Jayna Raff

Israeli forces have been closing in on the city of Nabatea in southern Lebanon while Israel continues strikes in the ancient city of Tyre.

Lebanon's health ministry said 13 health workers were wounded in an attack close to Tyre's Hiram Hospital, which was also significantly damaged.

The militant group Hezbollah claimed attacks on Israeli tanks and troops within Lebanon.

and launched rockets into northern Israel.

Israeli forces took control of a strategic crusader-era castle with views across southern Lebanon, raising the Israeli flag above the stone walls.

France has called for an emergency UN Security Council session to discuss the invasion.

Jayna Raff, NPR News, Beirut.

Israel's prime minister said in a statement that Israeli forces targeted the commander of the militant group's elite Red One force.

It did not give his name or say whether he was believed to have been killed.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

Video from Beirut's southern suburbs showed people searching for survivors in the rubble of what appeared to be a residential building.

Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire April 16th, but Israel has been escalating attacks, most of them in border areas in south Lebanon.

Jayna Raff, NPR News, Beirut.

President Ahmad al-Shara will be the first Syrian head of state at the White House in almost 80 years.

But it's also a big deal because of Shara's own history.

He's a former al-Qaeda in Iraq militant leader.

A year ago, he had a $10 million U.S.

bounty on his head.

His fighters toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad last December.

And since then, Trump has decided that Shara is someone he wants to deal with.