Israel airstrikes hit Beirut after Hezbollah fires rockets, drones

KABUL (Pajhwok): Israeli jets carried out airstrikes on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, after Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks on a military base in Israel, media reports said on Monday.

Al Jazeera reported that the Iran-allied Lebanese armed group said early Monday that its attack was retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Hezbollah described the operation as being “in defence of Lebanon and its people” and “in response to the repeated Israeli aggressions.”

“The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the continuation of Israeli aggression and the assassination of our leaders, youth and people gives us the right to defend ourselves and respond at the appropriate time and place,” the group said in a statement, referring to near-daily Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Israel responded swiftly with airstrikes in southern Beirut. Local news outlets also reported Israeli attacks on several villages in southern Lebanon, as well as in the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country.

The Israeli military said it was “vigorously attacking Hezbollah” across Lebanon. It later stated that the strikes targeted “senior” Hezbollah members in the Beirut area and a “key” figure in southern Lebanon, without providing further details.

Israel also urged residents of more than 50 villages in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, including the town of Bint Jbeil, to evacuate their homes and remain at least 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) away from the targeted buildings.

Authorities in Beirut have appealed to the international community to pressure Israel to halt what they describe as ongoing violations, but their calls have so far yielded no results.

sa