Iran Warns Netanyahu: Will Not Hesitate to Aid Lebanon Against Israel's Illegal Aggression

Iran has stated it will not hesitate to assist Lebanon against Israel’s illegal aggression. The statement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered military airstrikes on Beirut on Monday (1/6/2026), in the latest escalation despite an ongoing ceasefire in Lebanon. “We have repeatedly stressed that the ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any ceasefire and final agreement to end the war with the United States,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei in a press conference cited by IRNA news agency. Tensions in the Middle East escalated after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf region, as well as closing the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on 8 April following Pakistan’s mediation, but further talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Since then, both sides have continued exchanging proposals to resume direct negotiations and end the conflict. US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated it conducted a “self-defence strike” against Iranian radar and drone sites in Goruk and Qeshm Island this weekend. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) retaliated by attacking a US military base in the Gulf. In a post on X, CENTCOM said the US responded to “aggressive Iranian actions”, including the shutdown of MQ-1 drones in international waters. It added that US forces destroyed “Iranian air defence systems, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that clearly posed a threat to ships transiting regional waters”. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated they attacked an airbase used to target communication towers on Sirik Island, located in southern Hormozgan province, according to Fars news agency. “Following the US military’s aggression against communication towers on Sirik Island in Hormozgan province one hour ago, IRGC fighter jets targeted the airbase from which the aggression originated, with the target reportedly destroyed,” the report said. The IRGC did not specify the facility’s location. Earlier, we reported that air defence systems were activated in Kuwait, with sirens sounding nationwide.