The conflict between Israel and Iran has spilled over into Lebanon, after Hezbollah launched missiles and drones towards Israel, prompting a swift Israeli response in what represents a significant expansion of the regional war.
The Lebanese armed group allied with Iran He said It carried out its strikes in response to Israel’s killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what it called “repeated Israeli attacks.” This is the first time in more than a year that the Lebanese armed group has claimed to launch a raid against Israel – a move that Lebanese government officials have implored Hezbollah not to undertake, fearing another devastating war on Lebanese soil.
Israel responded with strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and other targets across southern Lebanon, saying it was bombing sites linked to the Iran-backed militant group. Lebanese health officials He said The attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 31 people and the injury of 149 others.
The Lebanese escalation came as the broader Israeli-Iranian campaign continued to intensify. A source familiar with Israeli operations described The current strikes against Iran are far more extensive than the 12-day conflict between the two countries last June. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed in Iran so far, with more than 130 cities under attack. 11 people were killed in Israel.
Iran launched new waves of strikes against Israeli cities, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Monday morning. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps He said It targeted the Israeli government complex in Tel Aviv, along with military sites in Haifa and East Jerusalem, and warned that the attacks would expand. An Iranian missile attack on the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh on Sunday killed nine people.
The conflict now reaches further Throughout the region. Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq claimed responsibility for drone attacks on American forces at Baghdad airport and a base in Erbil. Cyprus reported that a drone struck RAF Akrotiri base, causing limited damage and no casualties. There were also reports of explosions in Bahrain and Dubai, and smoke was seen near the US Embassy in Kuwait. The first US military death during the campaign was confirmed on Sunday – three US service members were killed at a base in Kuwait.
The current wave of conflict began in the early hours of Saturday, February 28, when Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Tehran and other Iranian cities. President Donald Trump He claimed The strikes aim to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” Iran retaliated almost immediately, striking Israel and other countries hosting US military bases — a rapid escalation that came despite renewed diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran in February over Iran’s long-running nuclear program.