Israel targeted a Hezbollah naval base in Beirut overnight, the Israeli military announced, as Iran seeks to rally Gulf Arab states ahead of a possible retaliatory attack from the Jewish state.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Hezbollah naval base contained a training center, an area for conducting experiments, and military speedboats intended for use in attacks on Israeli naval ships and targets in Israeli territorial waters.
The Israel Defense Forces said Israel also attacked Hezbollah's weapons storage facility, command center and additional terrorist targets in Beirut, some of which were underground.
The IDF said Israel took steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians, including providing accurate and advance warning to civilians in the area before launching an attack.
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Israeli airstrikes erupt into flames and smoke in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussain)
The airstrike came amid growing speculation about how Israel would retaliate against Tehran's October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel.
The IDF announced on Tuesday that Israel had carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussain)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragushi insisted that Tehran's neighbors would not allow their territory to be used for such attacks and would fight back just as fiercely.
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“All our neighboring countries have assured us that they will not allow Iran to use their land and air,” Aragushi said, according to state news agency IRNA. “This is the expectation of all friendly and neighboring countries, and we consider this a gesture of friendship.”
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Gulf Arab states have not made any of the commitments mentioned by Araghchi.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
