Israel-Hezbollah Fighting Intensifies on Lebanese Soil
What began as a single missile barrage in solidarity with Iran has exploded into one of the fiercest fronts of the regional war. Israeli ground forces are pushing into southern Lebanon, Beirut's suburbs are being bombed around the clock, at least 217 are dead, 95,000 are displaced, and Hezbollah has declared the era of patience is over.
How Lebanon Got Dragged Into the War
Lebanon did not choose this war. For more than a year after the November 2024 ceasefire, the fragile Lebanese government under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had worked carefully to keep Hezbollah in check and avoid being pulled into a wider regional conflict. That effort collapsed on the night of March 2, 2026.
Following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28 — part of the joint US-Israel Operation Epic Fury — Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem convened a meeting and voted to retaliate. In the early hours of Monday, March 2, Hezbollah launched what it called "a barrage of precision missiles and a swarm of drones" at the Mishmar al-Karmel missile defence facility south of Haifa — the first cross-border raid by the group since late 2024.
Israel's response was swift and devastating. Within hours, Israeli jets were pounding Beirut's southern suburbs — the Dahiyeh district — as well as towns across southern and eastern Lebanon. By Monday evening, at least 52 people were dead and 154 wounded. Israel simultaneously issued mass evacuation orders for more than 50 towns and villages across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Also read: Israel & USA Vs Iran War | Leading towards WWIII? — the full story of Operation Epic Fury and the conflict that triggered this front.Senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati appeared on television and issued a direct statement: "Israel wanted open war, so let it be an open war. The era of patience has ended." The group said it had no option but to return to resistance following the killing of Khamenei, calling the Israeli strikes "unjust and treacherous."
The Ground Incursion: Israeli Forces Enter Lebanon
On Tuesday, March 3, the Israeli military announced its troops were "operating in southern Lebanon" in what it described as a "forward defence" measure. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the army had been instructed "to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements."
UN peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) confirmed Israeli soldiers had entered several towns and villages in southern Lebanon, including Kfar Kila, Houla, Kfar Shouba, Yaroun and Khiam. The Lebanese army, unable to confront Israeli forces directly, pulled back from at least seven forward operating positions along the border to ensure their own safety.
By Wednesday, Hezbollah confirmed its fighters were engaged in armed confrontations with advancing Israeli forces in Dahira in the far south. The group claimed a direct hit on an Israeli armoured personnel carrier in the village of Houla. Israel simultaneously issued further evacuation warnings, telling all residents of southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River.
IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani insisted on Tuesday: "Our presence is limited to the immediate border area in a defensive posture to prevent attacks against Israeli civilians and to secure key strategic points. This is not a maneuver or a large-scale operation — it is a tactical measure to ensure security and prevent infiltration attempts." Despite this framing, Israeli forces continued pushing north throughout the week.
Israel also conducted an incursion into southern Syria, shelling the area between Jamla and Saisoun in the Daraa Governorate and arresting four civilians. Israel warned the Syrian government to prevent Iraqi militias from crossing Syrian territory toward the Golan Heights.
Beirut Under Fire: The Bombing of Dahiyeh
The Dahiyeh district — Beirut's southern suburbs and home to approximately half a million people — has been the primary target of Israeli airstrikes throughout the week. The Israeli army confirmed it had conducted 26 rounds of strikes on Dahiyeh by Friday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah command centres, weapons storage facilities, drone warehouses, and the headquarters of the group's Executive Council.
Among the confirmed strikes: the studios of Hezbollah's Al-Manar television channel were hit on Tuesday. On Thursday evening, Israel issued blanket evacuation orders for the entirety of four densely populated suburbs — Burj al-Barajneh, Hadath, Haret Hreik and Chiyah — before launching a new wave of strikes. Witnesses described scenes of bumper-to-bumper traffic, people fleeing on foot, and children crying — directly reminiscent of the mass displacement of September 2024.
On Friday March 6, a fresh wave of overnight strikes on Dahiyeh and other areas brought the total death toll to at least 217 killed and 798 wounded, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health.
The UNHCR reported at least 30,000 displaced people had sought refuge in shelters by Tuesday alone, with many more sleeping in their cars on roadsides or still stuck in traffic fleeing south Beirut. By Friday, the total displaced across Lebanon reached 95,000. Prime Minister Salam warned: "The consequences of this displacement, at the humanitarian and political level, may well be unprecedented. Our country has been drawn into a devastating war that we did not seek and did not choose."
A particularly alarming strike was reported on Friday: missiles struck the headquarters of Ghana's UN peacekeeping battalion in southern Lebanon, the Ghanaian armed forces confirmed — raising grave concerns about the safety of the UNIFIL mission itself.
Source: Al Jazeera — Death Toll in Israel's Lebanon Attacks Rises to 217
Hezbollah's Strikes: What It Has Hit Inside Israel
Despite being significantly weakened during the 2023–2024 war in which Israel killed Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and most of its senior military leadership, Hezbollah has demonstrated it retains meaningful offensive capability — and the will to use it.
| Date | Target | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2 | Mishmar al-Karmel missile defence facility, south of Haifa | Precision missiles + drone swarm | First cross-border strike since Nov 2024 ceasefire; triggered Israeli retaliation |
| Mar 3 | Ramat David airbase, northern Israel (radar + control rooms) | Drone swarm at dawn | Struck radar sites; retaliation for Dahiyeh strikes |
| Mar 4 | Multiple sites across Israel (joint Iran-Hezbollah) | Missiles from Iran + rockets from Lebanon | 2 injured in central Israel; sirens across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; most intercepted |
| Mar 5 | Israeli armoured personnel carrier, Houla village, south Lebanon | Direct anti-tank fire | Direct hit confirmed by Hezbollah |
| Mar 6 | Israeli ground forces in Maroun al-Ras and Kfar Kila | Armed ground clashes | Active fighting with advancing Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory |
| Mar 6 | Yoav military camp, occupied Golan Heights + Haifa navy base | Missile and drone attacks | No immediate casualties reported |
Source: Wikipedia — 2026 Hezbollah–Israel Strikes
Also read: Doomsday Missile Test: U.S. Sends Strong Warning — how the US responded to the wider regional escalation.Day-by-Day Timeline
Operation Epic Fury Launched — Khamenei Killed
US and Israel launch joint strikes on Iran. Supreme Leader Khamenei is killed in a direct hit on his compound in Tehran. Hezbollah condemns the attacks and Secretary-General Naim Qassem votes to retaliate.
Hezbollah Breaks Ceasefire — Lebanon Erupts
Hezbollah fires missiles and drones at the Mishmar al-Karmel base near Haifa — first attack since Nov 2024. Israel responds before dawn with heavy strikes on Dahiyeh, killing at least 52. Lebanon's cabinet declares Hezbollah's military activities illegal and orders the arrest of those who fired at Israel.
Israeli Ground Forces Enter Lebanon
IDF confirms troops are "operating in southern Lebanon." UNIFIL reports Israeli soldiers in Kfar Kila, Houla, Kfar Shouba, Yaroun and Khiam. Lebanese army withdraws from 7 border positions. Hezbollah attacks Ramat David airbase with drone swarm. Hezbollah intelligence chief Hussein Makled killed in Israeli strikes.
Joint Iran-Hezbollah Strikes Hit Central Israel
Iran and Hezbollah launch joint missile and rocket barrages. Sirens sound across Israel including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 2 injured. Israel continues airstrikes on Beirut suburbs, Sidon, Tyre, and Bint Jbeil. Israel gives Iran's Lebanese representatives 24 hours to leave the country.
Israel Blanket-Evacuates Four Beirut Suburbs
Israel orders entire evacuation of Burj al-Barajneh, Hadath, Haret Hreik and Chiyah before launching new wave of strikes. Hezbollah hits Israeli APC in Houla. Iran deadline for Lebanon departure expires. France announces it will provide armoured vehicles and humanitarian aid to Lebanon.
Death Toll Hits 217 — UN Peacekeepers' HQ Struck
Overnight strikes on Dahiyeh, Sidon and other areas push death toll to 217 killed, 798 wounded, 95,000 displaced. Ghana's UN peacekeeping battalion HQ struck by missiles. Hezbollah attacks Israeli ground forces in Maroun al-Ras and Kfar Kila inside Lebanon, and strikes Haifa navy base and Golan Heights military camp.
Key Hezbollah Figures Killed This Week
Head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters. Killed in overnight Israeli strikes on Beirut, March 3. Confirmed by IDF.
Head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc and a prime target. Al Hadath reported his whereabouts unknown after strikes; body reportedly being searched for in rubble. Not confirmed dead.
Commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Lebanon. Killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs. Announced by PIJ.
Killed along with his wife in Israeli strikes on Haret Hreik, Beirut. Local media reported the deaths during the March 3 strikes.
Lebanon's Government: Caught Between Two Forces
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government finds itself in an impossible position — caught between Hezbollah's military actions and Israel's demand for total compliance. Salam came to power after the 2024 ceasefire on an explicit mandate to disarm Hezbollah in the south, backed by funding promises from the US and Gulf states.
On March 2, the Lebanese cabinet took the extraordinary step of formally declaring Hezbollah's military activities illegal — calling them "illegal acts" and demanding the group hand over its weapons to the state. Justice Minister Adel Nassar ordered security forces to arrest those who had fired at Israel. President Joseph Aoun declared the cabinet's ruling "final" with "no turning back."
Despite these actions, the US and Israel made clear that symbolic moves were insufficient. US officials told Lebanon's MTV that Washington "will not interfere to stop Israel's attacks" and demanded Lebanon formally designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation — warning that otherwise there would be "no distinction" between Hezbollah and the Lebanese state.
Also read: Fuel Shortage Warning Amid Rising War Tensions — how the regional war is disrupting global energy supplies.International Response
Told Lebanon it will not stop Israeli attacks. Demands Hezbollah be declared a terrorist organisation. Defence contractors meeting White House officials to ramp up weapons production. Considers Nov 2024 ceasefire officially over.
President Macron announced France will provide armoured vehicles and humanitarian aid to Lebanon. Appealed to both Israel and Hezbollah to stand down. France is also leading discussions on a new European nuclear deterrence framework amid the wider war.
UNIFIL confirmed Israeli forces entering Lebanese villages. UN peacekeepers' HQ in southern Lebanon struck by missiles on March 6. UNHCR tracking 95,000+ displaced inside Lebanon, with 230,000 displaced across the region. Secretary-General called for immediate ceasefire.
Continues coordinated strikes with Hezbollah into Israel. Warned Israel against striking its embassy in Beirut — threatening to retaliate against Israeli embassies. Israeli 24-hour deadline for Iranian representatives to leave Lebanon expired on March 5.
Called Israel's threats against Iranian embassy "deeply concerning" — warning they signal intent to commit a war crime, as diplomatic missions and people not directly participating in hostilities cannot be targeted under international law.
Called up tens of thousands of military reservists near the Lebanese border. Continued strikes on Dahiyeh, Sidon, Tyre, Bint Jbeil and the Bekaa Valley. Insists operation is defensive and limited — while ground forces push steadily northward.
What Comes Next?
Israel has called up tens of thousands of reservists near the Lebanese border — a move that analysts say fuels speculation of a deeper ground invasion intended to push Hezbollah permanently north of the Litani River, or even to end the group as a military force. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the wider war could last eight weeks.
Hezbollah, for its part, insists it still has the capability and the will to fight. Despite losing Nasrallah and most of its senior leadership in 2024, the group demonstrated this week that it retains a significant missile and drone arsenal south of the Litani — capable of reaching deep into Israel. Its declaration that "the era of patience has ended" signals no imminent de-escalation.
For Lebanon, the stakes are existential. A country that has been in economic crisis since 2019, that was still rebuilding from the 2024 war, and that depends on Gulf state funding contingent on disarming Hezbollah, now faces a new war it did not choose — with its capital being bombed, its south being occupied, and its government powerless to stop either side.
Lebanon's government legally outlawed Hezbollah's military activities and ordered the arrest of its fighters — an act of extraordinary political courage in a country where Hezbollah holds parliamentary seats and runs social services. Yet Israel and the US demand more. And Hezbollah itself has simply declared the law irrelevant. Lebanon is being consumed by a war between forces larger than itself, with no clear path to exit.