In a joint statement Thursday, dozens of countries condemned “persistent attacks” in Lebanon and the killings of U.N. peacekeepers there. The statement was read aloud by Indonesia’s U.N. Ambassador Umar Hadi, whose country recently had three of its peacekeepers killed in southern Lebanon.
The statement said those responsible for attacks on peacekeepers must be held accountable, but did not identify any parties. A preliminary U.N. report blamed Israel for two of the killings and Hezbollah for one of them.
The U.S. was not on the list of signatories in the statement. The signatories reaffirmed support for UNIFIL, said attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, and called on the parties to urgently return to the 2024 ceasefire.
- President Trump says he expects Iran to comply with terms he says were agreed on for a ceasefire ahead of planned negotiations this weekend, warning that if it doesn’t, he’ll order large-scale attacks on the country. Iran says the U.S. is violating the agreement by allowing Israel to continue its war on Hezbollah in Lebanon, while the White House says that was never part of the deal.
- Oil prices inched back toward the $100 a barrel mark Thursday and stock markets were in a sullen mood as optimism fueled by Mr. Trump’s initial ceasefire announcement turned back to uncertainty amid the dispute over the shaky agreement.
- Iran has not loosened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, with the regime warning vessels to seek permission for transit, and then to navigate a set path through its coastal waters to avoid sea mines as it charges hefty fees for each ship’s safe passage.
The U.S. Department of Defense has lost eight MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Middle East since April 1, bringing the total number of such devices lost in the Iran war up to 24, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News under condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The drones represent a loss of about $720 million. Depending on the variant, a single Reaper drone can cost about $30 million or more.
The MQ-9 Reaper, made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is a remotely piloted aircraft used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It can also deliver precision strikes. These types of drones are easier to knock out of the sky because they were designed for counter-terrorism environments where there is little to no air defense, not for countries with modern missile systems.