Tel Aviv: A senior Israeli general on Monday signalled an aggressive expansion of military operations in Lebanon, as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched wide-ranging strikes to counter a barrage of rockets and drones from the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Major General Rafi Milo, head of the IDF’s Northern Command, accused Hezbollah of abandoning Lebanese national interests in favour of Tehran’s agenda. The escalation follows Hezbollah’s first major intervention in the conflict since the U.S. and Israel initiated "Operation Epic Fury," a joint campaign that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.

"Hezbollah chose the Iranian regime over the State of Lebanon and initiated an attack on our civilians... they will pay a heavy price," Milo said in a statement released by the military. "The strikes continue, their intensity will increase."

Mass Evacuations Ordered

In anticipation of a sustained aerial offensive, the Israeli military issued urgent evacuation orders for residents in approximately 50 villages and towns across southern and eastern Lebanon.

An Israeli military spokesperson instructed civilians to immediately vacate their homes and move at least 1,000 meters (1,100 yards) away from their villages to open areas, citing the proximity of Hezbollah military assets.

  • Targeting Hezbollah Infrastructure: The IDF stated its jets are striking command centres, weapons storage facilities, and launch sites in the Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
  • Retaliatory Cycle: Hezbollah framed its overnight attacks on northern Israel, including a strike targeting a missile defence site near Haifa, as a "legitimate defensive response" to the assassination of Khamenei.
  • Humanitarian Impact: Witnesses reported gridlocked highways as thousands of residents fled the southern suburbs of Beirut and towns near Tyre, heading north to escape the intensifying bombardment.

With inputs from AFP