The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was long considered Iran’s first line of defense in case of a war with Israel.

The group is one of the most powerful and shadowy arms of Iran’s military, and it has long been on the front line of a shadow conflict with Israel.

The Israeli attack, which comes amid an unprecedented exchange of strikes between Israel and Ansar Allah's Axis of Resistance coalition ally, Iran, was reported by a number of Israeli outlets as well as Saudi Arabia's Al-Hadath network.

Over the weekend, Israeli forces targeted a natural gas plant linked to Iran’s massive South Pars field, its largest gas reserve, and also hit fuel storage sites, in what appears to be a calculated move against Iran’s domestic energy systems, according to multiple news reports.

A paratrooper carries the Iranian flag over the shrine of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo