LOOK: Aftermath of Israeli strike on Lebanon's Hazmieh

People were clearing debris in Lebanon's Hazmieh on Wednesday (March 4) following an Israeli strike that left buildings damaged.

Lebanon was pulled deeper into the war in the Middle East as the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel and Israel sent troops into the south and carried out waves of airstrikes.

The theatre of numerous conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon was drawn into the spillover from the war between the United States, Israel and Iran on Monday (March 2), when the group opened fire with drones and missiles.

People stand next to a damaged building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Hazmieh, Lebanon, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, established by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982, opened fire on Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in joint strikes by Israel and the United States.

Hezbollah said on Wednesday its fighters fired a salvo of rockets at a gathering of Israeli forces near the Metula area along the frontier in response to Israeli strikes on dozens of Lebanese towns and cities, including Beirut's southern suburbs.

People inspect a damaged building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Hazmieh, Lebanon, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

The Israeli military on Wednesday warned residents of 16 villages in Lebanon to evacuate, saying Hezbollah activity was forcing it to act against the group and cautioning that anyone near Hezbollah fighters, facilities or weapons would be putting their lives at risk.

State news agency NNA also reported several Israeli strikes early on Wednesday, including one on a hotel and another on an apartment in eastern Lebanon.

Lebanon's health ministry said on Tuesday (March 3) that Israeli strikes had killed at least 50 people and wounded 335 since the latest escalation began.

Production: Mohamed Azakir, Emilie Madi, Kinda Makieh/Reuters