Lebanon’s Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it launched an air attack using a large number of drones and missiles deep into Israeli territory.
The Israeli army responded by carrying out extensive strikes in southern Lebanon to prevent what it described as a “major attack” by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah stated that its air attack targeted a specific Israeli military objective, which would be revealed later, and added that the operation was part of its “initial response” to the killing of Commander Fouad Shukr.
The group emphasized that the attack began with a significant air assault involving numerous drones aimed at Israeli territory and a critical military target.
Simultaneously, Hezbollah launched a barrage of missiles at Israeli sites, barracks, and Iron Dome installations in northern Israel. The group stated that its operations would continue for some time, after which a detailed report would be released.
🚨 AL-JAZEERA: Air raid sirens sounded in Safed and the surrounding areas, and a building was hit in the Western Galilee.
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320 Rockets
In a subsequent statement, Hezbollah said that it had launched over 320 rockets at Israeli military bases and barracks in northern Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan, marking the “first phase” of its response to Shukr’s assassination.
The group affirmed its high state of readiness and warned of severe consequences if civilians were harmed.
According to Al-Jazeera, Israeli interceptor missiles detonated over border villages in southern Lebanon, while Israeli media indicated that there were injuries in the Nahariya and Acre areas of northern Israel.
In response, Israel conducted dozens of air raids on southern Lebanon, with Israeli military radio reporting that around 100 warplanes participated in strikes on over 200 targets in Lebanon.
Israeli officials claimed they had thwarted Hezbollah’s plans to launch a massive rocket and missile attack on central Israel, with preemptive strikes beginning early in the morning.
ISRAELI ARMY: It was decided to impose partial restrictions on the northern and southern Golan Heights, the Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Carmel, and the greater Tel Aviv area.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had instructed the military to act decisively to eliminate threats after detecting Hezbollah’s preparations for an attack.
He claimed that the army had destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at northern Israel and was actively working to remove additional threats through both defense and offense.
The Israeli military confirmed monitoring a large-scale attack by Hezbollah, with 320 rockets and drones launched from Lebanon toward Israel in the past hour and a half. Following a situation assessment, Israel decided to change its defense policy, imposing partial restrictions on several regions, including the Golan Heights, Galilee, Jordan Valley, Carmel, and the greater Tel Aviv area.
Coordination with the army of the United States, whose commander recently arrived in Jordan, was also confirmed.
Israeli media reported that all beaches in the Haifa area were closed, and army sources suggested that Israel was preparing for possible attacks not only from Lebanon. The Israeli army’s Home Front Command advised the public to follow its instructions closely.
CHANNEL 12 (citing security official): All Haifa beaches closed to Israelis in light of the security situation.
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Baseless Claims
Hezbollah denied Israel’s narrative, insisting that its military operation had been completed as planned, with all drones successfully launched toward their targets at predetermined times.
Hezbollah dismissed Israel’s claims of preemptive action as unfounded.
While Hezbollah has not yet disclosed the specific target of its attack, there were reports of power outages in the coastal city of Acre and its suburbs.
The Israeli ambulance service raised its alert level and deployed additional crews across Israel in response to Hezbollah’s operations.
HEZBOLLAH: The Lebanese Hezbollah said that today’s military operation has been completed and accomplished.
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The Israeli security cabinet postponed its meeting until 11 AM, and the Israel Airports Authority announced that flights diverted to alternative airports would resume operations at Ben Gurion Airport.
The United States reaffirmed its support for Israel’s right to self-defense following Hezbollah’s attack, with President Joe Biden closely monitoring the situation.
The Pentagon reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, reiterating the US commitment to defending Israel against attacks by Hezbollah and other regional threats.
(AJA, PC)
