Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed Monday it fired advanced rockets and drones at an Israeli military installation south of Haifa, framing the assault as retribution for the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.
The attack triggered air raid sirens across northern Israel, with the Israeli army confirming incoming projectiles from Lebanon and launching counterstrikes on Hezbollah positions.
Witnesses in Beirut reported at least 10 explosions in the city’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, amid the escalating cross-border fire.
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shia organisation, vowed solidarity with Tehran following the strikes that purportedly claimed Khamenei’s life. The group described the Haifa operation as part of its “Khamenei revenge” campaign.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the violence, stating: “We will not allow the country to be dragged into new adventures, and we will take all necessary measures to stop the perpetrators and protect the Lebanese people.”
Israel’s military pledged to neutralise any threats, but provided no immediate casualty figures from the exchanges.
Neither side reported deaths from the latest skirmish, though the incident heightens fears of a wider regional conflict.
Officials in Beirut and Jerusalem offered no further comment on potential escalations.
