Beirut / Tehran — Fighting in the Middle East intensified as Israeli airstrikes expanded in both Iran and Lebanon, while explosions were reported in Tehran amid a new wave of attacks.
Strikes and casualties reported in Lebanon
In Beirut, residents reported hearing loud explosions overnight as Israeli strikes hit several areas of the capital.
A hotel in the district of Hazmieh was reportedly directly struck, marking a notable shift because previous attacks were mostly concentrated in neighborhoods considered strongholds of Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Further east in the Bekaa Valley, at least four people were killed when buildings were hit in the historic city of Baalbek, according to local rescue services. Several others were reported injured.
Along the southern Lebanese border with Israel, thousands of civilians are fleeing their homes after the Israel Defense Forces issued evacuation warnings for multiple towns and villages.
Israel says the areas are being used by Hezbollah to launch rockets toward northern Israel, including attacks targeting a naval base in Haifa.
Explosion reported in Tehran
Meanwhile in Tehran, Iranian state media and reporters from Agence France-Presse reported a large explosion in the eastern part of the city.
The blast came shortly after the Israel Defense Forces announced that its air force had begun “broad-scale strikes” on regime targets in Tehran.
Conflict widening across the region
The latest attacks indicate the conflict is rapidly widening across multiple fronts, with Israel targeting both Iranian government facilities and Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
Analysts warn that continued escalation could draw additional countries or armed groups into the conflict, raising fears of a broader regional war in the Middle East.