The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for targeting an Israeli military site south of Haifa with rockets and drones.
In a statement released early Monday, Hezbollah said it launched a salvo of advanced rockets and a swarm of drones on Sunday night. The group described the attack as retaliation following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during large-scale U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran on Saturday morning.
The Israel Defense Forces had earlier reported that air-raid sirens were activated across several areas in northern Israel overnight after projectiles were fired from Lebanon. In response, the Israeli military said it began striking Hezbollah positions across Lebanon, vowing to prevent the group from posing a threat to Israel or harming civilians.
Eyewitnesses reported that at least 10 strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, shaking large parts of the Lebanese capital.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government would not allow the country to be drawn into further escalation. He pledged that authorities would take necessary measures to stop those responsible and safeguard the Lebanese people.
Following the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, Hezbollah had expressed solidarity with Tehran. The group, which is backed by Iran, remains one of the most powerful non-state armed actors in the region, despite being significantly weakened in its recent conflict with Israel.