Iran threatens retaliation against US, Israel after Beirut strikes

Iran has issued threats of retaliation against the United States and Israel after recent strikes in Beirut, further dimming hopes for peace as the Middle East war enters its 100th day. Efforts to broker a ceasefire into a lasting settlement have faltered, while the conflict impacts global markets and increases domestic pressure on US President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections.

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any new attacks on Beirut would trigger a “full-scale resumption” of hostilities.

Tehran has consistently linked any permanent end to the war with a halt to the parallel conflict in Lebanon, where Israel is targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. Iran had previously warned that new attacks on Beirut would trigger a "full-scale resumption" of hostilities. The Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed strikes on a militant command center in Beirut's Dahiyeh district, a response to Hezbollah's actions. While border skirmishes are common, Beirut's southern districts, considered Hezbollah strongholds, have seen limited strikes since mid-April.

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just struck a militant command centre in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, in response to Hezbollah’s fire towards Israeli territory.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker, accused the United States of providing a "green light" for the Beirut attack. He stated that this, along with the US blockade of Iranian ports, renders American and Israeli assets in the region legitimate targets, asserting that Iran's armed forces are free to act. Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesman for the Iranian parliament's national security commission, also promised a "decisive and painful response," urging that "these rabid dogs must be disciplined."

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the United States of having given a “green light” for the Beirut attack.

US President Trump, in a previously recorded interview, called for Israel to adopt a "more surgical" approach in Lebanon, highlighting the complicated negotiations due to Iran's insistence on linking the conflicts. Meanwhile, Iranians are experiencing significant strain. A fitness trainer from Ahvaz described feeling "numb," stating, "Daily life? It's a joke. Everything is horrible. We only try to survive," citing rising prices. A chef echoed these sentiments, noting life was becoming "increasingly difficult" with economic hardship predating the war.

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This and the ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports, he said, “turns the bases and assets of America and the (Israeli) regime in the region into legitimate targets. Our armed forces, as always, are free to act.”