**Iran Supports Regional Ceasefire, Vows Retaliation if Attacked by Israel**

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, voiced support for a regional ceasefire effort with Israel, but issued a stern warning to Tel Aviv, stating that any Israeli aggression towards Iran would be met with a severe response. Araghchi’s comments came during his visit to Beirut on Friday, where he met with Lebanese officials amidst escalating regional tensions.

During his stay in Beirut, Araghchi held discussions with Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. His visit came just three days after a series of aggressive exchanges, including an Iranian missile strike on Israel. This attack, Iran claimed, was in retaliation for the assassination of senior figures from Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Highlighting Iran's stance, Araghchi emphasized that any further Israeli actions against Iran would prompt even stronger retaliation. He also stressed Iran’s support for Hezbollah and backed a potential ceasefire in Lebanon, provided it coincided with an Israeli ceasefire in Gaza and upheld the rights of the Lebanese people.

Araghchi defended Iran’s missile strikes as acts of "legitimate self-defense" in line with the UN Charter. He criticized Israel’s targeting of residential areas and asserted that Iran's strikes focused solely on military sites. He conveyed that Iran does not seek to prolong the conflict but is prepared to respond if Israel continues its attacks.

Meanwhile, Israeli air raids on Beirut's densely populated southern suburbs persisted on Friday. These attacks have resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reporting over 1,900 fatalities and hundreds of thousands being forced to flee. Israel claimed the recent raid in Beirut killed Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, Hezbollah's head of communications, though this has not been confirmed by Hezbollah.

As the conflict continues, Israeli ground troops have engaged in battles with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon since their entry into the region on Tuesday. Israel claims to have killed 250 Hezbollah fighters, although Hezbollah has not confirmed these figures. The Lebanese group has also reported its own success in inflicting casualties on Israeli forces.

In a Friday speech in Tehran, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the recent missile strike on Israel and signaled readiness for further attacks if necessary. Echoing this sentiment, IRGC deputy commander Ali Fadavi warned that Iran could target Israel's crucial energy infrastructure, including power plants and refineries.

Amid these developments, Iran has sent an indirect message to the United States via Qatar, indicating that any Israeli attack would provoke an "unconventional response," targeting Israeli infrastructure. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have pledged to counter Iran’s missile attacks, with Gallant hinting at further military actions to dismantle Hezbollah’s capabilities in Lebanon.

The hostilities have led to Israel ordering the evacuation of towns and villages in southern Lebanon, expanding beyond the United Nations buffer zone established after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This ongoing crisis underscores the fragile state of the region and the potential for wider conflict if diplomatic efforts fail.