Israel expanded its military campaign to include attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon on March 2, as U.S. President Donald Trump signalled the U.S.-Israeli military assault on Iranian targets could continue for weeks, Reuters reported.
Israel said it was attacking sites connected to Lebanon’s Shi’ite Muslim armed group Hezbollah, one of Tehran’s principal allies in the Middle East, after Hezbollah acknowledged launching missiles and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli military said it intercepted a projectile launched from Lebanon, while others landed in open areas of the country.Israel carried out air strikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, with more than a dozen explosions rocking the Lebanese capital. Israel said it also struck senior Hezbollah militants near Beirut.
Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024 after more than a year of fighting that left Hezbollah severely weakened.
The Hezbollah and Israel tit-for-tat attacks widen the conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, sending oil prices soaring and snarling air travel.
Lebanon’s presidency said it had been told by the U.S. ambassador that Israel would not escalate against Lebanon as long as there are no hostile acts from the Lebanese side.