The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the start of strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
“In response to Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory, the IDF is currently striking Hezbollah targets“, the IDF spokesman said in a statement. Earlier, the IDF reported the launch of several rockets from Lebanon against Israeli territory and the successful interception of one of them.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved plans for further operations and ordered preparations for continuous offensive and defensive actions. Following the attacks from Lebanon, Zamir said the IDF had prepared for such a scenario.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the overnight shelling of the outskirts of Haifa in northern Israel. In a statement, the organization's press service said the rockets fired at Israeli territory were in response to the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
“The Islamic Resistance fighters fired a volley of precision missiles and a swarm of drones at midnight from Sunday to Monday, March 2, 2026, against the Mishmar al-Karmel air defense system south of Haifa,“ the statement said. “The operation against the enemy forces was carried out in response to the bloodshed of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.“
Hezbollah also stressed that it reserves the right to “legitimate acts of self-defense“.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized the attack and will meet with Israel from Lebanon, saying it was an “irreversible move“.
“Someone fired rockets from southern Lebanon and committed an extremely irreversible act, which was a mistake and gave Israel a pretext to continue its aggression,“ Salam said, adding that he would take measures to protect the Lebanese people.
Southern Lebanese residents leave their homes and move to safer areas after the start of Israeli airstrikes strikes.
According to the Lebanon 24 news portal, convoys of vehicles are moving north along the highway from Tyre and Nabatieh.
The mass evacuation of residents began after reports of six rockets fired from southern Lebanon towards Israeli territory. Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman Ella Waweya blamed Hezbollah militants for the attack and threatened a harsh response.
The Israeli Air Force carried out an airstrike on the southern outskirts of Beirut overnight, hitting at least ten ground targets. There were no reports of casualties or injuries. According to Israeli Channel 12 television, the bombing of ground targets in Lebanon will continue for several days.