Israel Hits 40 Hezbollah Targets As Border Fighting Escalates

Fatemeh Mohammad Beigi, a medical doctor by training, belongs to the hardliner faction of the outgoing parliament and has been re-elected for the next four years.

“Undoubtedly, the significant feat by the Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace force against Israel has brought people's hearts closer together. In the light of this solidarity, other challenging issues in the country…can also be resolved,” Beigi told a local website. As one of the challenges, she mentioned the declining legitimacy of the Islamic government.

However, her reference to a potential increase in foreign investment contradicts recent decisions by the United States and Europe to expand sanctions on individuals and entities helping the Islamic Republic in its weapons proliferation activities and support for militant networks.

Also, contrary to her claim about stronger solidarity among the people, Many Iranians criticized the attack against Israel. Even some regime insiders and commentators warned of dire economic and security consequences.

Beigi is known for odd statements and actions. In February, during the electoral campaign for parliamentary elections she wrote a letter to the governor in her local constituency, reminding him that she is known by nice different names, and this should be considered during the counting of write-in ballots.

She provided a list of these nine names to the governor in a letter. One of these names was “Ms. Doctor”. Beigi said that if a voter simply writes “Ms. Doctor”, that would be a vote for her.

"Is a Palestinian defending his home a terrorist? Are we, the resistance front, terrorists?" he said.

The comments come amid the ongoing Gaza war, triggered by Iran-backed Hamas when on October 7 thousands of its militants invaded Israel killing 1,200 mostly civilians and kidnapping over 250 more.

Iran has long funded, armed and trained Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups, spearheaded by the supreme leader in his mission to annihilate the Jewish state. Iran has proxies across the region in which the regime invests billions of dollars each year.

In his Wednesday speech, he also defended Iran's backing of Hezbollah, which is currently waging war on Israel's northern front. Over 100,000 Israelis are currently displaced after more than 3,100 projectiles have been fired into Israeli territory since October 7 in support of Hamas in Gaza.

During his speech on Wednesday, Khamenei also responded to the intensified sanctions on Iran from the EU, UK and US in the wake of the aerial bombardment, which saw over 350 drones and missiles fired towards Israel, most of which were intercepted by Israel and a US-led coalition.

"The sanctions will not bring down the Iranian nation because it does not rely on external help," he stated, in spite of the fact that over one third of Iranians now live below the poverty line as the regime funds war over feeding its people.

On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced that the new sanctions would expand the catalog of prohibited items related to drone and missile production, a move building on measures connected to Iran's role in supplying drones to Russia.

Iran claims the aerial assault was a move of self defense after an alleged Israeli air strike earlier this month on Iran's consulate in Damascus in which one senior Quds Force commander was assassinated along with several other IRGC personnel.

"This time, the nation of Iran has punished Israel," Raisi stated, referring to the recent aerial bombardment which saw 350 projectiles launched towards Israel, though almost all were intercepted by Israel and a US-led coalition. "If Israel makes another mistake and attacks Iranian soil, the situation will be different, and it is uncertain if anything will remain of that country," he added.

The visit follows recent tensions highlighted on Friday when explosions were heard over Isfahan in central Iran. Sources attributed them to an Israeli attack, though Tehran downplayed the severity of the incident and indicated no immediate plans for retaliation. Israel is believed to have targeted air defenses for Iran's two nuclear sites.

On April 13, Iran responded to a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus which had killed a senior Quds Force commander and several IRGC personnel.

In his speech in Lahore, aiming to repair ties between Iran and Pakistan after ongoing border clashes, President Raisi also stressed Iran's continued support for the Palestinian resistance, positioning it as a matter of “national honor.”

Raisi, who began a three-day visit to Pakistan on Monday, emphasized his commitment to increasing bilateral trade between the two nations to $10 billion annually. 

A video released by the Israeli army on Tuesday showed a strike on a car driving in Aadloun in southern Lebanon, which the army said killed a "significant operative in the Hezbollah's aerial defence unit."

Hezbollah confirmed the death of one of its fighters, Hussein Azqul (Azkoul). Israel describes hims as “central terrorist” in Hezbollah’s air defense unit while sources close to the group said he was an engineer in Hezbollah's aerial defence units and that he had been active in Hezbollah's field operations.

Azqul, according to the IDF, was “heavily involved in the activities of the [air defense unit] and took part in the planning and execution of a variety of terror activities.”

A separate Israeli strike overnight Monday (April 22) to Tuesday killed Muhammad Attiya, a member of the aerial unit of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Forces, the IDF said.

Hours after the strike, Israel intercepted several drones over its northern coast. Drone infiltration sirens were triggered in Nahariya, Acre, and other northern areas, with the IDF neutralizing three drones believed to be carrying explosives.

The ongoing skirmishes have led to the evacuation of approximately 70,000 residents from northern Israeli communities amid daily attacks from Hezbollah and other Iran-backed forces.

Last week, the Israeli military confirmed the death of a senior Hezbollah commander, Ismail Yousef Baz, in an airstrike. According to IDF reports, Baz was involved in orchestrating and executing rocket and anti-tank missile attacks against Israel from Lebanon's coastal regions.

Hezbollah, supported by Iran and allied with groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has escalated its aggressive actions against Israel.

The incident, which took place on April 13, saw Jordan's air force joining a US-led coalition downing Iranian drones that violated its airspace, part of an aerial bombardment of over 350 drones and missiles aimed at Israel.

Jalalzadeh argued that Jordan must be held accountable for its actions, which he views as antagonistic toward Iranian interests.

In a covert threat to Israel's allies, he also warned that If Israel utilizes facilities from regional countries and American bases against Iran, there will be a military response. Jordan was among multiple nations including the US, UK and France, involved alongside Israel in defending itself from the unprecedented air assault.

Iran claimed the barrage was in response to an alleged Israeli air strike at the start of the month in which a senior Quds Force commander was assassinated and multiple other high ranking members of the IRGC were killed.

According to a statement from the Jordanian cabinet the day following the incident, Jordan intercepted several airborne objects that had entered its airspace to safeguard the safety of its citizens. “Some shrapnel fell in multiple places during that time without causing any significant damage or any injuries to citizens,” it added.

Jordan, which borders Iranian proxy strongholds Syria and Iraq, increased its defensive measures by requesting the deployment of Patriot air defense systems from the US last year.

The latest developments come amid reports of increased US military aid to Jordan, which hosts hundreds of American troops conducting regular exercises with the Jordanian army.