31 Dead In Strike On Lebanon, Israel Says "Ready For Multi-Front Scenario"

Israel targeted Hezbollah leadership in Beirut Monday after the Tehran-backed group's overnight missile response to the assassination of Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Israeli military said it had killed a senior Hezbollah operative in strikes on the Lebanese capital and the country's Defence Minister Israel Katz had 'marked' the group's chief, Naim Qassem.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said 31 people had been killed and 149 wounded.

Shortly after the strikes Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said his administration will ban Hezbollah's "illegal" military activities and demand the group should hand over its weapons.

In a lengthy statement on X the Israel Defence Force said: "IDF is currently attacking in parallel in Lebanon and Iran. During the night the IDF completed a wave of extensive strikes in Lebanon following the launches fired from Lebanese territory toward the territory of the State of Israel."

צה"ל תוקף גם כעת במקביל בלבנון ובאיראן:

צה"ל השלים במהלך הלילה גל תקיפות נרחב בלבנון בעקבות השיגורים שנורו משטח לבנון לעבר שטח מדינת ישראל.

במסגרת התקיפות, צה"ל תקף באופן ממוקד, מפקדים בכירים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב ביירות.

במקביל לתקיפות המפקדים, חיל האוויר וחיל הים תקפו…

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 2, 2026

"In parallel, the Air Force and Navy, guided by military intelligence and the Northern Command, struck dozens of headquarters across Lebanon, including headquarters of the Iranian terrorist regime and the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut."

The attacked sites were used by the "Iranian terrorist regime to deepen ties with the Hezbollah terrorist organisation... thereby enabling terrorist organisations to operate numerous terrorist cells against the citizens of the State of Israel over the years", the IDF declared.

Israeli military underlined its intention to continue operating a two-front military conflict, holding itself prepared for a "multi-arena scenario confronting any threat to the State of Israel".

Earlier today the Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack - its first on Israel since the November 2024 ceasefire - and said it had fired rockets and drones "in retaliation for the pure blood of... Ayatollah Imam Sayyid Ali al-Husseini Khamenei... and in defence of Lebanon and its people..."

Israel did not report deaths or injuries, or damage to property.