TEHRAN – Following Hezbollah's Saturday strike on an Israeli military base in occupied territory, a high-ranking Iranian official, a former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and a member of the Expediency Council, has warned that "challenging days" are ahead for Israel.

“Hezbollah has revitalized its combat structure following a series of targeted assassinations. The war machine of Hezbollah is now in motion, and the Zionists should prepare for challenging days ahead,” Mohsen Rezaei wrote on his X account. 

On Sunday, the Hezbollah Resistance movement fired a swarm of attack drones on an Israeli military base in Binyamina, south of Haifa, killing four occupation soldiers and injuring at least 58 others.

Israel’s War Minister Yoav Gallant called the attack “difficult” and “painful” while visiting the base that was hit. “We must investigate it, study the details, and assimilate the lessons quickly and professionally,” he told Israeli soldiers on Monday. 

Following Israel's ongoing military campiagn in Gaza, which has resulted in widespread devastation and civilian casualties, tensions have escalated in Lebanon. Israel has launched numerous attacks on Lebanese territory, leading to significant loss of life. 

According to Lebanon's health ministry, at least 2,306 people have been killed and 10,698 injured in these attacks since early October 2023. 

These attacks, which have included the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on southern Beirut last month, have been condemned by many as acts of aggression and terrorism. 

In response, Hezbollah has stepped up its retaliatory strikes against Israeli targets, vowing to continue its fight in support of Gaza and Palestine, as well as in defense of Lebanon.