Israeli forces carried out heavy airstrikes on southern neighborhoods of Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday morning, targeting areas controlled by the group Hezbollah. The strikes followed attacks by Hezbollah using missiles and drones inside Israel.

The escalation comes after Hezbollah claimed that its attacks were in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint operations carried out by the United States and Israel.

Eyewitnesses in Beirut reported more than ten explosions in the southern district of Dahiyeh, a stronghold of Hezbollah. The Israeli military issued a statement saying it had begun targeting key Hezbollah-linked sites across Lebanon, accusing the group of being directly responsible for the renewed violence.

Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, warned that Hezbollah had opened a “campaign against Israel” and would face consequences for its actions.

Meanwhile, Lebanese security sources reported additional strikes in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Hezbollah, which maintains close ties with Tehran, stated that it has the right to defend itself against attacks targeting its leadership and supporters.

The Israeli military emphasized that it will not allow Hezbollah to pose a security threat to Israel and vowed to continue operations aimed at preventing the group from expanding conflict.

In 2024, Israel and Lebanon reached a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended a year-long conflict, significantly weakening Hezbollah’s operational capacity. However, both sides have since exchanged accusations regarding violations of the agreement.

The latest escalation adds to regional tensions in the Middle East, which has seen a surge in violence affecting multiple countries in recent months.