The Israeli military has told residents across southern Lebanon to leave as it expands its operations there. The statement says the military will "work with extreme force" against Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group. The warning on Wednesday is the first since a ceasefire went into effect on April 17, and came amid a rising escalation in the Israel-Hezbollah war, with Israeli troops crossing the Litani River and edging closer to the southern city of Nabatiyeh. The escalation comes two days before Lebanese and Lebanese military officials were scheduled to meet at the Pentagon to discuss among things strengthening the ceasefire agreement.

Israel's military is clashing with the militant Hezbollah group along a strategic river in Lebanon. The clashes come as Israeli troops are pushing farther north, just days before Lebanese and Israeli delegations are to meet for talks in Washington. Lebanon is hoping for an agreement that would lead to Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The Litani River has been a de facto boundary, with areas to the south under Israeli control despite a nominal ceasefire. Tuesday's intensified strikes follow a warning by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. One Israeli strike killed a family of 12 in the eastern village of Mashghara. Hezbollah launched several attacks on Israeli troops along the river.

The death toll from a Russian missile attack that flattened a Kyiv apartment building has risen to 24. It was one of the deadliest attacks on the capital in the 4-year-old war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said three teenagers were among the victims. He led an official day of mourning Friday in Kyiv, a day after the Russian cruise missile struck the nine-story corner block amid what the Ukrainian air force said was Russia's biggest barrage of the country since its full-scale invasion in 2022. Throughout the day, people came to the rubble-strewn site to leave bouquets and stuffed toys. Zelenskyy said Thursday's assault mostly targeted the Ukrainian capital, where 48 people were wounded.

Ukrainian forces have struck an oil terminal in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse, according to Ukraine's General Staff. This marks the fourth attack on the region's oil infrastructure in just over two weeks. Local officials in Russia said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a blaze, but no casualties were reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue to hit Ukraine. On Friday, Russia attacked the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil with over 50 drones, wounding at least 10 people. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia continues to target energy and civilian infrastructure with drone strikes.

Lebanon and Israel have held direct diplomatic talks for the first time in decades. Tuesday's more than two-hour meeting at the State Department came after more than a month of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the talks a "historic opportunity," while Israel's ambassador to the U.S. hailed what he called a convergence of opinion about removing Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon. Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and wasn't represented. There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese side. The Lebanese government hopes the talks will lead to an end to the war, which has killed over 2,000 people there.

Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least eight people across the country. The attacks on Friday include a "massive" missile and drone strike near the capital, regional authorities reported. Ukrainian officials claimed the Kremlin is changing its tactics to increase civilian suffering. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled Kyiv's openness to a potential Easter truce. The holiday is celebrated on April 12 in both Ukraine and Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that Moscow is not interested in a temporary ceasefire.

Russia's Defense Ministry claims its forces have taken control of the entire Luhansk region in Ukraine. However, a Ukrainian military official denies this, stating that small areas are still held by Ukrainian forces. Russia has previously made false claims of advances. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing for talks with U.S. envoys trying to mediate an end to the conflict. A Russian drone strike killed four people in Ukraine's Cherkasy region on Wednesday. Ukraine's air force says it downed 298 drones in overnight attacks.

Russia has unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage on civilian areas of Ukraine and is stepping up ground attacks along the front. Ukrainian officials said Tuesday the aerial strikes have killed six people and injured at least 46. Ukraine's air force says Russia fired nearly 400 long-range drones overnight, plus cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine's military commander says Russia is trying to break through front-line defenses in several key areas. The Institute for the Study of War says the spring-summer offensive appears underway. Ukraine leans on advanced drones to offset troop shortages. It also seeks more Patriot missiles to blunt the air campaign.

With U.S.-brokered Ukraine peace talks on hold due to the war in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to try to expand his military gains via new offensives against his southern neighbor that will put even more pressure on Kyiv. Windfall revenues from surging global oil prices are filling Moscow's war coffers and U.S. air defense assets are being drained quickly by Iranian attacks across the Gulf, leaving little available for Ukraine in the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's European allies have promised to maintain their steadfast support, but bickering over a major 90 billion euro ($106 billion) European Union loan to cover Kyiv's military and economic needs for two years has reflected the mounting challenges.