Iran’s response to Beirut attack will be ‘painful’, warns Iranian MP | World | News
Iran’s response to Beirut attack will be “painful”, an Iranian MP has warned after Israel launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Ebrahim Rezaei issued the threat in a post on X after the Israeli military said it had targeted infrastructure belonging to the Iran-backed group in Dahiyeh, an area of the Lebanese capital considered a Hezbollah stronghold.
The MP wrote: “We will deliver a decisive and painful response to the Zionist regime’s attack on Dahiyeh. These rabid dogs must be disciplined and put back in their place. Look at the sky over the occupied lands tonight.” His comments came as fears mounted of a fresh escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has continued despite a ceasefire announced by the United States in April. The Israeli military said it carried out the strikes after projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel. In a joint statement with Defence Minister Israel Katz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs had been ordered in response to Hezbollah launching fire into Israeli territory.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported that two people were killed and 11 others injured in the strikes. Reuters said it could not independently verify the casualties or establish whether those killed were Hezbollah members.
Israel had largely suspended attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs following a US-brokered ceasefire announced on April 16, although clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued in southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters, residents who had returned to Dahiyeh in recent weeks were once again fleeing the area over fears of a wider military campaign.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military said it intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon after air raid sirens sounded in the northern communities of Yiftah and Ramot Naftali.
While Hezbollah announced several operations against Israeli troops inside Lebanon, the group did not claim responsibility for the cross-border launches.
Israel had warned last week that it would strike Beirut’s southern suburbs if Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel. Hezbollah responded by saying it would not adhere to what it described as a “partial” ceasefire and instead wanted a complete end to hostilities.
The group launched rockets at an Israeli position across the border on June 3, but Israel did not target Dahiyeh in response.
The Israeli military also issued evacuation notices to residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and surrounding areas ahead of potential further strikes.
Iran, Hezbollah’s main regional ally, has previously warned that it would retaliate if Israel attacked the Lebanese capital. Tehran has also made a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a condition for any broader peace agreement with the United States.
Meanwhile, the US has said it wants negotiations over a Lebanon ceasefire to remain separate from its discussions with Iran. Washington last week unveiled another ceasefire framework following talks with Israel and Lebanon, but Hezbollah rejected the proposal.
The Iran-backed group has insisted that Israel must end its attacks and withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon.
