Israel launches fresh attacks on Tehran and Beirut
What's the story
Israel has said it is conducting "simultaneous strikes in Tehran and Beirut." The strikes, the Israeli Air Force said, were targeting "military objectives" of the Iranian regime and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Earlier, the Israeli military claimed it had destroyed Iranian missile installations and air defenses designed to "target Israeli Air Force aircraft." Israeli jets "will continue to strike against attempts to arm missile launchers" as well as "live fire array sites, missile launchers, and ballistic missiles," according to the IDF.
Beirut
Israeli military troops 'operating in southern Lebanon'
The Israeli military said it is conducting operations in southern Lebanon as part of a "forward defense" strategy along the border. "We have positioned soldiers on the border area in additional points to defend our civilians, to prevent Hezbollah from attacking them," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said. "This is not a ground operation. This is a tactical measure... to ensure the safety of our people," he added.
Escalating conflict
Lebanese army withdrawing from advanced positions
According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, the Lebanese army is withdrawing from advanced positions along the Israeli border. The Israeli military has also issued forced displacement notices for 59 areas in Lebanon, including parts of Dahiyeh. These areas are traditionally home to more of the Shia population and considered a support base for Hezbollah.
Retaliatory strike
Hezbollah retaliates with drone attack on Israeli airbase
Hezbollah has retaliated by launching a drone attack on the Ramat David airbase in northern Israel. The group targeted radar sites and control rooms as part of its response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon. On Monday, Israeli strikes on Beirut's suburbs and southern Lebanon killed at least 52 people and injured 154 others. The air raids came after Hezbollah launched a salvo of missiles and drones at an Israeli military installation in the northern city of Haifa.
Government stance
Lebanese government calls Hezbollah's military activities illegal
The Lebanese government has declared Hezbollah's military activities illegal and called on security forces to prevent attacks from Lebanese territory. However, Hezbollah has rejected the ban, accusing the government of weakness in confronting Israel. "We understand the Lebanese government's impotence in the face of the brutal Zionist enemy, which violates national sovereignty, occupies land, and poses a continuous threat to the country's security and stability," it said, adding that it is the government's right "to decide on war and peace."