In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, approximately 3,000 pagers carried by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously on Tuesday, killing 12 and injuring thousands across Lebanon and parts of Syria, suspected to be orchestrated by Israeli intelligence.

Meanwhile, in Tunisia, presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel received a 20-month prison sentence for forgery but will still contest the election, maintaining his campaign against President Kais Saied as his defense plans to appeal.

As tensions rise, Israel is preparing for potential war with Hezbollah, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announcing a significant military shift from Gaza to Lebanon, reflecting public support for a deeper offensive should Hezbollah not retreat from southern Lebanon.

In response to these developments, the White House has called for calm and diplomacy, emphasizing that preventing further conflict is crucial after recent explosions in Lebanon targeted Hezbollah, urging against any escalation in the region.

Speaking of political turmoil, Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, now in Madrid under asylum, claims he was coerced into conceding the election to President Nicolas Maduro, marking the concession as invalid and alleging fraud in the election process.

In legal news, Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to a new sexual assault charge from 2006, continuing to face ongoing legal battles while serving a 16-year sentence, a high-profile figure whose actions helped spark the #MeToo movement.