Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel today after Israel's military said it initiated pre-emptive strikes on targets in Lebanon, stating that they had detected preparations by Hezbollah for "large-scale" attacks on Israeli territory.
Israel said its military deployed fighter jets that destroyed "thousands" of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon that were aimed at northern and central Israel.
"Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for immediate fire toward northern and central Israel. More than 40 Hezbollah launch areas were struck. We will do whatever is needed to defend our civilians and the State of Israel," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X.
Pictures emerged of an Israeli fighter jet firing flares as it tried to intercept a hostile aircraft that was launched from Lebanon over the border area with south Lebanon. Israel conducted an airstrike on the town of Zibqin in south Lebanon. Visuals showed smoke billowing from the site of the airstrike.
"We are still operating to thwart real-time threats. IDF fighter jets have just struck additional Hezbollah launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon and a terrorist cell operating in the area of Khiam in southern Lebanon," IDF wrote on X.
Israeli aircraft were seen intercepting Hezbollah drones over north Israel early Sunday morning. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, said its militants "began an air attack with a large number of drones" sent across the border, followed by "more than 320" Katyusha rockets that hit 11 military targets.
The Lebanese movement said its attack was an "initial response" to the assassination of its military commander Fuad Shukr last month, adding the attack had "ended with total success".
Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a state of emergency and Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond to developments on the ground but did not seek a full-scale war.
As a precautionary measure, flights to and from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv were suspended for around 90 minutes.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon and the UN's special coordinator's office in the country called on all sides to cease fire, calling the developments overnight "worrying".
Responding to the developments, the US said it "will keep supporting Israel's right to defend itself". National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said, "At President Joe Biden's direction, senior US officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts. We will keep supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability."
Today's escalation is one of many between Israel and Hezbollah that began after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which led to the outbreak of the Gaza war.
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