Israel and Lebanon have held their first direct talks in more than 30 years, and now there are signs of a possible ceasefire. But months of fighting have reshaped parts of southern Lebanon. As people begin to return, what will they find? And can diplomacy hold while the reality on the ground remains fragile?
In this episode:
- Justin Salhani, Al Jazeera Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Chloe K. Li with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, David Enders, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker and Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Rick Rush mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
A call for Iran to “choose wisely”. The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth urges Tehran to agree to a deal or face renewed military action.
Rob Geist Pinfold explains the role of global powers and the prospects for renewed diplomacy.
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Powerful explosions have rocked one of only two working oil refineries in Australia.
Firefighters in the state of Victoria said flames of up to 60 metres broke out on Wednesday night and was finally brought under control on Thursday.
The energy minister says the blaze will have a major impact on petrol production.
Australia had already raised concerns about dwindling fuel supplies because of disruptions to oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia has secured an additional supply of 100 million litres of diesel from Brunei and South Korea, to boost the country's precarious reserves amid the Iran war.
Kevin Morrison is an Energy Finance Analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
He says the fire may have occurred because the plant was operating at full capacity.
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The United States has doubled down on threats to bomb civilian Iranian infrastructure in a bid to push Iran towards a deal.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is now under US control.
He says the US still has navy while Iran does not.
Hegseth also warned that the US is ready to strike if Iran does not accept a deal.
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Afghanistan is clearing rubble and counting its dead after weeks of landslides and flash flooding killed nearly 160 people and injured hundreds more. The Taliban government says over 73,000 people have been displaced, with around 9,000 homes destroyed. The United Nations warns there is still a shortage of aid and shelter for survivors. Among the victims are seven members of one family in Nangarhar province, whose home collapsed during the disaster.
Al Jazeera's Jack Barton reports.
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The Israeli military has destroyed the Qasmiyeh Bridge in southern Lebanon, the last remaining operational bridge crossing the Litani River and connecting the northern and southern parts of the country.
Israel says it is targeting critical infrastructure to prevent Hezbollah from moving weapons and fighters, but the strike effectively cuts off all supply lines to the south, where around 100,000 people are now stranded. The bridge, which connected Tyre to Sidon and then to Beirut, has been completely obliterated, with a huge ditch now where the structure once stood.
The destruction makes it extremely difficult for humanitarian aid to reach southern Lebanon and for civilians to escape the area.
The military had previously patched up the bridge after multiple strikes, but it is now completely destroyed.
The attack is part of a "systematic destruction of critical infrastructure" in Lebanon, with violence continuing to escalate for six weeks despite hopes for a break.
Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto reports from the site of the destroyed bridge in Tyre, southern Lebanon.
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Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Doha on a working visit as part of a wider regional diplomatic tour, having met officials in Saudi Arabia and with plans to travel to Turkiye, while the Pakistani army chief is simultaneously in Tehran to "iron out the differences" in person.
Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi welcomed the visiting delegation.
Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid reported from Doha that Pakistan is positioning itself as the key mediator between the United States and Iran, with officials describing "all roads lead through Pakistan for a diplomatic off-ramp."
The Pakistanis have taken a number of proposals to both sides, with sources telling Al Jazeera that the army chief's visit to Tehran is being conducted in confidence due to the "risky deployments" and the threat that Israel poses as a "major detractor" that does not want peace in the region.
Pakistan is trying to bridge the trust deficit, with both Iran and the US having stated publicly that they do not trust each other, as discussions focus on potential ceasefire arrangements, sanctions relief, and broader regional de-escalation.
Key sticking points include Iran's demand for an asset unfreeze and a ceasefire in Lebanon, while the US wants Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz unconditionally and provide guarantees about its nuclear fissile material and weapons ambitions.
Pakistan is hopeful of securing either a second round of talks or an extension of the ceasefire, possibly up to five weeks or 45 days.
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More than 260 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, marking one of the deadliest periods for media workers in recent history.
Despite newsrooms being destroyed and reporters losing their lives, coverage continues through a new generation of young, often untrained correspondents determined to document the conflict.
With international media access severely restricted, the responsibility of reporting increasingly falls on local journalists who work in makeshift shelters and amid rubble, facing constant danger.
For many, journalism has shifted from profession to urgent responsibility.
Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud reports from Gaza City.
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US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place on Thursday, writing that he is "trying to get a little breathing room" between the two countries, though he did not specify which leaders would be participating.
Mohamad Elmasry, political analyst and professor of media studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that Israel has "every intention" of taking over territory south of the Litani River — 10 to 14 percent of Lebanese territory — as part of a "greater Israel project" that is mainstream in Israeli society, noting that even centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid said three weeks ago that Israel's borders are "based on the Bible."
Elmasry warned that Israel is asking the Lebanese state to disarm Hezbollah despite having worked with the US to ensure the Lebanese state remains weak, calling this an unrealistic demand.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reported from Beirut that a Lebanese official source said "we don't have any information" about the possibility of talks, reflecting deep division in Lebanon over direct engagement with Israel at a time when Israeli attacks continue.
Khodr noted that Israel has established five hilltop positions inside Lebanese territory since the 2024 ceasefire and has not withdrawn, with 90,000 people still unable to return to frontline villages.
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Cuba is facing severe power and fuel shortages as the United States tightens its decades-old embargo. The island has been enduring rolling blackouts and a near-total fuel blockade now in its fourth month, forcing residents to cook with charcoal and queue for hours in sweltering heat for scarce transport. State-controlled economy struggles have been aggravated by more than six decades of US trade and financial sanctions, leaving cities like Alamar in darkness and many Cubans spending more time waiting for buses than at work.
Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman reports from Havana, Cuba.
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Farmers in Sinaloa, Mexico’s breadbasket, say fertiliser costs have surged as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted, squeezing already thin margins. Prices are about 50% higher than when the conflict began, with diesel cushioned by subsidies amid persistent droughts and weak global maize prices.
Al Jazeera’s John Holman reports from Sinaloa, Mexico.
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