MIDDLE EAST LIVE 16 April: UN General Assembly meets on veto as Gulf tensions persist

Intense Israeli military strikes continued in southern Lebanon, including around the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil, while rocket fire into northern Israel also persisted. In other developments, the US military announced on Wednesday that it had prevented 10 ships from navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, in line with its announced blockade of Iranian ports. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly is set to discuss the use of the veto earlier this month at a Security Council meeting on the Middle East, where a draft resolution failed despite broad support after being blocked by permanent members China and Russia. Stay with us for live updates. App users can follow coverage here.