Israel carried out massive airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday, after ordering an unprecedented evacuation of the entire area. This represents a significant expansion of the conflict against Iran, launched a week ago jointly with the United States, reports "Reuters".
The Israeli army said it had carried out 26 waves of airstrikes overnight against command centers and weapons depots of Hezbollah, the Shiite organization, an ally of Iran and a key factor in Lebanese politics since the 1980s.
Explosions lit up the sky over Beirut's southern neighborhoods, where hundreds of thousands of people live. Many residents fled their homes and spent the night on the streets or on the beach. "We are sleeping on the street - some in our cars, some on the ground. No one even brought us a blanket", said local resident Jamal Seyfeddin.
In parallel with the operation in Lebanon, Israel has launched a new series of airstrikes against targets in Iran. The Israeli military said that about 50 warplanes attacked a bunker under the Tehran compound of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which they said was still being used by the Iranian leadership.
Explosions were heard in Israel itself during the night after air defense systems were activated against new Iranian attacks. Meanwhile, Iranian drones attacked the US Al Udeid base in Qatar - the largest US military facility in the Middle East. According to Qatari authorities, there were no casualties.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that several countries had begun mediation efforts to end the conflict. "We are committed to lasting peace in the region, but we will not hesitate to defend the dignity and sovereignty of the country", he wrote on the social network X.
At the same time, US President Donald Trump made one of his sharpest statements since the beginning of the war, saying that Washington should have the right to participate in the selection of Khamenei's successor. "We will have to choose this person together with Iran," Trump said in an interview with "Reuters".
Israel openly states that its goal is to overthrow the current government in Tehran. Washington formally states that its main goal is to limit Iran's ability to project military power beyond its borders, while calling on Iranians to rise up against the regime.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, at least 1,230 people have died in Iran since the start of hostilities a week ago. In Lebanon, authorities reported 123 dead and 683 wounded in Israeli strikes, while Iranian attacks have killed at least 10 people in Israel.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh described the conflict as an "existential war" for the country and said Tehran would attack any location from which strikes were launched against it.
Trump also encouraged Kurdish forces based in Iraq to launch attacks on Iran, a move that could open a new ground front in the conflict. According to sources, Iranian Kurdish groups have already discussed the possibility of such action with American officials.