of Haris and al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon.
  • The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli attacks has reached 2,679, with 8,229 wounded, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
  • A bulk carrier has been attacked off the Iranian coast, about 11 nautical miles (20km) west of Sirik, according to the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
  • Seven OPEC+ ‌countries will raise oil output targets in June by 188,000 barrels per day – the third consecutive ⁠monthly increase, the group said ⁠after an online meeting on Sunday.
3 May 2026 - 20:57
 (20:57 GMT)
Houthi

Trump says US to help ships stuck in Strait of Hormuz to exit safely

Trump says the US will employ its “best efforts” to ensure safe passage out of the Strait of Hormuz for ships blocked in the waterway from countries not involved in the conflict.

Making the announcement on Truth Social, the US president also said that his negotiators are having “very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all”.

“The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance,” he added.

“This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time.”

He said that helping ships exit the strait was a “humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran”, since “many of these Ships are running low on food”, and added that anyone who interferes “will have to be dealt with forcefully”.

3 May 2026 - 20:45
 (20:45 GMT)

What’s going on in southern Lebanon tonight?

Israeli forces have ramped up attacks across areas in southern Lebanon, NNA reported.

Here’s what has happened so far:

  • Israeli warplanes launched a raid on the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiya, in the sixth such raid today.
  • Israeli forces targeted the town of Khirbet Selm with artillery shelling.
  • Since 10:40 pm local time (19:40 GMT), the towns of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Zawtar al-Gharbiyah have been targeted with intermittent artillery shelling.
  • Artillery shelling also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Kfar and Yater.
3 May 2026 - 20:30
 (20:30 GMT)

Israeli fire wounds Palestinian man in al-Ram, north of Jerusalem

One person was wounded after being shot by Israeli forces in the town of al-Ram, north of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, Wafa has reported.

According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, its crews assisted a 38-year-old Palestinian man who was shot with live ammunition in the foot near the separation wall in al-Ram, and transferred him to the hospital.

3 May 2026 - 20:15
 (20:15 GMT)

Uncertainty over ending war on Iran fuelling risks of higher inflation, says US official

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari warned that the longer the war continues, the greater the risks of higher inflation and economic damage.

Kashkari told US media that he was “very focused” on the Iran war and its impact on inflation and economic demand amid the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

With the risks and the uncertainty about all aspects of the war continuing, Kashkari said the Fed may even have to raise rates.

“I don’t feel comfortable signalling that a rate cut is in the cards. You know, we might be in worse scenarios, we might have to go the other direction,” he said.

“I talked to the CEO of a global company headquartered in Minnesota that has supply chains all around the world just last week, and they have estimated that even if the strait reopened today, it probably takes six months for their supply chains to return to something like normal,” Kashkari said.

3 May 2026 - 20:00
 (20:00 GMT)

Israel on alert for further escalation on Lebanon border: Israel Broadcasting Authority

The Israel Broadcasting Authority has reported that Israel is on alert for a possible escalation at its border with Lebanon.

It added that while there was talk in Israel about intensifying strikes on Lebanon, a US veto against further action was preventing this.