The Albany Gazette - War in Middle East: latest developments

- Israel kills 9 -

Israel intensified strikes on Lebanon Wednesday, with Beirut's health ministry reporting nine people, including two children, killed in attacks targeting cars between the capital and the coastal city of Sidon despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel's military said it had attacked Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. An AFP correspondent reported thick smoke from Burj al-Shemali in the Tyre region.

- Iran hangs man -

Iranian authorities hanged a man in his early 30s convicted of spying for Israel, the sixth person to be executed on such charges since the start of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan Online website described Ehsan Afreshteh, 32, as "a spy trained by Mossad in Nepal who sold sensitive information to Israel".

But the Norway-based Hengaw and Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGOs said in separate statements that Afreshteh had denied the accusations, and said he had been subjected to televised "forced confessions" obtained through torture.

- UAE sanctions Lebanese -

The UAE branded 21 Lebanese people and organisations as "terrorists", ordering their assets frozen as it accused them of ties to Hezbollah, the official Emirati news agency reported.

The United Arab Emirates, home to a large Lebanese community, has been the main target of Iranian missile and drone attacks during the regional war sparked by US and Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic.

- Record oil draw-down -

Countries are tapping into oil inventories and strategic reserves at a "record pace" due to supply disruption during the Middle East war, the International Energy Agency said.

Global stocks were drawn down by a further 117 million barrels in April, the agency said in its monthly report, after a 129 million barrel drawdown in March.

- Italy minesweepers -

Italy said it was sending two warships closer to the Gulf but would only deploy them as part of an international mission in case of a lasting truce in the region.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament that a possible mission to the Strait of Hormuz could only happen with prior approval from lawmakers.

- China urges Pakistan to step up -

China's top diplomat urged Pakistan to step up mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, and help to "properly" address the reopening of the Hormuz strait, Chinese state media said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar on a call, state news agency Xinhua reported, ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing.

- Israeli strikes kill 13 in Lebanon -

Israel hammered south Lebanon with more strikes Tuesday, killing 13 people in the south, including two rescuers responding to an earlier raid in the city of Nabatieh and a wounded person they went to save, Lebanon's health ministry said.

Beirut reported 380 people had been killed in intensified Israeli attacks since an April 17 ceasefire took effect and Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem vowed to turn the battlefield into "hell" for Israeli forces.

- Iran's missile capabilities -

The New York Times reported Tuesday that classified US intelligence assessments say Iran still has substantial missile capabilities -- with about 70 percent of its mobile launchers and pre-war missile stockpile still in action -- and has restored access to 30 of 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz.

- Australian shipping defence -

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(T.Wright--TAG)