NICOSIA, March 4 (Reuters) - Cyprus ⁠said ⁠a suspect object had ⁠been detected close to Lebanese airspace on ​Wednesday, and a government source said two Greek ‌F-16 fighter jets had ‌been scrambled to intercept it. The alert ⁠was ⁠called off more than an hour later.

As the war in Iran intensifies, humanitarian groups warn the civilian toll is mounting across the Middle East.

As Israel intensifies its campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, Lebanon is now teetering on the brink of being fully sucked into the escalating US and Israeli war on Iran – a fate the fragile Lebanese government has been desperate to avoid.

By Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, March 3 (Reuters) - At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated this week,

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that he had called on Israel to respect Lebanon's territorial integrity and refrain from a ground offensive. Macron said in a post on social media X that he had spoken earlier in the day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,

Hezbollah’s entry into the current war followed the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The group has long been aligned with the Islamic Republic.

Trump added that he had ordered oil tanker insurance support, a move that marks an aggressive step to try to contain soaring energy prices.

Israel launches major strikes in Tehran and Lebanon as NATO ally Turkey is targeted by Iran for the first time during the five-day war.