On March 9, Israel initiated a ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
According to the IDF, "Israeli Defense Forces have begun a targeted raid in southern Lebanon to search for and eliminate terrorists, as well as to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure." The Lebanese Minister of Health reported that as a result of attacks on two civil defense facilities in the south of the country, one rescuer was killed and two were injured.
Since the escalation of the conflict began on March 2, the death toll stands at 486, with 1,313 injured, according to official data.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed readiness to resume negotiations with Israel in order to stop 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 financially.
Iran also launched a ballistic missile, which was intercepted by NATO air defense forces. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, the missile fired from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air defense systems. Fragments of the munition fell in uninhabited areas of Gaziantep province, resulting in no casualties.
A ceremony was held in Iran for the oath-taking of the new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, attended by clergy and representatives of the political elite.
The Iranian women's national football team displayed an SOS signal while traveling on a bus. This became known thanks to a report by American journalist Masih Alinejad, who urged the Australian government to protect the girls and not send them back to their homeland.
Iran's state television labeled the athletes as "traitors during wartime." After the death of Ali Khamenei, some players refused to sing the anthem before a match against South Korea, which could be interpreted in Iran as treason, punishable by death.
Donald Trump reported that five Iranian female football players received support from Australia, while part of the team expressed a desire to return home.
According to The New York Times, the USA evacuated all diplomats from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. The State Department ordered the departure of mission staff in accordance with mandatory directives.
Saudi Arabia also decided to reduce oil production due to movement restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Bloomberg.
