Iran says US & ‘Israeli’ bases now “legitimate targets” after Beirut strikes

Iran’s speaker of the Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf warned Sunday that US bases in the region were turned into “legitimate targets,” following what he said is a US greenlight for an ‘Israeli’ strike on Beirut earlier today.

“They are neither committed to a ceasefire nor believe in dialogue, and by demonstrating through the naval blockade and violation of agreements regarding Lebanon that they only understand the language of power,” Ghalibaf said on X.

“The naval blockade against the Iranian nation and America's green light today to the Zionist regime turn American and regime bases and assets in the region into legitimate targets,” he continued.

“The hand of our armed forces is open, as always.”

‘Israel's’ military struck Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, hitting apartments in two buildings, after saying it had intercepted projectiles launched by Hezbollah into ‘Israeli’ territory.

‘Israel’ and Hezbollah regularly exchange fire but the south of the capital -- including districts seen as bastions of the Iran-backed group -- has been relatively spared, having been struck only twice since mid-April.

Earlier this week in Washington, Lebanese and ‘Israeli’ envoys touted a conditional truce that would have required Hezbollah to stop firing and withdraw from near the ‘Israeli’ border.

But Hezbollah rejected the agreement, demanding a full ‘Israeli’ withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war when Hezbollah fired rockets at ‘Israel’ on March 2 in support of its patron Iran.

Tehran has since insisted that any deal to end the wider war -- paused by a separate April ceasefire -- must also halt the fighting in Lebanon.’