Iran has announced that it will respond “brutally” to the Israeli attack on Saturday. The statement was made by Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, head of the office of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Tasnim news agency reported. Golpayegani described the Israeli government’s attack as a desperate act and warned that Iran’s response will make Israel regret its actions.

Meanwhile, Israel ordered the evacuation of several villages in southern Lebanon and said it had eliminated a Hezbollah commander, Muhammad Khalil Aliyan, in an airstrike in Burj Qallawiyah. Syrian media also reported that the Israeli army struck several facilities in the Al-Qusayr region, resulting in three casualties. In recent days, the Israeli air force has attacked around 150 targets linked to Hezbollah and Hamas, including military sites and weapons depots.

Military operations continue in southern Lebanon, where a battle is taking place between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters. According to local sources, Israeli soldiers have taken up positions in the Khiam plain, which is strategically important for controlling communication routes to the north. Hezbollah said it hit Israeli forces with mortars as they attempted to advance towards the town.

Khiam is known for having once been the site of a prison used by Israel during its occupation of southern Lebanon from 1978 to 2000. During the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, four UN peacekeepers were killed in a bombing raid on the town.

Hezbollah recently carried out attacks on Israeli positions near the settlements of Liman and Kiryat Shmona. A rocket attack killed five people in an agricultural area near Metula; among the victims were foreign workers from Thailand and an Israeli citizen. Local authorities said the workers were allowed to enter the area despite it being considered a closed military zone.

In a context marked by conflict, the new leader of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, has opened the possibility of negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire. However, diplomatic progress may take time. On the other hand, Hamas has rejected proposals for a temporary truce in Gaza, arguing instead for a permanent end to hostilities.

Finally, an indictment has been filed against an Israeli couple accused of spying for Iran. Rafael and Lala Guliyev are accused of gathering information on strategic facilities and following a researcher with hostile intentions. This case is the latest in a series of alleged acts of espionage linked to Iran that have recently emerged.