Israel has launched the largest airstrikes across Lebanon, hitting more than 40 Hezbollah sites – in what it called ‘an act of self-defence’ – while the militant group responded by firing drones and hundreds of Katyusha rockets.
In a statement, the Israeli military accused the Iran-backed group of ‘preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory’ in the early hours of this morning.
‘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,’ military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said.
He warned Hezbollah would ‘soon fire rockets, and possibly missiles and drones’ into Israel.
‘We warn the civilians located in the areas where Hezbollah is operating to move out of harm’s way immediately for their own safety,’ Hagari added.
Warning sirens sounded in the north, while all flights from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport were suspended and incoming planes re-directed. A number of flights were also cancelled in Beirut as well.
At the same time, about 100 Israeli fighter jets struck ‘thousands’ of sites used by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Strikes were reported in Chqif castle, the outskirts of the towns of Ain Qana, Sajd, Kfar Fila and Sarba, as well as Kfar Fila, Louaizeh, Bsalia, Kfar Melki and the Bir Kalb area.
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), one person was killed in an Israeli raid on a car in the southern town of Khiam.
It was more than an hour later that the militant group deployed a large number of drones and rockets in response for the killing of its top commander, Fuad Shukr, in a suburb in Beirut last month.
Hezbollah targeted military sites as well as Israel’s Iron Dome platforms, but said this was just the ‘first phase’ of its attack and that the full response will ‘take some time’.
Explosions sounded as the Israeli military’s aerial defence system shot down missiles from southern Lebanon.
Israeli media reported that Hezbollah planned to strike the Gelilot area, in central Israel, where the Mossad HQ and 8200 unit HQ are based, but the group has not commented on this as of yet.
In an earlier statement, the group said: ‘We will take revenge on the criminals.’
This was the ‘first phase’ of its attack, after launching 320 Katyusha rockets and hitting 11 Israeli military sites.
It added: ‘These military operations will take some time to complete, after which a detailed statement will be issued about their course and objectives.
‘The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon is now and at this moment at the highest level of readiness, and will stand strong and watchful against any Zionist transgression or aggression, especially if civilians are harmed, the punishment will be severe and very harsh.’
Amid the escalation of hostilities, Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, urged all parties to avoid a major regional war.
He told Sky News: ‘This is a major escalation, that’s the word that’s always used about these things in terms of what’s been happening between Israel and Hamas in Gaza over the past year, and there’s been a fear of a major escalation.
‘Even as this unfolds, the UK Government and the international community would urge all parties not to escalate further and to avoid a major regional war. That is the real danger facing the area.
‘We hope this doesn’t turn out to be that and we hope that afterwards we can de-escalate the situation.
‘But we’re very concerned about what’s happening there, very concerned for the people there, and we hope this is not a long-term outbreak in major hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.’
Lebanese caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati called for an emergency cabinet meeting amid the series of Israeli airstrikes.
Hezbollah’s chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will also make a televised address to the nation later this afternoon.
The attacks came as Egypt is hosting a new round of talks aimed at ending Israel’s bloodshed on Palestinians – now in its 11th month. Hezbollah has said it will halt the fighting if there is a ceasefire.
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