A strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, on March 2, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — The Israeli army warned Monday morning that it would “intensify” its strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“The strikes are continuing and their intensity will increase,” Northern Command chief Gen. Rafi Milo said.
Later, the army announced it was going “on the offensive” and preparing for several days of “fighting.” It is “not only on the defensive, but also on the offensive,” said Gen. Eyal Zamir, vowing to target “all terrorist leaders and factions” in the Middle East.
Around 6 p.m., the Israeli military said it had struck “more than 70 Hezbollah targets” in Lebanon, including “weapons depots, launch sites and launchers,” in what it described as a “major attack.”
About 10 local al-Qard al-Hassan branches hit
From 8 a.m., Israeli airstrikes intensified in southern Lebanon, particularly in the Sour district, which was the hardest hit. Strikes targeted Bazourieh, Tayr Filsey, Batoulieh, Tayr Debba, Halloussiyeh, Majadel, Mahrouna, Qana, Hosh, Siddiqine, Debaal, Bafley, Deir Amess, Arzoun, Maarakeh, Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South. Drone strikes also hit homes in Srifa and Aitat.
Al-Rissala Scouts, a medic association affiliated with the Amal Movement, announced the death of one of their members, Hussein Fares, in a strike on Wadi Jilo.
In the Bint Jbeil district, strikes hit Kounin, Sultanieh, Haddatha, Hanine and the town of Bint Jbeil.
In Marjayoun, Qantara, Majdal Selm and the border village of Houla were targeted.
Strikes hit Kfar Shuba and Kfar Hammam in the Hasbaya district and Arab Salimin in the Nabatieh district.
In Mais al-Jabal, in the Marjayoun district, the government hospital was fully evacuated after staff received Israeli warnings on their phones, the municipal council president confirmed. He said most residents had fled the village for fear of further bombardment.
In the northern Bekaa, several strikes were reported. One targeted Douris, in the Baalbeck district, behind a well-known restaurant.
Another hit Hawsh al-Rafiqa, also in Baalbeck, killing one person and injuring five others, according to our correspondent.
Beirut’s southern suburbs were also hit. After a strike around 11 a.m., the Israeli army claimed it had “precisely” targeted a “senior Hezbollah official.”
Around 2 p.m., the army issued 12 evacuation notices for areas in Beirut's southern suburbs, the Bekaa and south Lebanon, mainly near branches of al-Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah’s financial institution.
An hour later, a warning strike hit the southern suburbs, followed by at least five additional major strikes.
Based on information from our correspondents, the Israeli air force targeted about 10 local al-Qard al-Hassan branches in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa in less than an hour, after striking similar sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hezbollah intelligence chief killed
On the third day of the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran, Hezbollah said it launched “a barrage of missiles and a swarm of drones” at Israel overnight from Sunday to Monday in response to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Soon after, Israel issued evacuation notices for residents of 53 villages in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa were ordered to evacuate immediately, prompting thousands to flee, including from Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The Health Ministry reported a preliminary toll of 31 killed and 149 wounded: 20 killed and 91 wounded in the southern suburbs, and 11 killed and 51 wounded in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army said it “precisely and deliberately” targeted “prominent terrorist elements” of Hezbollah in the Beirut area, as well as a “key figure” in southern Lebanon. Later, it announced it had killed Hezbollah intelligence chief Hussein Moukalled in overnight strikes on the southern suburbs.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that Hezbollah would “pay dearly for its attacks on Israel” and that its secretary-general, Naim Qassem, “who decided to attack under pressure from Iran, is now a marked man.” According to comments reported by the newspaper Haaretz, Katz added that Qassem would “end up in the depths of hell like Ali Khamenei.”
Elsewhere, drones targeted British bases in Cyprus overnight. A Cypriot source cited by Reuters said indications were that they were launched by Hezbollah.
