Israel launched extensive strikes against the southern suburbs of Beirut hours after ordering the area’s entire population – more than 500,000 people – to evacuate immediately. The strikes marked a significant escalation in Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, which began after Hezbollah fired missiles and drones into Israel on Monday.
Evacuation and Initial Strikes
The Israel Defense Forces told residents of the area to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” prompting a mass exodus from the Lebanese capital. The evacuation order covered several hospitals and government ministries. Footage on Thursday evening showed smoke billowing over the Dahiya neighborhood. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said the strikes would make the Beirut suburb “look like [Gaza’s] Khan Younis,” a section of southern Gaza that has been almost entirely destroyed by Israeli bombs.
Regional Escalation
On Thursday, Tehran launched retaliatory airstrikes against Israel and US bases across the region. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth promised further escalation, stating, “If you think you’ve seen something, just wait.” At least 102 people have been killed and 638 injured in Lebanon by Israeli airstrikes, according to Lebanon’s ministry of health, prior to Thursday night’s bombardment. The conflict, now in its sixth day, has also killed at least 1,230 people in Iran and about a dozen people in Israel. Six US soldiers have been killed.
Trump’s Involvement and Claims
Donald Trump said members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) would be given immunity if they disarmed, otherwise facing “guaranteed death.” He extended the offer to Iran’s military and police. Trump also claimed he should be involved in choosing Iran’s next supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in a US-Israeli airstrike. He deemed Mojtaba Khamenei, the late supreme leader’s son, an “unacceptable” choice, stating a desire to be involved in the selection process to avoid future issues.
Further Attacks and Responses
Iran expanded its campaign of strikes, firing ballistic missiles towards Israel and striking an airport in Azerbaijan, raising fears of wider conflict. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the decision to assassinate Khamenei was made in November, predating the breakdown in nuclear negotiations. Katz also stated that Khamenei’s successors would be “unequivocal targets for elimination.”
Sri Lanka’s navy recovered at least 87 bodies after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, on Wednesday, rescuing 32 sailors. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, denounced the sinking as an “atrocity of sea,” warning of repercussions. A senior Iranian cleric called for the exacting of “Trump’s blood” on state TV.
Iran also targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, increasing strikes on Kurdish forces in both Iran and Iraq. These attacks occurred as the US and Israel reportedly advanced a plan to support thousands of Kurdish fighters for a potential ground operation in Iran.
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