Israel launches large-scale airstrikes on Tehran, Beirut

ISTANBUL

The Israeli army said Tuesday it launched simultaneous large-scale airstrikes on targets in Tehran and Beirut.

In a statement, the military said the Israeli Air Force carried out coordinated strikes on sites affiliated with the Iranian administration in Tehran and on positions belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon’s capital.

The announcement followed Israeli airstrikes early Monday on Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon that killed 31 people and injured 149 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Strikes continued throughout the day, targeting villages and towns in southern Lebanon as well as areas of Beirut.

Hezbollah said Monday it had targeted a military site in northern Israel with rockets and drones in response to ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and what it described as a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran.

The escalation came as the US and Israel continued a large-scale attack on Iran since Saturday, killing several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

In response, Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets.

*Writing by Merve Berker