By Athena Papakosta

At the moment when the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahudeclared “we are changing the reality in the Middle East”, the Israeli military launched a new barrage of raids against Lebanon hitting 120 of her targets Hezbollah in an hour.

Israel’s operations in Lebanon are entering a new phase as the Israeli armed forces appear to be creating a front all the way to the sea. In particular, they warned of an expansion of their operations into the coastal zone of southern Lebanon, announcing that it was forbidden for anyone to go ashore, or even board boats, from the city of Sidon and southwards – blocking almost a third of the country’s coastline .

At the same time, on the black anniversary of October 7, Hamas launched a rocket attack that reached Tel Aviv, injuring two women. From the side of Hezbollah fired rockets again against Israeli territory and Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility for two missile attacks against Israel with the Israeli military earlier saying it had intercepted one missile.

Shortly before midnight, the Israeli armed forces again plunged Beirut into chaos and terror by striking again in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, with the British BBC reporting that the alarm sirens sounded again in Tel Aviv as Hezbollah responded by firing missiles into central Israel, targeting a military base.

“As long as the enemy threatens our existence and peace in our country, we will continue to fight. As long as there are abductees in Gaza, we will continue to fight. We will not abandon them. I will not abandon them. As long as the citizens of Israel cannot return safely to their homes, we will continue to fight,” emphasized the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, making it clear that the war will continue.

But as the Israeli leadership prepares its response against Tehran, Iranian state media reports that Iran’s armed forces have prepared ten different operational plans in response to Israel’s retaliation.

According to Iranian military sources, cited by Iran’s Tasnim news agency – which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, “Tehran’s response will not necessarily be a retaliation equivalent to the Israeli action, but may be more severe.” response against targets that will render Israeli retaliation ineffective.”

Earlier, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Aragshi, although he reiterated that he does not want an extension of the war in the region, said that Tehran “is not afraid of war and will respond decisively and appropriately to any further actions of the Zionist regime.”