The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is attacking Hezbollah targets in Beirut, and says it has deployed the 91st Regional Division deeper into southern Lebanon.
“The IDF completed a short time ago a wave of strikes targeting command centers, weapons storage facilities, and satellite communication components of the Hezbollah terror organization’s intelligence headquarters in the Beirut area, which were used under civilian cover,” the IDF said in a post on X on the morning of March 3.
It said the targets were chosen to prevent Hezbollah from carrying out “various terror plots” against IDF forces and Israeli civilians.
“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to reduce the chance of harm to civilians, including advance warnings, use of precision munitions, and aerial observations,” the IDF said.
Among the buildings that were hit was one in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of Beirut, which housed the studios of Al-Manar, a television channel closely allied with Hezbollah. The channel confirmed the attack.
Israeli Navy Kills Lebanon Corps Chief
The IDF said in a post on X that a strike on Monday by its navy had eliminated Rida Hazaa'i, who it said was chief of staff of the Lebanon Corps of the IRGC’s Quds Force, which works closely with Hezbollah.
The Lebanese Health Ministry says at least 52 people have been killed and 154 wounded since Monday.
Hezbollah published a statement on March 3 in which it said it fired rockets against what it called an Israeli occupation of military barracks and said it was a “legitimate act of self-defense.”
Hezbollah said it had repeatedly warned Israel that aggression without response cannot continue indefinitely.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the Lebanese army was evacuating “advanced positions” along the border with Israel.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had called on the informal Quintet committee of countries—the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt—to pressure Israel to stop its attacks in Lebanon, according to NNA.
On Tuesday morning, the IDF posted on its Telegram channel that it had “identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel.”
It said that defensive systems were operating to intercept the threat, and that the IDF’s Home Front Command had issued a “precautionary directive” to mobile phones in the relevant area.
Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the country has called up more than 100,000 IDF reservists since Saturday.
Defrin said Israel is keeping “all options on the table,” including a full invasion of Lebanon, and said “Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price.”
Iranian Leadership Complex Targeted
The IDF posted on X on Tuesday that it had struck what it described as the Iranian leadership complex in Tehran overnight.“The Air Force, with precise guidance from Military Intelligence, struck government security buildings within the leadership complex of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran overnight,” it said.
The IDF said the air strikes would deepen “the disruption to the operational continuity of the regime’s command and control systems.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview on Fox News’s ‘Hannity’ program, said, “We had to take the action now, and we did.”
But he also claimed Iran was rebuilding “new sites, new places” underground for making nuclear weapons, but did not go into detail or provide any proof.
“Operation Roar of the Lion will continue with full force for as long as required,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Tuesday.
