Israel launches series of intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah

Soon afterwards, Hezbollah announced it had launched an attack on Israel with a "large number of drones" as an initial response to the killing of Fouad Shukur

Jerusalem: Israel launched a series of intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon early Sunday in what it said was a pre-emptive strike against the Hezbollah militant group, threatening to trigger a broader regionwide war that could torpedo efforts to forge a ceasefire in Gaza.

The army said Hezbollah was planning to launch a heavy barrage of rockets and missiles toward Israel. The Iranian-backed group had been promising to retaliate for Israel’s assassination of a top commander late last month. Air raid sirens were reported throughout northern Israel, and Israel’s Ben-Gurion international airport began diverting incoming flights and delaying takeoffs.

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Soon afterwards, Hezbollah announced it had launched an attack on Israel with a “large number of drones” as an initial response to the killing of Fouad Shukur, a top commander with the group, in a strike in Beirut‘s southern suburbs last month.

Hezbollah said the attack was targeting “a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later” as well as “targeting a number of enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome platforms.” The attack came as Egypt hosts a new round of talks aimed at ending Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its 11th month. Hezbollah has said it will halt the fighting if there is a cease-fire.

Last week, Israel’s Defense Minister said he was moving more troops toward the Lebanese border in anticipation of possible fighting with the Iranian-backed group. Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said early Sunday: “In a self-defense 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.”

“We can see that Hezbollah is preparing to launch an extensive attack on Israel, while endangering the Lebanese civilians,” he added, without providing details. “We warn the civilians located in the areas where Hezbollah is operating to move out of harm’s way immediately for their own safety,” he added.