Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran-backed Hezbollah had been "hit in ways it could not imagine" after retaliatory attacks for an overnight bombardment struck deep in the heart of the group's infrastructure.
His address came after Hezbollah struck deeper into Israel reaching the northernmost city of Haifa in overnight strikes which saw schools in the north closed and residents advised to stay near shelters.
The Israeli military said it struck around 290 targets on Saturday, including thousands of rocket launchers, one of the biggest offensives since the conflict began 11 months ago.
"No country can accept the wanton rocketing of its cities. We can't accept it either. We will take whatever action is necessary to restore security and to bring our people safe back to their homes," he said, as 63,000 Israelis remain displaced amid the conflict sparked by the war in Gaza.
In southern Lebanon, the almost daily exchanges of fire have also seen around 100,000 civilians displaced.
"On October 7th, the Hamas terrorist monsters burst into Israel, murdered our people, raped and beheaded our women, burnt babies alive, and took 255 innocent people hostages, including many Americans," Netanyahu said of the day nearly 1,200 mostly civilians were murdered by Iran-backed Hamas.
"A day later, on October 8th, another Iranian terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, attacked Israel completely unprovoked. They fired missiles and rockets into our cities. They made 60,000 Israelis leave their homes along the Lebanon border, becoming refugees in their own land. In the subsequent months, they haven't stopped for a single day attacking us."
The Israeli military said that over 150 projectiles had been fired overnight from Lebanon, with over 8,000 in total having been fired from Lebanon since October 8 as Hezbollah fights in allegiance with Hamas in Gaza in the country's south.
While most were intercepted, several buildings were struck, including from interception shrapnel, leaving Kiryat Bialik north of Haifa ablaze.
On Sunday, Hezbollah claimed to have hit military and military-industrial sites, but Israel did not comment on the claims.
"We have entered a new phase, the title of which is the open-ended battle of reckoning," Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem told mourners at the funeral of one of the group's commanders killed last week in Beirut.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said strikes would continue until it was safe for the evacuated people in the north to return as the war took a new turn last week.
Last week, hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah operatives exploded in a two-day operation which struck deep into Iran's biggest proxy. Israel has not commented on the operation which led to at least 42 deaths and the overwhelming of Lebanon's healthcare system as 3,000 more were injured.
Then on Friday, 37 people including 16 commanders were killed by Israel as it targeted a meeting of the top echelons of the group's leadership. On Sunday, Hezbollah's parliamentary representative Hussein Fadlallah, said the group has already replaced the commanders killed over the weekend.
“There is no vacuum - on the night of the attack in Dahieh, the new commanders were already appointed and began to plan an attack on the enemy. Not a single outpost remains empty of commanders for even a single day,” he said.
On Sunday, the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq also claimed to have sent drones targeting an Israeli military base amid the Lebanese onslaught.
The attack from Iraq is believed to be a retaliation for the killing of one of the group’s commanders.
A statement from the group said that on Sunday, the funeral of Abu Haider al-Khafaji, the senior commander of the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades was taking place at 4pm local time. The group said he was killed in an attack attributed to Israel in Damascus on Friday morning. The funeral is being held in Baghdad.
"Escalation in Lebanon means escalation from Iraq," an official from the group said.
The Jihad missile system was officially unveiled for the first time on Saturday, introducing a new launch platform for liquid-fueled missiles, according to Iranian government media and IRGC sources.
According to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim website, it is a ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers, featuring a dual-missile launcher that distinguishes it from other Iranian liquid-fueled missiles.
Tasnim stated, "A glance at the Jihad missile reveals that it is an optimized version of the Qiam missile, whose range was previously increased from 800 kilometers to 1,000 kilometers, and its warhead became guided."
The Qiam missile, Iran's first liquid-fueled missile without fins, was introduced in 2010 with an initial range of 800 kilometers. Its design modification for fin removal allowed for launch from various missile silos. Subsequent enhancements included the replacement of the standard triple-cone warhead with a detachable, guided variant, improving accuracy to within 50 meters, according to Tasnim.
In October 2018, images from an operation revealed the Qiam missile with newly added small fins to enhance its flight profile. By 2021, the Ministry of Defense reported further advancements in the Qiam missile, achieving a range of 1,000 kilometers and marking the emergence of what the IRGC says is a new generation.
According to Tasnim, the Jihad missile is equipped with a warhead weighing approximately 600 kilograms and travels at speeds exceeding eight times the speed of sound. It employs a different launch platform, enabling the simultaneous launch of two missiles, thus enhancing operational efficiency despite the longer preparation time typically associated with liquid-fueled missiles.
Although the Islamic Republic has made continuous advancements in its ballistic missile program, it is not possible to independently verify claims of developing advanced weapons. Around 350 missiles and drones launched against Israel in April, 99% were intercepted by Israeli air defenses and allied warplanes.
Following the introduction of the Kheibar-Shekan and Martyr Haj Qasem missiles, Tasnim reported that a new generation of Iranian ballistic missile launch platforms has also become operational. This platform, used in the Fattah missile, is equipped with the DRU (Precise Navigation System), providing highly accurate positioning data. "This enables rapid firing immediately after deployment, along with swift closure and exit capabilities," the report added.
Iran's missile program has generated ongoing concerns among Western nations, particularly the United States and its allies, as Iran invests heavily in developing various ballistic and cruise missiles. The advancements in missile technology have raised alarms about potential threats to regional stability, especially regarding Iran's backing of non-state actors and militant groups.
The potential development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) has prompted calls for tighter controls over Iran's missile program.
In response to the tensions, the United States and its allies have imposed sanctions targeting Iran's missile development, aiming to restrict access to materials and technologies that could enhance missile capabilities.
New sanctions were recently implemented against Iran and its state airline, Iran Air, following allegations of missile deliveries to Russia.
Despite international scrutiny, Iran maintains its right to develop missile capabilities, framing it as a matter of national sovereignty.
“The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been to resist the unilateralism of the United States and generally the Western countries, who pursue their own excessive demands and continue their colonial policies in a new form. This will remain our policy moving forward,” Araghchi was quoted as saying by IRNA, the official government news website.
Araghchi, who was deeply involved in Iran’s nuclear talks with the West a decade ago and in 2021, was appointed foreign minister in the new government of President Masoud Pezeshkian in August. The President, during his election campaign and upon assuming office, referred to a policy of engagement with the West, initially raising hopes that Tehran might be willing to adopt a more pragmatic foreign policy.
Araghchi, condemning attacks against Tehran’s ally and proxy, the Lebanese Hezbollah this week, made it clear that the Iranian delegation will focus on a diplomatic campaign against Jerusalem.
“In this situation, it is natural that the most important topic in our meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, as well as in the sessions held by the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, BRICS, ECO, and others, will be…the criminal actions of the Zionist regime, which must be confronted by the international community,” Araghchi stated. He went on to say that “It is natural that the crimes of the Zionist regime, especially those committed in the past few days, will be the main topic of these discussions.”
While the explosion of thousands of Hezbollah communication devices, which killed scores and seriously wounded hundreds of militiamen and commanders, has shocked the world, Tehran has so far refrained from issuing any specific threats against Israel. Additionally, more than 50 days after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran has not launched a military retaliatory strike, possibly indicating the government's reluctance to escalate the conflict further.
On Saturday, President Pezeshkian declared during a military parade that “Iran's defensive power and deterrence capabilities have grown to such a level that no evil force would even dare to entertain the thought of aggression against the country.” He was speaking during ceremonies on the 44th anniversary of Iraq’s invasion of Iran that led to a bloody and destructive 8-year war between the two countries.
However, his reference to Iran’s deterrence power contrasted with many incidents of bombings and sabotage since mid-2020 targeting Iran’s nuclear program and military and strategic installations, widely believed to have been launched by Israel. The latest incident was Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran while he was a high-level government guest. The incident led to debates even in government-controlled media in Tehran about serious security breaches and veiled accusations against security and intelligence organs.
In a message of condolence to Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, Araghchi said, "As I arrive in New York to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, I consider it my Islamic and humanitarian duty to be the resounding voice of justice for the heroic people of Palestine and Lebanon against the criminal and aggressive Zionist regime."
However, Araghchi, echoing other statements by other Iranian officials, indicated a cautious approach to the issue of responding to Israel. “Regarding Lebanon's issues, it is natural that Hezbollah will make its own decisions and respond appropriately. Other matters will be addressed as the situation requires. The assassination of martyr Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran will not go unanswered.”