The Israel Defense Forces began attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon after the Iran-backed terror group fired rockets at northern Israel in the early hours of Monday morning. The rocket attack was the first since a November 2024 ceasefire took effect.

“The IDF is now vigorously attacking targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation throughout Lebanon in response to the launches launched at the State of Israel. The Hezbollah terrorist organisation, operating under the auspices of the Iranian terrorist regime, opened fire against the State of Israel and its citizens,” the military said.

Photo by TPS-IL on 2 March, 2026

“The IDF will act against the decision of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation to join the campaign and will not allow the organisation to pose a threat to the State of Israel and harm the residents of the north. The Hezbollah terrorist organisation is destroying the State of Lebanon; the responsibility for the escalation lies with it, and the IDF will respond forcefully to this harm,” the IDF added.

Targets included what the IDF called “senior Hezbollah terrorists in the Beirut area”.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the overnight rocket fire, calling it “revenge for the blood of the Supreme Leader of the Muslims, Ali Khamenei.” Khameini was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran on Saturday. Hezbollah said it targeted a missile defense site in the Haifa area as a “warning” to Israel.

The IDF it intercepted one rocket fired from Lebanon, while several others fell harmlessly in open areas. No injuries or damage were reported from the attack.

Following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah began daily rocket attacks on northern Israeli communities, prompting thousands of residents to flee. Since November 2024, Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes against Hezbollah activities in violation of the ceasefire.

The IDF reported killing around 380 Hezbollah operatives and striking roughly 950 to 1,000 targets in 2025. These included launchers, weapons depots, military structures, and underground shafts. The IDF also accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire about 1,920 times during the year.

The ceasefire requires Hezbollah to withdraw its armed forces from southern Lebanon and prohibits it from operating south of the Litani River.

From JNS