LIVE Heavy explosions in Beirut in the early hours of the morning / Israel bombs suburbs controlled by Hezbollah / Trump announces retaliation against Iran after the killing of US soldiers
Columns of smoke rise above the Dahiyeh neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut following Israeli airstrikes launched Monday morning, March 2, 2026. Credit line: Hussein Malla / AP / Profimedia
The third day of conflict in the Middle East brought heavy explosions in Beirut after Israel ordered the evacuation of 50 Lebanese villages in response to Hezbollah attacks with “swarms of drones”. While Iran and Israel are already reporting hundreds of casualties, Donald Trump has announced that military operations will continue until all targets are reached. This massive escalation has already sent shockwaves through oil markets and led to the activation of British bases in Cyprus, according to the BBC, CNN and The Guardian.
On Monday morning, shortly after 03:00 local time, the Israeli military struck Hezbollah targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The offensive was launched after the Iran-backed group attacked a defense base in northern Israel.
In this context, the Israeli forces demanded the immediate evacuation of the inhabitants of more than 50 villages and towns in Lebanon. “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move at least 1,000 meters away from villages in open areas,” the official warning said. “Anyone who is near Hezbollah members, its installations or military bases is putting their lives at risk.”
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the initial attack, saying it was acting in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which it described as “a legitimate act of self-defense.” The group said it launched “a barrage of precision missiles and a swarm of drones” on the Israeli military base.
In response, the Israeli military confirmed the scale of the operation, saying it was acting “against Hezbollah's decision to join the campaign.” Authorities in Tel Aviv emphasized that they will not allow the group “to pose a threat to the State of Israel and to harm civilians in northern Israel.”
Trump says the attacks will continue
Donald Trump said in a video message posted on social media on Sunday that “combat operations” against Iran would continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.”
The US president's message came shortly after US Central Command confirmed the death of three servicemen and the serious wounding of five others in an Iranian attack, with Trump warning that there would “probably be more” casualties among US forces.
The death toll announced by Israel and Iran
Iranian officials have reported at least 153 dead in an attack on a girls' school. Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, called the incident “a barbaric act”.
In parallel, the Israeli ambulance service, Magen David Adom, confirmed that Iranian missiles hit the city of Beit Shemesh, killing nine people. This is the bloodiest attack on Israel since the beginning of the current war.
The conflict has spread to other areas in the region. The United Arab Emirates reported three deaths since Saturday, while explosions were reported in Bahrain, the Iraqi city of Erbil and Jordan.
In reaction to the instability in the region, global oil prices rose sharply at the opening of Asian markets on Monday morning. The development comes amid fears that the widening conflict could affect strategic transport routes and energy infrastructure across the Middle East.
London activates bases in Cyprus after drone attack
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that Britain is allowing the United States to carry out defensive actions from British military bases. He stated, however, that London will not join the offensive actions at this time. The Royal Air Force (RAF) has confirmed it is responding to a suspected drone attack on a base in Cyprus.
The Cyprus incident came amid heightened drone activity in the region, with British forces monitoring airspace to prevent further incursions. At the same time, the government in London stated that the priority remains the protection of military personnel and strategic assets in its own bases.
The 2024 ceasefire, marked by repeated violations
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered truce in 2024 that ended a more than year-long conflict with Hezbollah. Although the agreement followed a period of intense attacks, both sides accused each other of breaching the deal.
Despite the agreement, which followed 13 months of conflict, Israel has carried out almost daily attacks on Lebanon targeting targets it says have links to the group.
