MIDDLE EAST LIVE 15 April: Civilian dangers intensify as Israel expands Lebanon evacuation orders

Smoke rises from a bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, seen from a high vantage point overlooking the city's dense urban landscape on April 8, 2026.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE 15 April: Civilian dangers intensify as Israel expands Lebanon evacuation orders

15 April 2026 Peace and Security

Across the Middle East, tensions remain high with Israeli military operations continuing in Lebanon following direct talks between the two governments in Washington on Tuesday. More than 2,000 Lebanese have been reported killed since early March. Uncertainty also continues over the crucial Strait of Hormuz crisis. Stay with us for live updates on developments on the ground, humanitarian impacts and diplomatic efforts. App users can follow coverage here.

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News Tracker: Past Stories on This Issue

A Bangladeshi woman in a colorful sari waters a field with a metal watering can.

‘Clock is ticking’: Hormuz disruption raises fears of global food crisis

13 April 2026

Peace and Security

The clock is ticking for global food systems as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten to choke off the flow of fuel and crucial fertilizers needed for the next planting season – also raising the risk of higher food prices and a new wave of inflation.

Destroyed residential buildings in the Basta neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, showing widespread rubble and debris following Israeli airstrikes.

‘Time for diplomacy over escalation’ in Middle East war: Guterres

14 April 2026

Peace and Security

As the war in the Middle East continues, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a passionate call for “serious negotiations” between the US and Iran to resume, warning that respect for international law “is being trampled” underfoot.