BEIRUT, March 2 — Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
More than a dozen explosions rocked Beirut, witnesses said, in the most intensive strikes on the southern suburbs since a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024.
Lebanese security sources said airstrikes hit several areas of the southern suburbs.
The Israeli military said it had begun striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon and held Hezbollah responsible.
"Hezbollah opened a campaign against Israel overnight, and is fully responsible for any escalation," Israeli Chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, said in a statement.
The projectiles launched by Hezbollah were the first since the start of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Israel also carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, the Lebanese security sources said.
Hezbollah said it launched the attack against Israel in response to Israel killing Khamenei and continuous Israeli violations against Lebanon.
"The resistance leadership has always emphasised that the continuation of Israeli attacks and the assassination of our leaders, youth, and people gives us the right to defend ourselves and respond at the appropriate time and place," Hezbollah said in a statement.
"The IDF will operate against Hezbollah’s decision to join the campaign, and will not enable the organization to constitute a threat to the State of Israel," the Israeli military said.
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