Israel launches barrage of strikes on Lebanon’s capital Beirut after Hezbollah’s offensive – The Economic Times
U.S. forces are described as joining Israel in direct, large-scale strikes across Iran, accelerating a widening regional war with American casualties and cross-border retaliation.
Sources
Summary
Israel struck Beirut after Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel, while U.S. and Israeli forces carried out extensive strikes across Iran following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The United States is described as shifting from deterrence to direct, large-scale joint combat operations with Israel, including B-2 bomber strikes and attacks on Iranian warships and command infrastructure.
The practical consequence is an expanding regional war with reported U.S. service member deaths, cross-border retaliation, and widening targets across Iran, Israel, and Gulf states.
Reality Check
Normalizing direct, large-scale U.S. combat operations abroad without clear, publicly defined limits conditions the country to accept war as routine executive action. When escalation is paired with open-ended threats of overwhelming force, our guardrails against perpetual conflict weaken and democratic oversight recedes. As regional retaliation expands to additional states and civilians, the path dependence becomes structural: future presidents inherit a broader baseline for unilateral military engagement, and our institutions struggle to reassert restraint.
Detail
<p>Hezbollah fired missiles across the Lebanon-Israel border early Monday, and Israel responded with strikes on Beirut. The Israeli military said it intercepted one projectile and that others fell in open areas; it reported no injuries or damage. Hezbollah said its missile fire was retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and for “repeated Israeli aggressions.”</p><p>On Sunday, the United States and Israel conducted extensive strikes across Iran. The U.S. military said B-2 stealth bombers struck ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs, and Trump said on social media that nine Iranian warships were sunk and the navy headquarters was “largely destroyed.” Israel said it increased attacks, with 100 fighter jets simultaneously striking targets in Tehran, including buildings tied to Iran’s air force, missile command, and internal security force.</p><p>Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes at Israel and Gulf Arab states; the U.S. military reported three U.S. service members killed. Israeli rescue services reported strikes including in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, with additional deaths and missing persons.</p>