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The Lebanese government had previously stated it would not allow the country to be dragged into war.
The militant group Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel from Lebanese territory, saying the attack was retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It marks the first such strike since a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, brokered by the United States, came into force in November 2024. Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces carried out strikes across Lebanon, including in the capital, Beirut.
Hezbollah said the rocket fire was “revenge for the blood of the Muslims’ supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.” The group claimed it targeted a missile defense site south of Haifa. The Israeli military said it intercepted one rocket launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel, while several others were allowed to fall in open areas. No casualties or damage were immediately reported. Confirming Hezbollah was behind the attack, the IDF said it would not allow the group to threaten the State of Israel or harm residents of the north.
“The terrorist organization Hezbollah is destroying Lebanon, and the responsibility for the escalation lies with it,” the military said, promising a decisive response. According to The Times of Israel, Hezbollah described the rocket attack as a “warning” to Israel to withdraw troops from what it called occupied Lebanese territory — referring to five border outposts the IDF continues to hold for security reasons despite the 2024 ceasefire agreement requiring Israel to leave the area.
“We will fulfill our duty to confront aggression,” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said, adding that the movement would not abandon the “field of honor and resistance.” After the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Saturday, the government in Beirut — which has been seeking to disarm Hezbollah — said it would not allow anyone to drag Lebanon into a war.
