The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out a targeted strike on a senior Hezbollah operative in the Dahieh district of Beirut, as the military braces for continued fighting on multiple fronts and prepares for a limited reopening of Israeli airspace.
An IDF spokesperson said the strike targeted a senior Hezbollah terrorist in the southern Beirut stronghold. Lebanese media published footage from the scene in Dahieh, a known Hezbollah hub. Further details about the target were not immediately released.
Strikes in Lebanon
The strike came after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones toward Israel for the first time in roughly a year and a half, expanding the confrontation amid the ongoing fighting with Iran. The IDF responded with airstrikes in Lebanon.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price” for the fire toward Israel and declared that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem is now a marked target.
“The terrorist organization will pay a heavy price for the shooting toward Israel, and Naim Qassem, who decided on the fire under Iranian pressure, is from now on a target for elimination,” Katz said. “Whoever follows in Khamenei’s path will find himself alongside him in the depths of hell with the rest of the eliminated members of the axis of evil.”
Katz added that Israel would not return to the pre-October 7 rules of engagement and would defend northern residents and all Israeli civilians “with full force,” while continuing the main objective of the operation, described as crushing the Iranian terror regime and dismantling its capabilities.
IDF identifies changes in Iranian fire
Senior IDF officials said the military has identified changes in Iran’s launch patterns over the past 24 hours.
“In the last day we experienced fewer sirens, but somewhat larger barrages of 20 and 30 projectiles,” officials said, referring to the scale of the launches. “The regime is firing indiscriminately at anyone who fires at it.”
They added that Iran is attempting to coordinate across commands but faces difficulty synchronizing large, complex barrages of dozens of missiles. “We assume they are learning and will try to improve their performance. The enemy is looking at its successes yesterday in the Israeli home front and will seek to preserve them.”
After about nine hours of relative quiet overnight, missile fire from Iran resumed in the morning. Projectiles were intercepted in Israeli airspace.
Limited reopening of Ben Gurion Airport
Amid the evolving threat picture, the IDF said it is preparing for a limited reopening of Israeli airspace, subject to ongoing assessments.
“Regarding Ben Gurion Airport, we prepared for a very limited reopening and will conduct situation assessments,” officials said. “Toward the evening we intend to open the skies in a controlled and coordinated manner, in accordance with the security assessment. In the coming days there will be an acceleration in returning Israelis home.”
At the same time, the IDF said it is sharpening early warning procedures and continuing to respond forcefully to attacks.
Northern Command: No evacuations planned
Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, head of the IDF Northern Command, said there are no plans to evacuate additional communities in the north despite Hezbollah’s renewed fire.
Local authorities in northern communities were updated that the fighting could continue for several days.
In Lebanon, the IDF Arabic-language spokesperson urged residents who had evacuated their homes not to return, saying Israeli strikes are ongoing and warning that remaining in affected areas endangers lives.
As Hezbollah reenters the confrontation and Iran continues missile launches, Israeli officials have signaled that the campaign could broaden further, with both the Lebanese front and the Iranian arena remaining active.