US “prepared for defense” in case Iran attacks: Axios

The United States is “prepared for defense” in case Iran carries out its threats and launches new attacks, according to a US defense official cited by Axios.

Iran threatened on Sunday to target US and ‘Israeli’ interests in response to ‘Israeli’ strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and the blockade of Iranian ports, raising fears of an uncontrolled escalation as the conflict reached its 100th day.

‘Israel’ carried out an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, saying it was a response to attacks by Hezbollah, shortly after the ‘Israeli’ military announced it had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward northern ‘Israel’.

Lebanon's National News Agency reported that "the strike on Beirut's southern suburbs targeted two apartments in two buildings."

The ‘Israeli’ military also continued strikes across wide areas of Lebanon, including the southern city of Tyre, where it renewed evacuation warnings for residents on Sunday.

Following the strike on the southern suburbs, Iran's Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, wrote on X that the United States and Israel "do not respect the ceasefire and do not believe in dialogue. Through the maritime blockade of Iran and violations of agreements regarding Lebanon, they have shown that they understand only the language of force."

He added: "The maritime blockade imposed on Iran, and the green light given today by the United States to the Zionist regime (to attack the southern suburbs), make US bases and facilities and the Israeli regime's sites in the region legitimate targets. Our armed forces, as always, are ready."

Lebanon entered the conflict when Hezbollah attacked ‘Israel’ on March 2 in response to the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the US-‘Israeli’ war against Iran on February 28.

Although Lebanon and ‘Israel’ reached a US-mediated ceasefire agreement in April, ‘Israel’ has continued its strikes, saying it is preventing planned Hezbollah attacks. 

Hezbollah, meanwhile, rejected a conditional ceasefire proposal announced in recent days and has continued targeting ‘Israeli’ forces.