Israel outlines weeks-long campaign as attacks spread across Lebanon, Israel and Gulf region
New Delhi: The conflict involving Israel, Iran and allied groups intensified as clashes erupted along the Israel–Lebanon border, missile strikes were reported near Jerusalem, and regional tensions spread to Gulf states amid continuing military operations.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), fighting broke out between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. The clashes were reported along the Odaisseh–Taybeh axis, a strategically sensitive area that has witnessed repeated military activity during Israel’s operations in the region.
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday that it had launched a focused ground operation targeting key positions in southern Lebanon. The move involves deploying additional troops deeper into the region as part of efforts to widen a security buffer zone along the border. The operation comes after Hezbollah began launching attacks against Israel earlier this month in the context of the broader US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the operation would continue until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to the residents of northern Israel, the Times of Israel reported.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it had launched a second attack on the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona using rockets and drones. In a statement, the group described the strike as a “qualitative operation” but did not provide details on the impact of the attack. Separately, Al Jazeera Arabic reported that Israeli forces carried out an air strike targeting the heights of the town of Sajd in southern Lebanon.
The escalation came as Iranian missiles or shrapnel were reported to have struck an area near Jerusalem. Israeli media outlets, including Channel 13, reported that an impact was recorded in the Bet Shemesh area west of the city. The extent of damage remains unclear and there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Tensions also reached the Gulf region after Qatar issued an emergency alert warning of an elevated security threat. However, authorities later said the situation had returned to normal after Qatar’s armed forces intercepted a second wave of missiles targeting the country. Qatar’s Defence Ministry said the missiles were successfully intercepted and the threat had been neutralised.
Israeli military officials indicated that the conflict with Iran could continue for several more weeks. Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters that detailed operational plans for the war extend at least three weeks ahead, with additional strategies prepared for a longer campaign.
Shoshani said Israel’s objective is to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten the country by targeting its ballistic missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities and security apparatus. “We want to make sure that the regime is as weak as possible and degrade all its capabilities,” he was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. He added that the Israeli military still has thousands of potential targets inside Iran.
In Washington, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States is allowing Iranian oil tankers to continue transiting through the Strait of Hormuz to help stabilise global energy supplies. Speaking to CNBC, Bessent said Iranian vessels had already begun moving through the strategic waterway and that shipping activity was gradually increasing.
He added that ships from countries including India and China were also using the route and expressed hope that traffic through the strait would continue to rise despite the conflict.
However, Iran signalled that access to the waterway remains conditional. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz remains open but warned it was closed to “enemies” responsible for what he described as aggression against Iran.
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The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, handling a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Any disruption to the route has immediate consequences for international energy markets.
As the war continues to expand across multiple fronts, from Israel and Lebanon to the Gulf, analysts warn that the conflict risks drawing in more regional actors and further destabilising energy supply routes and maritime security.
