Tensions in West Asia deepened on Monday after Israel carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah-linked targets in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. The strikes came hours after projectiles were fired from Lebanese territory into northern Israel.
The exchange marks a sharp expansion of hostilities in a region already on edge. What began as cross-border firing has now escalated into coordinated military action, with Israel signalling it is prepared for a wider confrontation.
According to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the strikes were aimed at senior members of Hezbollah in the Beirut area. In a series of posts on X, the IAF said it also targeted a key Hezbollah figure in southern Lebanon.
“The Air Force struck a short time ago in a targeted manner, senior terrorists from the Hezbollah terror organisation in the Beirut area. In parallel, the IDF struck a central terrorist from the Hezbollah terror organisation in southern Lebanon. Further details to follow,” the IAF said.
Projectiles intercepted over northern Israel
The Israeli military said multiple projectiles crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon. Some landed in open areas, and in certain instances, sirens were not activated as per established policy.
“Following alerts that were activated in several areas in the north of the country, the Air Force intercepted a launch that crossed from Lebanon; individual launches fell according to policy. No injuries or damage were reported,” the IAF said in another post.
Earlier, the military had confirmed that warning sirens sounded in parts of northern Israel after launches were detected from Lebanese soil. It added that details of the incident were being examined.
Israel blames Hezbollah, warns of forceful response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was responding “with force” against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. It accused the group of acting with support from Iran and of firing at Israeli civilians.
“The terrorist organization Hezbollah, operating under the auspices of the Iranian terrorist regime, opened fire against the State of Israel and its citizens. The IDF will act against the terrorist organization Hezbollah’s decision to join the campaign and will not allow the organization to pose a threat to the State of Israel or harm residents of the north,” the military said.
In a separate statement, the IDF said Hezbollah was responsible for the latest escalation and warned that it was prepared for a broader conflict. It added that its forces had readied for such a situation under Operation “Roaring Lion”.
“In response to projectile fire toward northern Israel, the IDF is striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. Hezbollah is operating on behalf of the Iranian regime, opening fire against the Israeli civilians, and bringing ruin to Lebanon. IDF troops have prepared for such a scenario as part of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, and are prepared for an all-fronts scenario,” the IDF stated.
The developments come as joint US-Israel military strikes on Iran killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and members of his family. Following those strikes, Iran launched drones and missiles targeting several Arab countries in what it described as retaliation.