Beirut, Lebanon – Israel launched a series of intense airstrikes against southern neighborhoods of Beirut early Monday, following the entry of the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah into the conflict involving Iran. The strikes came after Hezbollah launched its own attack with rockets and drones against northern Israel.
Numerous strikes impacted various locations in the capital’s outskirts, with large plumes of smoke rising as explosions reverberated throughout much of the city, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The Israeli military described the attacks as a “targeted strike” against senior Hezbollah commanders “in the area of Beirut,” and also stated that another “key” figure within the Lebanese political and armed movement was targeted in the country’s south.
This escalation follows a prior Hezbollah attack targeting military installations south of the city of Haifa in northern Israel – their first action since the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel at the end of 2024. The recent developments raise concerns about a wider regional conflict.
Hezbollah stated in a release that the attack was intended to avenge the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Jamenei, during the current campaign of Israeli and American airstrikes.
Mass Exodus
The intense Israeli bombardment in Lebanon has triggered a “mass exodus” of people from both the capital’s outskirts and the southern region of the country.
Following the initial strikes, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of 53 towns and cities in southern Lebanon, anticipating further attacks against Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is a key ally of Tehran, accused of providing it with weapons, and funding. The Lebanese government had been engaged in diplomatic efforts in recent days to prevent its involvement should Washington launch an attack against Iran.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described Hezbollah’s attack against northern Israel as “irresponsible” and pledged to prevent the country from being drawn into a new conflict, just over a year after the end of the last war.
The Lebanese government had been seeking assurances that the Shia movement, allied with Tehran, would not become involved if the United States were to attack Iran.
However, Hezbollah had previously indicated that any attack against Jamenei – also a significant religious leader for Shia Muslims worldwide – would be a red line.
Continued Attacks Between Iran and Israel
A new Iranian attack against Israel left several people injured Sunday night, though the number of those affected varies according to different emergency services, ranging from five to seven.
The Iranian missile struck a highway in the Jerusalem area. Following a previous barrage, a missile impacted a commercial area in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, where firefighters are conducting search operations.
Subsequently, the Israel Defense Forces announced a new wave of attacks against Iran, particularly against “the heart of Tehran,” the capital of the Islamic Republic.
Multiple Iranian media outlets, such as Fars News Agency and Tasnim News Agency, reported several explosions throughout the night in Tehran.
As of now, ten people have died in Israel as a result of Iranian missile impacts, while the death toll in Iran exceeds 200.
More US Casualties Expected
In a video posted to his Truth Social account, U.S. President Donald Trump predicted Sunday that “unfortunately” there will be more American casualties in the war with Iran, following the deaths of three U.S. Military personnel in the operation to overthrow the Islamic Republic.
“We mourn the loss of true American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, as we continue the just mission for which they gave their lives,” he stated.
Trump also urged the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to surrender in exchange for immunity or face “certain death.”
“I urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military police, to lay down their arms and receive total immunity or face certain death. It will be safe. Death will not be pleasant,” the president said in the video released before returning to the White House on Sunday.
Hours later, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, affirmed that the Islamic Republic would not negotiate with the United States, after reports surfaced indicating a willingness to engage in talks with Washington.
United Kingdom to Offer Bases
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Sunday, also in a video message, that he has granted the United States leverage of British bases (he did not specify which ones) for specific defensive purposes, including attacks on Iranian bases.
Starmer refuted claims that the United Kingdom had denied the use of those bases to U.S. Aviation, in an apparent attempt to maintain some distance in this conflict.
Shortly after this announcement, the Akrotiri base, operated by the British military in Limassol, Cyprus, was reportedly attacked by a drone, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
There are currently no reports of casualties, according to several British media outlets.
