BEIRUT: Israeli forces carried out extensive air raids across Lebanon, including strikes in the capital Beirut, early Monday after the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched rockets and drones towards Israel.
The attack was described as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in recent US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. Multiple explosions were heard across Beirut overnight, according to witnesses.
The Israeli military confirmed it had begun targeting Hezbollah sites throughout Lebanon, stating that senior members of the group were among those hit in Beirut and southern regions.
The escalation followed Hezbollah’s claim of responsibility for rocket and drone fire into northern Israel – its first acknowledged attack since a ceasefire reached in November 2024 after more than a year of hostilities between the two sides. Israeli officials reported that several projectiles landed in open areas without causing casualties.
Soon after the rocket launches, Israel issued evacuation warnings for residents in around 50 towns and villages in southern and eastern Lebanon, areas considered Hezbollah strongholds. The Israeli army urged civilians to move at least one kilometre away from their homes for safety.
According to AFP, scenes of panic unfolded in parts of Lebanon as families fled in vehicles loaded with belongings. Major traffic jams were reported in Beirut’s southern suburbs and along coastal routes near Sidon, with thousands seeking safer areas. The government released a list of public schools designated to shelter displaced residents.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the rocket attacks from Lebanese territory, calling them reckless and warning they could expose the country to further Israeli retaliation. He announced an emergency meeting to assess the situation and pledged action against those responsible.
President Joseph Aoun also cautioned that cross-border attacks risk dragging Lebanon into a broader regional confrontation, while denouncing Israel’s air strikes on Lebanese soil.
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said Hezbollah would bear responsibility for any further escalation, accusing the group of initiating the latest round of violence.
The renewed clashes come amid a wider regional crisis sparked by large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which were followed by missile and drone attacks from Tehran targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting American military bases. Lebanese authorities have repeatedly expressed their desire to keep the country out of the expanding conflict.
