On March 9, Israel initiated a ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
According to the IDF, "Israeli forces have begun a limited raid in southern Lebanon aimed at identifying and destroying terrorists, as well as dismantling Hezbollah's infrastructure." As a result of a recent strike on two civil defense points in Lebanon, one rescuer was killed and two others were injured, the country's authorities report.
Since the start of the conflict on March 2, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, the death toll has reached 486, and 1,313 have been injured. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed a desire to resume negotiations with Israel to end the violence.
The strikes targeted Hezbollah facilities in Beirut and southern Lebanon, as well as the financial company Al-Qard al-Hasan, which supports Hezbollah.
Iran launched a ballistic missile, which, however, was intercepted by NATO's air defense systems. Turkey's Ministry of Defense confirmed that the projectile launched from Iran was neutralized over the eastern Mediterranean, and debris fell in uninhabited areas of Gaziantep province, causing no harm to local residents.
A ceremony was held in Iran dedicated to the oath of the new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, attended by clergy and representatives of the political elite.
The female football players of the Iranian national team displayed an SOS signal on the bus, as stated by American journalist and Iranian activist Masih Alinejad. She called on the Australian government, where the Asian Cup was being held, to ensure the safety of the athletes and not to send them back to Iran.
Iranian state television labeled the girls "war-time traitors." After the death of Ali Khamenei, some team players refused to sing the national anthem before a match against South Korea, which in Iran can be seen as an act of treason, punishable by death.
Donald Trump reported that several Iranian female football players received support from Australia, and some of them wish to return home.
In response to rising tensions, the USA decided to evacuate all staff from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. Diplomats were ordered to leave the country based on directives from the U.S. State Department, as reported by The New York Times.
It was also reported that Saudi Arabia would reduce oil production due to restrictions on movement through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Bloomberg.
