New Delhi: Israel Strikes Lebanon, Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah and Israel have both announced large-scale military operations against each other. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed organization, claimed to have launched “more than 320” Katyusha rockets targeting key Israeli military sites. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initiated pre-emptive strikes on targets in Lebanon, focusing on Hezbollah positions deemed an immediate threat to Israeli civilians.
Israel has undertaken preemptive airstrikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and the militant group claims to have reacted by firing drones and hundreds of rockets.
The IDF announced these strikes early Sunday, following the detection of preparations by Hezbollah for “large-scale” attacks on Israeli territory. Israeli Air Force fighter jets have been deployed to neutralize these threats, with the operations targeting Hezbollah positions that posed an immediate danger.
This escalation follows weeks of mounting tension after the assassination of Hezbollah’s military commander, Fuad Shukr, last month. Hezbollah has vowed to avenge the killing, which it described as a direct provocation and an act of war. In its “initial response,” Hezbollah launched an air attack using a large number of drones targeting deep into Israel. The group also targeted several enemy positions, barracks, and Iron Dome platforms with a significant number of rockets, stating that the military operations “will take some time to complete.”
In light of the escalating situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a security cabinet meeting. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a state of emergency across the country for the next 48 hours, granting the IDF Home Front Command expanded authority to impose restrictions on the civilian population.
As a precautionary measure, Ben Gurion International Airport announced delays and diversions of flights, and emergency services have raised their readiness level in anticipation of potential large-scale attacks from Hezbollah.
The United States has reaffirmed its support for Israel’s right to defend itself, with the US National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett stating that senior US officials are in continuous communication with their Israeli counterparts. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has seen frequent exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the Gaza war began in October, heightening fears of a full-scale conflict in Lebanon.
There has been no independent confirmation about the claims, nor whether any damage has been caused.
The Iran-backed fighting group – designated a terrorist organisation by several countries including the UK – said its attacks were in retaliation for the killing of a top commander last month.
Fuad Shukr died in a strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, previously described Shukr as “one of the most wanted terrorists in the world”.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese National News Agency described “enemy warplanes” causing “severe damage to property, crops, and infrastructure, especially the electricity and water networks”.
The escalation was predicted according to an assessment of Israeli intelligence by the country’s best-connected security correspondents.
This latest flare-up is part of a broader pattern of hostilities that intensified after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has led to over 40,000 Palestinian casualties, according to the Gaza health ministry.
It will increase oil prices