Israel strikes southern Beirut, Iran threatens retaliatory attack

A senior Iranian security official has warned that retaliation will follow the Israeli regime’s attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, stating that Tehran will not tolerate such actions. “The retaliation will come,” said Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as reported by Press TV on Sunday. He added that “the unity of all fronts has created a security chain in the region’s defence,” and emphasised that “Lebanon is part of our life, and violations of the Islamic Republic’s red lines will not be tolerated.”

Meanwhile, semi-official news agency Tasnim briefly reported that all flights to and from airports in western Iran had been suspended until further notice due to “current conditions.” However, the Mehr news agency, citing Civil Aviation Organisation spokesman Majid Akhavan, later denied the report. Akhavan stated that the news about flight cancellations in western Iran was baseless, adding that no new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued to close airspace or halt flight traffic in the area.

Earlier, Israeli fighter jets bombarded the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday morning. The attack killed at least three people and wounded 15 others, even though a ceasefire remained in effect. US President Donald Trump criticised the strike, saying it “should not have happened” as the US and Iran were approaching a peace agreement. According to Trump, the deal was scheduled to be signed on Sunday. Iran itself has called for a cessation of war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, as part of any understanding with the United States to end the conflict that began on 28 February. The conflict is currently under a ceasefire mediated by Pakistan in April 2026.