Intense Israeli airstrikes hit the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early Friday, as the United States apparently attacked an Iranian aircraft carrier at sea, intensifying its campaign against the Islamic Republic’s fleet of warships. Read our live blog for the latest developments.
Hezbollah claims responsibility for attacks on Israeli army
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Friday claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks against Israeli forces, in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Lebanon the previous day.
The Iran-backed group said in three separate statements on Telegram that its fighters had fired rockets and artillery shells at border positions early Friday, hours after firing rockets at Israeli barracks in the occupied Golan Heights and at a naval base in the port of Haifa.
There were no reports of casualties.
Iranian guards fire missiles at Tel Aviv, Israel, Iranian state media report
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard announced a wave of missile launches against the Israeli commercial center of Tel Aviv on Friday, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
“Missiles are heading towards Tel Aviv,” IRNA said, reporting a statement from the Guards about “a combined missile and drone attack… aimed at locations in the heart of Tel Aviv.”
The Israeli military said it had begun attacking what it described as infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, after previously telling residents to leave their homes before the bombing.
New waves of explosions, mostly interceptions, also rocked Dubai, Doha and Manama.
NATO said it has strengthened its “ballistic missile defense posture” as Iran steps up its retaliatory strikes across the Middle East with a missile launched at alliance member Turkey before being shot down.
