Grief and destruction in the Middle East amid Iran War ceasefire

Israeli army comrades attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Sergeant Rotem Yanai, a service conditions NCO soldier in the 435th Battalion, Givati Brigade, who was killed in a drone attack launched from Lebanon onto northern Israel, in Giv'at Ada on May 28, 2026. The Israeli military said on May 28, that a soldier was killed the day before by a Hezbollah drone near the Lebanon border, taking to 24 the number of its troops killed in the war with the Iran-backed group. A military statement named her as 20-year-old Sergeant Rotem Yanai, who "fell during operational activity in northern Israel".

Rescue workers and local residents inspect the damage to a building following an Israeli air strike in the Choueifat area, south of Beirut on the outskirts of the capital's southern suburbs, on May 28, 2026. A Lebanese military source told AFP that an Israeli strike hit an apartment south of Beirut on May 28, shortly after Israel's military said it launched a strike on the capital. The Israeli military said it launched an airstrike on the Lebanese capital Beirut after earlier strikes on the country's south killed at least 12 people, including two children, and wounded 21 others.

A fireball erupts from a building following an Israeli strike in Tyre, southern Lebanon, on May 28, 2026. The Israeli military said on May 28 it had begun new strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre after issuing an evacuation warning to its residents.

Rescue workers and local residents inspect the damage to a building following an Israeli air strike in the Choueifat area, south of Beirut on the outskirts of the capital's southern suburbs, on May 28, 2026. A Lebanese military source told AFP that an Israeli strike hit an apartment south of Beirut on May 28, shortly after Israel's military said it launched a strike on the capital. The Israeli military said it launched an airstrike on the Lebanese capital Beirut after earlier strikes on the country's south killed at least 12 people, including two children, and wounded 21 others.

The mother grieves next to the grave of Israeli Sergeant Rotem Yanai, a service conditions NCO in the 435th Battalion of the Givati Brigade, who was killed in a drone attack launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, after her funeral in Givat Ada on May 28, 2026. The Israeli military said on May 28, that a soldier was killed the day before by a Hezbollah drone near the Lebanon border, taking to 24 the number of its troops killed in the war with the Iran-backed group. A military statement named her as 20-year-old Sergeant Rotem Yanai, who "fell during operational activity in northern Israel."

Mourners attend the funeral of people, including Hezbollah members, who were killed during the conflict with Israel before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Kfar Sir, Lebanon, April 21, 2026.

A woman mourns her relative Ali Ballout, a civil defence member killed during the conflict with Israel and exhumed from a temporary grave, during his funeral in his home village, amid a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, in Aitit village, southern Lebanon, April 22, 2026.

Diggers are used by rescue teams working to remove the rubble from a building previously hit by the Israeli army, in the southern Lebanese village of Hanaouay on April 22, 2026. Israel and Lebanon, which have no diplomatic relations, will hold fresh talks in Washington on April 23, 2026, a State Department official told AFP. Israel conducted huge airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the south after Hezbollah entered the Middle East war in support of its backer Iran on March 2.

Mourners attend the funeral of people, including Hezbollah members, who were killed during the conflict with Israel before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Kfar Sir, Lebanon, April 21, 2026.

Girls, who were displaced and returned during the 10-day ceasefire, walk near the graves of Hezbollah fighters killed by an Israeli strike as they visit the cemetery where their grandfather is buried, in Majdelzon village, southern Lebanon, April 21, 2026.

Zahra Abukhalil mourns her husband, Mahmoud Reda Abukhalil, a Hezbollah fighter killed during the conflict with Israel, during his funeral, amid a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, in Aitit, southern Lebanon, April 22, 2026.

Rubbles and debris are strewn along the road at the site of a home destroyed by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil district on April 22, 2026. Israel's foreign minister on April 22, urged Beirut to make joint efforts with Israel to counter the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, ahead of talks between the countries set to resume in Washington. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing its supreme leader and triggering a war that spread across the Middle East, with Lebanon's Hezbollah entering the fray on March 2.

A man reads a newspaper with a front page article referring to anticipated US-Iran peace talks, at a stall in Islamabad on April 22, 2026. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump for extending a ceasefire with Iran and indefinitely pushing back the end of the two week truce, with Tehran silent on the decision early on April 22.

The remains of a home is destroyed by the Israeli army in the southern Lebanese village of Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil district on April 22, 2026. Israel's foreign minister on April 22, urged Beirut to make joint efforts with Israel to counter the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, ahead of talks between the countries set to resume in Washington. On February 28, Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing its supreme leader and triggering a war that spread across the Middle East, with Lebanon's Hezbollah entering the fray on March 2.

Mourners attend the funeral of people, including Hezbollah members, who were killed during the conflict with Israel before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Kfar Sir, Lebanon, April 21, 2026.

Mhamed, 34, and Taline 2.5 years old, ride a motorcycle past buildings damaged by an Israeli strike in Mansouri village, southern Lebanon, amid a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, April 21, 2026.

Mourners attend the funeral of people, including Hezbollah members, who were killed during the conflict with Israel before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Kfar Sir, Lebanon, April 21, 2026.

Mourners attend the funeral of people, including Hezbollah members, who were killed during the conflict with Israel before a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, in Kfar Sir, Lebanon, April 21, 2026.