IDF Strikes Hezbollah Headquarters in Beirut; Iran Threatens to Respond
The IDF struck a Hezbollah headquarters in the Dahieh suburb of Beirut today (Sunday). Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz said the strike was carried out "in response to Hezbollah firing at our territory." Iran threatened to respond to the operation overnight, saying: "The attack will not remain without a response." Heavy damage was caused to buildings in Dahieh, and the Lebanese Health Ministry reported two killed and more than ten wounded. In Lebanon, reports said the strike was carried out with three bombs dropped on two apartments in a building in the Al-Marijeh neighborhood. Israel confirmed that the target of the strike in Dahieh was a headquarters, and not an operation against specific figures in terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya reported that the headquarters that was hit contained a planning center for attacks on Israeli areas.
The strike in Beirut was carried out despite the official ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which was brokered by the United States. According to the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, Israel informed the United States in advance about the strike. "U.S. bases and assets in the region are legitimate targets," Iran threatened in response to the attack in the Lebanese capital. At the emergency headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, it was also said that "the attack will not remain without a response." The Iranian news agency Mehr reported that a member of the National Security Committee in the Iranian parliament, Ebrahim Rezaei, said that Israel and the United States "are not trustworthy." According to him, the Israeli strike hours after progress in talks in Washington on a ceasefire in Lebanon proves that Lebanon should not cling to the "rotten rope" of the United States and Israel. He added that Iran is closely following developments in Lebanon and will act politically, diplomatically or militarily if it sees fit.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Qalibaf also issued a threat after the strike in Beirut: "They [Israel] are not committed to the ceasefire and do not believe in dialogue either. The naval blockade and the violation of agreements in Lebanon prove that they understand only the language of force. The naval blockade against the Iranian nation and America's green light to the Zionist regime make the bases and assets of America and the Zionist regime in the region legitimate targets." Despite Iran's threats, the Home Front Command did not change its defense policy, and the measures will remain in effect until tomorrow evening. Prime Minister Netanyahu held a limited security consultation amid Tehran's threats. The assessment on the matter was set after Qalibaf's public threats.
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