BEIRUT (AP) — Israel’s government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, a day after its ground forces reached their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, including the outskirts of the coastal city of Haifa.

A joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the orders to attack targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs followed what they called repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah and “attacks against our cities and citizens.”

Hezbollah agreed to halt attacks on Israel when the ceasefire was signed in mid-April, but the militant group resumed the assaults after Israeli strikes in Lebanon that Israel characterized as self-defense.

After Monday’s warning, large numbers of people were seen fleeing the area known in Arabic as Dahiyeh, jamming roads leading out of the suburb, where Hezbollah enjoys wide support.

The fighting in Lebanon also presents a major obstacle in the emerging deal to extend the ceasefire in the Iran war. Tehran wants any agreement to include Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire overnight

Israeli airstrikes overnight on southern Lebanon left six people dead, including a Syrian citizen in a village near the city of Nabatiyeh, the state-run National News Agency said. Israel struck other towns and villages near the major city, close to the strategic Beaufort Castle and other towns the Israeli military captured in recent days.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said its air force had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported, the military said.

Hezbollah said it carried out rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel on Sunday. It said early Monday it attacked Israeli troops in Zawtar al-Sharqieh, just north of the Litani River, and struck what they said was Israeli military infrastructure in Tiberius, a few dozen miles south of the border.

Israel and Lebanon set to hold talks in Washington

The latest attacks came despite a nominal ceasefire that has been in place since April 17 and just before Lebanon and Israel hold their next round of direct talks in Washington starting Tuesday. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran, which has demanded an end to the war in Lebanon in its talks with Washington.

The talks between officials from Israel and Lebanon, which began in April in Washington, were the first in more than three decades between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations.

Lebanese officials have been scrambling in diplomatic calls, including with Washington, in a desperate bid to push back Israel’s military escalation after Netanyahu’s announcement, a Lebanese diplomatic official said. Beirut is still committed to holding talks to end the conflict despite the boiling tensions, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted Monday that any ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran is a “ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

“Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts,” Iran’s top diplomat said in a post on X.

Beirut, the Lebanese capital, has been mostly spared from airstrikes since the ceasefire went into effect, apart from two targeted attacks on the city’s southern suburbs in May.

The German development minister, Reem Alabali Radovan, had planned to visit Beirut on Monday to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other officials, but she called off the visit while traveling to the city, citing the possibility of Israeli strikes in the suburbs.

Rubio proposes a fresh path to continue talks

A U.S. official said late Sunday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken to Aoun and Netanyahu to propose a fresh path to continue ongoing negotiations, as President Donald Trump weighs a tentative ceasefire extension with Iran.

Under the proposal, Hezbollah would halt all attacks on Israel, and Israel would refrain from escalating military operations in Beirut, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations.

The official said Aoun was open to the idea but that Lebanese parliament chief Nabih Berri had responded by demanding that Israel first stop all military action.

The official said the Trump administration does not expect Israel to give up retaliating for Hezbollah strikes on its territory.

Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, said in a statement Sunday that he can guarantee the militant group’s “full, comprehensive and immediate commitment to a ceasefire.” Berri added: “But who will force Israel to stop its aggression?”

Aoun on Monday said in comments released by his office that Lebanon faces “a fierce and condemned Israeli aggression.” Aoun added that his government continues work to end “the suffering of the Lebanese in general and the southerners in particular.”

Later, the president issued a statement reiterating Beirut’s commitment to negotiations, saying it is “safer” than war.”

“It will not solve the problem within moments, but it is a process that needs time,” he said. “And we have no other choice.”

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,412 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people.

Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon overnight in a drone attack by Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s use of hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.

According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 26 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

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Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

The findings are based on schools, childcare costs, child-friendly attractions and more

A town near Manchester has been listed among the top 10 places to raise a family in England.

The Cheshire borough of Warrington ranks seventh in the study, which looks at key factors such as safety, childcare costs, school performance, and access to outdoor space.

Aimed at highlighting where family life feels easier to manage, and where it can feel more stretched, research from the outdoor play equipment manufacturer and specialists outdoortoys, shows that in Warrington, the average cost of childcare comes to £1,096 a month and around 81% of schools are rated outstanding or good, making it ‘an ideal place to start a family’.

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Additionally families in the area benefit from around 20 child-friendly attractions per 100,000 people and 810 square metres of green space per person.

In practice, that means more local parks, more room to play after school, and fewer limits on how often children can get outside.

Those behind the study say: “Having more options nearby means less repetition and more chances to find activities that suit different ages as children grow. It also makes spontaneous plans easier, without needing to travel far.”

Among Warrington’s many family friendly attractions is Walton Hall and Gardens – a lovingly restored hall set within acres of parkland which has been a popular visitor destination for generations.

It’s home to some well equipped play areas, adventure golf, high ropes, woodland walks and even has its own free Children’s Zoo where little ones can see a host of animals including rabbits, alpacas, pigs, African pygmy goats and its colourful peacocks.

There’s also a land train that runs at weekends and in the school holidays.

Warrington is also lucky to have some award-winning farms on the doorstep, including the popular Kenyon Hall Farm, where its fruit picking season will soon be in full swing, as well as Grange Farm and Bates Farm.

There’s lots of family fun to be had at Apple Jacks Adventure Farm, Woodlands Alpaca Farm, and Partridge Lakes, which recently opened a new lakeside walk with a sandy beach and pedalos, along with extra food and drink huts.

The borough is also lucky to have its very own theme park, with Gulliver’s World based in Old Hall. Offering more than 30 rides and 20 attractions, the place has just been ranked among the best value theme parks in the UK. Day tickets cost from £15.75 or for £99 you can get an annual pass for a whole year.

At the top of outdoortoys’ list is Sheffield, largely due to the amount of outdoor space available to families. With 1,686 square metres per person, it offers almost double the study average of 873 square metres.

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Childcare costs remain relatively steady at £918 a month. For many families, that makes it easier to plan ahead without regular adjustments to household spending.

Milton Keynes takes second place, offering one of the widest ranges of child-friendly attractions in the study, with 31 per 100,000 people, 11 above the study average. That gives families more flexibility when it comes to filling weekends, school holidays, or shorter pockets of free time.

Swindon rounds out the top three, with the lowest crime rate in the study at 68 per 1,000 people – meaning children can spend more time outdoors, walking short distances with friends, or using local spaces with greater independence.

It’s not as good news for Manchester itself however, as the city ranks last overall, with safety emerging as the biggest challenge due to crime levels reaching 145 incidents per 1,000 people, significantly above the study average.

Alex Price, product manager at outdoortoys, said: “Where children grow up has a lasting impact on how they spend their time. In areas with milder weather and lower rainfall, like Southampton or Cambridge, it’s simply easier to get outside more often without needing to plan around the conditions.

“When there’s somewhere nearby to play – a garden with swings, climbing frames or playhouses, a local park, or a safe open space – children tend to spend more time being active and independent. Over time, that builds confidence, social skills, and a sense of freedom that’s much harder to develop when outdoor time is limited or heavily planned.

“It’s not about having perfect surroundings. It’s about making the most of what’s available and creating simple opportunities for outdoor play as part of everyday routines.”

Top 10 places to raise a family in England

1. Sheffield
2. Milton Keynes
3. Swindon
4. Cambridge
5. Peterborough
6. Oxford
7. Warrington
8. Sunderland
9. Stoke-on-Trent
10. Portsmouth

What do you think about the findings? Would you recommend your area as a good place to raise a family? Let us know your views in the comments here.

PLUS: ‘Are you getting desperate lad?’

Hello

It made headlines around the world, sparked protests and saw British policing come under fire. And that was all before the courtroom drama began.

Now almost two years on, we’re finally able to tell the full extraordinary story of the Manchester Airport case. As you’re probably aware, it began with a 84-second video clip that some claimed appeared to show ‘out of control’ police acting violently and potentially abusing their powers.

One officer kicked a young Asian man in the face, before appearing to stamp on his head near a car park ticket machine in Terminal 2. But footage exclusively obtained by the Manchester Evening News painted a fuller picture.

Police had been called after the man had headbutted a member of the public in a Starbucks cafe. After cops moved in, the man launched a violent assault on two female police officers.

He became embroiled in a violent confrontation with the officer who would go on to kick him in the face. The man’s brother also became involved. The pair maintained they were acting in self-defence and have since been cleared of that charge.

Almost two years later, the siblings – Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 21, and Muhammad Amaad, 26 – have now been acquitted after they faced two crown court trials. Amaaz faces sentencing next month after being convicted of assaulting two police officers and a member of the public.

It is the culmination of an extraordinary legal battle which featured interventions from Sir Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson; a social media storm; and a fractious courtroom atmosphere rarely seen in the British criminal justice system.

It also included failed bids by the brothers’ legal teams to have the trials aborted and for members of the jury to have their mobile phones examined by the judge amid claims of a ‘toxic environment’ in court. The judge also dismissed a defence ‘recusal’ application to sack himself, rejecting claims he had been ‘sexist or intimidatory’ towards Amaad’s barrister during the trial.

Here, court reporter Andrew Bardsley and crime reporter John Scheerhout look back at the remarkable case.

‘Are you getting desperate lad?’

Wigan Warriors won the Challenge Cup on Saturday by thrashing Hull KR at Wembley. In normal times that would have been the only story in town.

But these aren’t normal times. The Makerfield by-election continues to hog the headlines – and this weekend was no exception.

On Saturday Carol Vorderman sent a letter to more than 6,000 female voters across the constituency in response to Reform candidate Rob Kenyon’s old tweets about her. The broadcaster says Mr Kenyon’s posts show a ‘pattern’ of comments about women and in an interview with M.E.N. politics writer Iram Ramzan branded him a ‘little coward’.

In response to the letter Reform accused Ms Vorderman of being “a left-wing bad faith actor.” Meanwhile Andy Burnham accused Nigel Farage of being ‘desperate’ after the pair clashed over financial support for migrants.

Mr Farage quoted a story published by the Telegraph newspaper which claimed that the GMCA spends more than £700,000 to help migrants obtain housing, benefits, and use public services as part of its ‘Safer Transitions’ programme. Mr Burnham replied: “Are you getting desperate, lad? Maybe keep your crypto millions for something else.”

Keep on running

Almost 40,000 people took to the streets yesterday for the Great Manchester Run, with thousands more cheering them on from the pavement. And as ever there were some inspiring stories behind the decision to take part.

One such runner was Yoni Finlay, a victim of the Heaton Park synagogue attack. He raised more than £2,500 for the Salford-based disabilities charity Friendship Circle, despite only getting one and a half hours sleep the night before after watching the Champion’s League Final.

“I feel like I owe my life to the Friendship Circle,” he told Charlotte Fisher. “I feel like the volunteering I did for them was the reason I’m still here so this is another way I can give back to them.”

‘Why I’ve been asking strangers out on the spot’

Andrea Giro Adeleye is fed up with modern dating. So, armed with a selfie stick and her phone camera, the 22-year-old spends her time approaching strangers across Manchester and asks them one thing: Would you like to go out?

And now, as Tara Cromie reports, what began as a search for genuine human connection has since grown into something far bigger; a public challenge to modern dating culture and a surprisingly emotional portrait of a generation struggling to connect online.

Weather etc

Week-long washout: Greater Manchester is expected to face a week of rain and potential thunderstorms in a sudden shift following the recent heatwave. Forecasters have predicted ‘thundery showers’ and periods of heavy rain this coming week across the region. James Holt has the full forecast here.

Travel warning: Passengers are facing nine days of disruption as two Metrolink tram stops are closed in the city centre. No trams will call at either Shudehill or Market Street from today (June 1) to next Tuesday, June 9, with normal service expected to resume next Wednesday.