Israel orders residents of 53 Lebanese villages and towns to evacuate

The Israeli military has launched airstrikes across Lebanon after a major rocket attack by the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

According to reports by Reuters and Al Jazeera on Monday (March 2), Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah positions in several areas, including parts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

In a statement, the Israeli army said it was striking Hezbollah bases “across Lebanon” in response to rocket fire on northern Israel. It added that Hezbollah “will not be allowed to pose a threat to the State of Israel” and warned of a strong response to further attacks.

Explosions were reported in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut known as a Hezbollah stronghold. Israeli warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes in the area, Al Jazeera reported.

Earlier, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base in the Israeli city of Haifa, describing it as retaliation for the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Analysts warn that the escalating confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah could further widen the conflict in the Middle East.