Jerusalem: The Israeli military launched a sweeping wave of airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, signalling a major escalation in the regional conflict after the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah opened fire on northern Israel.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the offensive in a statement, noting that the strikes were a direct "response to Hezbollah's projectile fire toward the State of Israel." The military added that it has "begun striking targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation across Lebanon" to neutralise the threat.

Hezbollah Joins the Fray

Hezbollah, the most powerful of Tehran’s regional allies, announced early Monday that it had launched "a barrage of missiles and a swarm of drones" at Israel. The group characterised the attack as its first major intervention since the U.S. and Israel began their "Epic Fury" campaign against Iran on Saturday.

In a formal statement, the group said it acted "in retaliation for the pure blood of... Ayatollah Imam Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Khamenei... and in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the repeated Israeli attacks."

A Fragile Truce Collapses

Hezbollah’s leadership had initially been uncommittal following Khamenei’s death, but issued a call for mobilisation on Sunday evening as mourning ceremonies were held in Beirut's southern suburbs. Israeli air defences intercepted several projectiles over northern Galilee on Monday morning, while others fell in uninhabited areas. The IDF stated it will "not allow the organisation to pose a threat" and warned that the responsibility for the escalation rests entirely with the "terrorist organisation Hezbollah."

The escalation comes as President Donald Trump projected the conflict could last "around four weeks" and urged the Iranian people to reclaim their country.

Escalation Across Lebanon

Witnesses reported massive explosions in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, regions traditionally used by Hezbollah for its missile infrastructure. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who has repeatedly sought to keep his country out of the broadening war, faced immediate domestic pressure as the IDF's "large-scale strikes" began hitting targets "across Lebanon."

With inputs from AFP