No progress made at Cairo ceasefire talks, says Hamas, as Israel pulls troops out of southern Gaza – Middle East crisis live

Israeli defence minister says withdrawal forms part of preparations for later attack on Rafah

An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon early on Monday killed a field commander in the heavily-armed Lebanese group Hezbollah, as the United Nations warned that shelling was spreading and urged a halt to the violence.

Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging fire across Lebanon's southern frontier in parallel with the Gaza war, adding to fears of a wider regional conflict.