Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel today, before the Israeli military said it had launched pre-emptive strikes on targets in Lebanon, saying it had detected Hezbollah preparing a “large-scale” attack on Israeli territory.
Israel said its military deployed fighter jets that destroyed “thousands” of Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon that were targeting northern and central Israel.
“Nearly 100 IAF fighter jets attacked and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were aimed at immediate targets in northern and central Israel. More than 40 Hezbollah launch sites were struck. We will do whatever is necessary to defend our citizens and the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X.
Pictures emerged of an Israeli fighter jet firing flares while trying to intercept an enemy aircraft launched from Lebanon across the border with South Lebanon. Israel carried out an airstrike on the town of Zibkine in southern Lebanon. Pictures showed smoke billowing from the site of the airstrike.
“We are still working to thwart real-time threats. IDF warplanes have struck additional Hezbollah launchers in several areas of southern Lebanon and a terrorist cell operating in the Khiyam area of southern Lebanon,” the IDF wrote on X.
We’re still working to thwart real-time threats.
IDF warplanes have attacked Hezbollah launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon and a terrorist cell operating in the Khiam region of southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/j6E1WNwb4d
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 25, 2024
Israeli jets were seen intercepting Hezbollah drones over northern Israel early Sunday morning. The Iran-backed group Hezbollah said its militants launched an airstrike by sending “a large number of drones” across the border, followed by “more than 320” Katyusha rockets, hitting 11 military targets.
The Lebanese Movement said its attack was an “initial reaction” to the killing of its military commander Fuad Shukr last month, adding that the assault “ended with complete success”.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant declared a state of emergency and Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond to developments on the ground, but did not want a full-scale war.
As a precaution, flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport were suspended for about 90 minutes.
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon and the office of the U.N. Special Coordinator in the country called on all parties to ceasefire and described the night’s developments as “worrying.”
Reacting to the developments, the US said it “will continue to support Israel’s right to self-defense”. National Security Council spokesman Sean Savet said, “At the direction of President Joe Biden, senior US officials are in close communication with their Israeli counterparts. We will continue to support Israel’s right to self-defense and we will continue to work for regional stability.”
Today’s clash is one of several between Israel and Hezbollah that began after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which triggered the Gaza war.
