The war spreads: Hezbollah joins the conflict and Israel responds by attacking Lebanon

BarcelonaTrump and Netanyahu's war against Iran has reignited the direct confrontation between Lebanon and Israel after more than a year of relative restraint. The Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, an Iranian ally, launched several projectiles at Israel early this morning. Shortly afterward, Tel Aviv responded with a wave of airstrikes that impacted southern Beirut neighborhoods. So far, Israel's response has left at least 31 dead and 149 wounded in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Israel has ordered the residents of nearly 50 Lebanese villages to evacuate their homes. The Israeli army chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, stated that Tel Aviv's armed forces not only "operate defensively" but "also go on the offensive," and that it is necessary "to prepare for long days of combat."

Hezbollah, for its part, argues that the attacks were a response to the assassination of Iran's top leader, Ali Khamenei, but also to Israel's continued bombing of Lebanon over the past two years despite the 2024 ceasefire agreement. Attacks on military installations in northern Israel.

Attacks beyond Lebanon

In the last few hours, the fallout from the confrontation between the US and Israel with Iran has continued to shake the region. Explosions have been heard in several Gulf cities, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama. Smoke has also been seen rising from the US embassy in Kuwait, where several US fighter jets crashed under friendly fire, though no pilots were killed.

In Cyprus, several explosions struck the UK military base at Akrotiri around midnight, a key location for military operations in the region. Hours earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had authorized the US to use British bases for punitive operations, and France, Germany, and the United Kingdom warned Iran of "defensive actions".