BEIRUT / TEHRAN – In a dramatic escalation of the regional conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Monday the elimination of Hussein Makled, the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, during a precision airstrike in Beirut.
The strike follows a weekend of unprecedented volatility sparked by the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation.
Hezbollah just made a big mistake. pic.twitter.com/DELwKkzyc8
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 2, 2026
Precision Strikes in Lebanon
The IAF operation in Beirut targeted Makled and several other senior Hezbollah figures. According to IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the strikes were a direct response to a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel earlier that day.
Beyond the personnel targets, the IDF reported striking:
- Dozens of command centers belonging to Hezbollah and the Iranian regime.
- A major weapons storage facility in the Tyre region.
- Tactical infrastructure used to coordinate the recent rocket fire.
“The IDF is prepared for a multiple-front scenario,” the military stated in a public briefing. “We will continue to combat any threat posed to the State of Israel and its civilians.”
Decapitation of Iranian Intelligence
Simultaneously, the IDF revealed that the opening salvos of Operation “Roaring Lion” successfully targeted the core of the Iranian regime’s intelligence apparatus in Tehran.
Working from precise intelligence, the IAF struck the Ministry of Intelligence headquarters in the Iranian capital, confirming the deaths of two high-ranking officials:
| Name | Role | Known Activities |
| Sayed Yahya Hamidi | Deputy Minister for ‘Israel Affairs’ | Led terror activities targeting Jews and Western actors globally. |
| Jalal Pour Hossein | Head of the Espionage Division | Oversaw Iranian intelligence gathering and covert operations. |
The IDF noted that “additional senior officials” were also eliminated in the Tehran strike, which aimed to dismantle the regime’s ability to coordinate proxy attacks abroad and suppress internal dissent.
A Region on the Brink
The current surge marks a significant “proxy escalation” following reports from Reuters and the New York Times regarding the death of Ali Khamenei. While Hezbollah had largely remained on the sidelines of the direct Israel-Iran confrontation until this week, the group’s recent rocket fire signals a formal entry into the active conflict.
The IAF has warned that the intensity of strikes in southern Lebanon will increase as they work to neutralize Hezbollah’s offensive capabilities.
