Israel Vows Retaliation Against Attacks with Strikes on Southern Beirut Suburb

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz declared on Monday that the Israeli military will persist in its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, dismissing Iran's warning of renewed attacks on Israel if Lebanon is targeted.

Katz stated, "The Israeli army will continue to operate in Lebanon against the Hezbollah organization," adding that it would strike the southern Beirut suburb in retaliation for any assault on northern Israel, according to the news agency Agence France-Presse.

Earlier on Monday, Iran announced a halt to its operations against Israel but cautioned that "if the aggression and hostile actions continue, including in southern Lebanon, more severe measures than before will be taken."

Meanwhile, Israel maintained its air raids over southern Lebanon on Monday, including an attack on a vehicle in the city of Tyre, as reported by the official National News Agency. This occurred amid an exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel before Tehran declared a cessation of its actions.

Following its announcement to stop strikes, Iran warned Israel against continuing "aggression," specifically mentioning southern Lebanon.

The official agency reported that Israeli airstrikes since Monday morning targeted more than 15 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, including areas around the coastal city of Tyre. The Lebanese Ministry of Health had not yet reported any casualty figures.

The agency also noted that an Israeli strike hit a vehicle in Tyre, which had suffered damage to an archaeological site during Sunday’s raids, according to a culture ministry official who spoke to Agence France-Presse.

An AFP photographer witnessed flames erupting from a car on a coastal road in Tyre, where a crowd of residents gathered and an ambulance arrived at the scene of the strike.

Hezbollah announced that it attacked Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Monday but did not claim responsibility for any attacks on northern Israel.

The Israeli military reported that three projectiles were fired "towards Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon," with an additional projectile landing near the troops without causing injuries.

On the same day, the Iranian armed forces declared a halt to their strikes on Israel after launching missiles at the Israeli state in response to an Israeli air raid targeting the southern Beirut suburb, Hezbollah’s stronghold, on Sunday.

Israel responded with airstrikes it described as targeting "military objectives" in Iran, marking an unprecedented escalation between the two sides since the ceasefire declared on April 8.

The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, Iran’s central operations room, stated that Tehran executed a "painful response" to the Israeli raids earlier on Monday and announced the "cessation of the armed forces’ operation" following this action.

At the same time, the Iranian military leadership emphasized that "if the aggression and hostile acts continue, including in southern Lebanon, more severe measures than before will be taken."

Iran insists that a ceasefire in Lebanon be part of any understanding it seeks with Washington, while Israel prefers to separate the two issues.

On Sunday, Israel conducted an air raid on the southern Beirut suburb that resulted in two deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Israel said the strike was in response to Hezbollah attacking its territory shortly after the Israeli army intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon.

The Iranian armed forces leadership condemned Israel for "crossing all red lines" by striking the southern Beirut suburb, stressing the necessity to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

This was the first strike on the suburb since a new ceasefire agreement was announced between Israel and Lebanon following talks between government envoys in Washington last week.

The agreement is conditional on Hezbollah ceasing its attacks, which it claims are retaliation for Israel’s continued occupation of lands, ground advances in the south, and air raids.

The United States announced for the first time a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel effective from April 17, but it has not changed the situation on the ground. Hezbollah and Israel exchange daily accusations of violations.

Israel has ceased its war with Iran but continues military operations against Lebanon.