Israel-Lebanon: Strikes After Hezbollah Attacks

Israel has launched new air strikes targeting Tehran and expanded its military campaign to include attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, as U.S. President Donald Trump indicated the military assault on Iranian targets could continue for weeks.

Escalation of Conflict

Israel said it was attacking sites connected to Hezbollah, one of Tehran’s principal allies, after the group acknowledged launching missiles and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israeli air strikes targeted the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, resulting in over a dozen explosions. The Israeli military also reported striking senior Hezbollah militants near Beirut.

The attacks, following a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024, are widening the conflict that began after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, causing oil prices to surge and disrupting air travel.

Israel’s military stated Hezbollah is “fully responsible for any escalation” and warned residents of dozens of villages in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate. Air raid sirens were triggered across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, warning of a fresh Iranian attack shortly after 7am local time (5am Irish time).

Iran’s state media reported a new wave of missiles being launched from central parts of Iran toward “enemy locations.” The Israeli military claimed late the previous night that its air force had established aerial superiority over Tehran, with strikes targeting intelligence, security, and military command centres.

Explosions were heard in Tehran, according to state media, while Reuters witnesses reported loud blasts in Dubai and Doha.

Kuwait’s air defences intercepted hostile drones, marking a third consecutive day of Iranian retaliatory strikes on neighbouring Gulf states. A suspected drone strike hit Britain’s RAF base Akrotiri in Cyprus overnight, causing limited damage and no casualties, according to Cypriot authorities and the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

Trump Administration Response

A senior White House official stated that while President Trump would eventually speak with new potential leadership in Iran, the military campaign would continue. The official did not identify any individuals as part of the new leadership. President Trump said potential Iranian leaders have indicated a willingness to talk, but “Operation Epic Fury continues unabated.”

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian announced a leadership council composed of himself, the judiciary head, and a member of the powerful Guardian Council had temporarily assumed the duties of Supreme Leader.

Ali Larijani, an advisor to the late Khamenei, stated Iran would not negotiate with President Trump, calling his ambitions “delusional” and expressing concern over US casualties.

The first US casualties of the campaign, the deaths of three service personnel, were confirmed. Two US officials, speaking anonymously, said the service members were killed on a base in Kuwait. President Trump paid tribute to the deceased as “true American patriots” but warned of likely further casualties, stating, “That’s the way it is.”

The extended military campaign poses a political risk for the Republican party ahead of US midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated only around one in four Americans approve of the operation.

In a video, President Trump vowed military strikes on Iran would continue until “all our objectives are achieved,” without providing specifics. He claimed the assault had destroyed nine Iranian navy ships and a naval building, and wiped out Iran’s military command.

The US military reported striking more than 1,000 Iranian targets since major combat operations began on Saturday.

President Trump called on Iran’s military and police, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, to stop fighting, promising immunity for those who surrender and threatening “certain death” for those who resist. He also urged the Iranian people to revolt against the government, stating, “America is with you.”

President Trump indicated the military campaign against Iran could continue for at least four weeks. Following Khamenei’s death, Iran faces a power vacuum, though the Trump administration has not outlined longer-term aims for the country.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have hit three US and UK oil tankers in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, and attacked military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain with drones and missiles. Shipping data showed hundreds of vessels, including oil and gas tankers, dropping anchor in nearby waters, anticipating sharp increases in crude oil prices.

Global air travel was heavily disrupted as air strikes kept major Middle Eastern airports closed, including Dubai, the world’s busiest international hub, resulting in one of the biggest aviation interruptions in recent years. Asian airline shares plunged, with some major carriers down more than 5%.

Experts suggest that while the deaths of Khamenei and other Iranian leaders would deal Iran a major blow, it would not necessarily end Iran’s clerical rule or the influence of the Revolutionary Guards. It remains unclear how the Iranian people will respond to the changes, but analysis of Iranian social media suggests the public is already looking beyond Khamenei for his replacement.