Israel's military said it struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after the Iran-backed Shia group launched rockets and drones at the Israeli city of Haifa, claiming retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Lebanon's health ministry reported 31 people killed by Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence, and southern Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Hezbollah would pay a "heavy price," ordering the military to "act forcefully" against the group and declaring its leader Naim Qassem a "marked target for elimination."

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned Hezbollah's actions as "irresponsible" and said the government was immediately banning the group's military activities.

Hezbollah leader Qassem denounced Khamenei's assassination as "the height of crime" and stated the group would "undertake our duty of confronting the aggression" by Israel and the US.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said one projectile from Lebanon was intercepted and several others fell in open areas, with no casualties reported in Israel.

Hezbollah's military wing announced it launched "a barrage of rockets and a swarm of drones" at a missile defense site south of Haifa in retaliation for Khamenei's killing and "repeated Israeli aggressions" since a November 2024 ceasefire.

Israeli forces responded with air and naval strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahieh) and southern Lebanon. The IDF said the strikes targeted senior Hezbollah operatives, command centers, weapons stores, and "terrorist infrastructure," with reports of Hezbollah intelligence chief Hussein Meklad killed.

The IDF also ordered residents of over 50 southern and eastern villages to evacuate, warning of further strikes.

Source: www.bbc.com