Israel strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon to thwart ‘large-scale attack’

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The Israeli military struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Sunday after claiming the group had been planning a “large-scale attack”, while the Iranian-backed group said it had sent drones and rockets into Israel.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets attacked thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon that were aimed at northern and central Israel.

“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets … struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement. “Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel.”

It said initial assessments found “very little damage” in Israel from Hezbollah’s own operation, but that the military remained on high alert.

Hezbollah said it had sent rockets and drones on Sunday and said it was responding to the killing of its top commander in a Beirut suburb last month.

Hezbollah said its attack involved more than 320 Katyusha rockets aimed at multiple sites in Israel and a “large number” of drones.

It said its operation had targeted “a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later” as well as “enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome (missile defence) platforms’’ and added a full response would take “some time”, seen as a hint another wave would come on Monday.

Israel’s defence minister earlier on Sunday morning declared a temporary state of emergency, calling the assault a “special situation on the home front”.

Hezbollah said it had completed the “first phase” of its retribution today and listed 11 bases, barracks, and military positions that it said it had aimed at in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Hezbollah said this first phase would allow it to launch more attacks deeper into Israel.

It also denied Israel’s claims of disrupting its operation with this morning’s preemptive strikes in southern Lebanon and said its leader Hassan Nasrallah would make a statement later today.

In an earlier statement, the Israeli military accused Hezbollah of “preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory” and warned that that Hezbollah’s actions could lead to wider regional escalation.

“‏In a self-defence act to remove these threats, the (Israeli military) is striking terror targets in Lebanon, from which Hezbollah was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians,” Israeli military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel and flights to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv were suspended, though they resumed later on Sunday morning.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an urgent meeting of Israel’s security cabinet. Mr Netanyahu said Israel would take all measures necessary to defend itself. “We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes and to continue to uphold a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we harm him,” he said in a statement.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said one person had been killed in a strike on a car in the town of Khiam. Lebanese media reported other strikes across the south, and footage of apparent strikes circulated on social media.

In his statement announcing the Israeli “self-defence”, Rear Adm Hagari said: “We can see that Hezbollah is preparing to launch an extensive attack on Israel, while endangering the Lebanese civilians.”

He did not provide additional details on the intelligence he cited.

”‎‏We warn the civilians located in the areas where Hezbollah is operating to move out of harm’s way immediately for their own safety,” he said.

The military earlier warned Israelis to expect incoming missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah.

In an Arabic-language message addressed to the residents of southern Lebanon, the military said: “We are monitoring Hezbollah’s preparations to carry out large-scale attacks on Israeli territory near your homes. You are in danger. We are attacking and eliminating Hezbollah threats.

“Anyone who is near areas where Hezbollah operates should leave immediately to protect themselves and their families,” the message posted on Telegram continued.

In a separate statement, the military said its jets were striking targets in Lebanon “that posed an imminent threat” to Israelis.

Fears have been high in recent weeks that the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a regional conflict after an Israeli strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander and a suspected Israeli assassination operation in Iran killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

A White House national security spokesperson said Joe Biden has directed American officials to “continuously” communicate with Israel and that the US will “keep supporting Israel’s right to defend itself”.

The attacks came as Egypt hosts a new round of talks aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war. Hezbollah has said it will halt the fighting if there is a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Pentagon said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, about Israel’s defences against Hezbollah. Mr Austin “reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s defense against any attacks by Iran and its regional partners and proxies”, a statement said.

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