\nIsrael, Strikes, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Killed<\/span>
\nIsrael Strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon: 31 Killed as Iran Conflict Spreads to New Front.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n The assassination of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/strong> in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike has not only ignited direct warfare between Iran and the U.S.-Israel coalition but has rapidly drawn in one of Tehran\u2019s most powerful regional proxies: Hezbollah<\/strong> in Lebanon. On March 2, 2026\u2014the third day of the escalating conflict\u2014Hezbollah launched missile and drone attacks on Israel in explicit retaliation for Khamenei\u2019s killing, prompting immediate and heavy Israeli counterstrikes on Lebanese territory. The exchanges have killed at least 31 people<\/strong> and injured 149<\/strong> in Lebanon, according to the country\u2019s Health Ministry and state news agency, marking a dangerous new front in what is fast becoming a multi-nation regional war.<\/p>\n Hezbollah\u2019s Entry: Revenge for the \u201cMartyrdom\u201d of Khamenei<\/strong><\/p>\n Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite militant group and political force in Lebanon, had remained largely on the sidelines during the initial days of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began February 28, 2026. While the group issued strong condemnations\u2014calling the assassination \u201cthe height of criminality\u201d and mourning Khamenei as \u201cour guardian, our leader, the leader of the Nation\u201d\u2014no direct military action against Israel or U.S. assets occurred until early March 2.<\/p>\n In a statement released overnight, Hezbollah\u2019s leadership, under Secretary-General Naim Qassem<\/strong> (who succeeded Hassan Nasrallah after his 2024 death), explicitly linked their attacks to Khamenei\u2019s death. The group launched a barrage of precision missiles<\/strong> and a swarm of drones<\/strong> targeting an Israeli missile defense site near Haifa (Mishmar al-Karmel) and other northern Israeli locations. Hezbollah described the operation as \u201crevenge for the blood of the Supreme Leader of the Muslims, Ali Khamenei,\u201d while also framing it as defense of Lebanon and response to \u201crepeated Israeli aggressions.\u201d<\/p>\n Thousands of Hezbollah supporters had gathered in Beirut the previous day (March 1) for mourning vigils, chanting \u201cDeath to America, Death to Israel\u201d and holding portraits of Khamenei. Analysts note that the group\u2019s entry may stem from both ideological loyalty to Iran\u2014its primary backer and arms supplier\u2014and existential concerns: fearing that a weakened or distracted Iran could leave Hezbollah vulnerable to a full-scale Israeli offensive.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s Swift and Overwhelming Response<\/strong><\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded almost immediately, launching waves of airstrikes across Lebanon. Targets included:<\/p>\n Israeli officials described the strikes as precise operations against Hezbollah military assets, command centers, and launch sites used in the initial attacks. The IDF warned residents of approximately 50 towns and villages<\/strong> in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate to open areas, signaling potential for expanded operations.<\/p>\n Lebanese sources reported heavy explosions in Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs, with preliminary casualty figures from the Health Ministry and National News Agency (NNA) confirming 31 dead<\/strong> and 149 injured<\/strong>. Numbers were described as preliminary and likely to rise. No immediate reports of Israeli casualties or significant damage from Hezbollah\u2019s barrage emerged, though sirens blared across northern Israel.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military chief of staff warned that the conflict could be prolonged, emphasizing that Hezbollah had \u201cjoined the campaign\u201d alongside Iran and was \u201cdestroying Lebanon\u201d through its actions.<\/p>\n Broader Context: A Widening Multi-Front War<\/strong><\/p>\n This Lebanon front represents a critical escalation in the U.S.-Israel operation against Iran, which has already seen:<\/p>\n Hezbollah\u2019s involvement opens a northern theater for Israel, stretching its resources amid ongoing strikes in Iran. The group, once considered Iran\u2019s most capable proxy with an arsenal of tens of thousands of rockets, has been significantly degraded in prior conflicts (notably 2024 clashes), but retains substantial capability to inflict damage.<\/p>\n Lebanese Prime Minister condemned Hezbollah\u2019s actions as \u201cirresponsible,\u201d highlighting the risk of dragging Lebanon\u2014already economically fragile\u2014into another devastating war. International calls for restraint have intensified, but with Iran\u2019s interim leadership vowing continued retaliation and no signs of de-escalation, the risk of a full-scale regional conflagration grows.<\/p>\n Implications and What Lies Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n The strikes underscore the interconnectedness of Iran\u2019s \u201cAxis of Resistance.\u201d With Khamenei\u2019s death creating a leadership vacuum in Tehran, proxies like Hezbollah may act more independently\u2014or desperately\u2014to preserve influence and deter further Israeli\/U.S. advances.<\/p>\n For Israel, maintaining air superiority while managing multiple fronts (Iran direct, Hezbollah in Lebanon, potential militia actions in Syria\/Iraq) poses major challenges. Analysts warn that sustained Hezbollah involvement could lead to months of attrition warfare, civilian suffering in Lebanon, and broader instability.<\/p>\n As Day 3 unfolds, the world watches a conflict that began with a decapitation strike on Iran\u2019s supreme leader spiral into something far larger and more unpredictable.<\/p>\n By Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com<\/em> Stay tuned for live updates as this fast-moving story develops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The assassination of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike has not only ignited direct warfare between Iran and th<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[830,845,643,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-israel","category-more-articles","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6482"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22284,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6482\/revisions\/22284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1977\/2026\/03\/IMG_3371.jpeg\")
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March 2, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n