First ships cross Strait of Hormuz blockade line and Israel strikes south Lebanon

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, the first Iranian vessels pass the US blockade line without incident, providing an early test of an agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. As shipping resumes, France and the UK are pushing for an international naval mission to secure the waterway. French President Emmanuel Macron says participating countries are ready to send frigates and mine-clearing vessels once conditions allow. We also look at continuing tensions in Lebanon, where Israel says it intercepted Hezbollah rockets and carried out more strikes on the south of the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon and insists his country's forces will remain in territory it occupies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. In Kuwait, authorities revoke the citizenship of more than 2,100 people as part of a review of nationality files that has affected thousands over the past two years. And Dubai says the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport remains on track, with Dh55 billion ($14.9 billion) in contracts expected to be awarded as work continues on what is to become the world’s largest aviation hub. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.