Israel asks residents of targeted area in Beirut to evacuate

US President Joe Biden said he’s waiting for more information before commenting on Israel’s Friday airstrikes in Beirut, reiterating that the US was not involved in the Israel Defense Forces operation.

“We’re still gathering information, I can tell you — the United States had no knowledge of or participation in the IDF action. We’re gathering more information. I’ll have more to say when we have more information,” Biden told reporters traveling with him in Delaware, according to CNN.

Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a statement calling Israel the "biggest threat to regional peace and security," following the Israeli air strike on what it said was Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut.

Pezeshkian called on Islamic countries to condemn Israel's attack, calling it "state terrorism" and a "blatant war crime".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the Middle East and the world are at a precarious moment, after Israel's air strikes targeted southern Beirut.

"On the events of the last hours, we are still gathering information, making sure that we fully understand what happened, what the intent was. And until we have that information, I can't address in detail our response to it. So, we'll continue to work on that in the hours ahead," he noted.

He emphasized that the way Israel defends itself matters, and the choices all parties make in the coming days will determine the future path of the region.

Addressing a press conference in New York, Blinken stressed that the United States has made it clear that diplomacy, not conflict, is the way forward.

He also warned that anyone using this moment to target American personnel or interests will face decisive action, as the US will take every measure necessary to defend its people.

Hezbollah said late on Friday that it had fired a salvo of rockets on the city of Safed in Israel, its first announced attack since Israeli strikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut hours earlier.

Israel's military confirms that 65 rockets were launched from Lebanon at northern Israel. "Some of the rockets were intercepted," the statement says.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council, according New York Times citing two Iranian officials with knowledge of the matter.