Israel declares state of emergency as Hezbollah fires ‘more than 300 missiles’
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah says it has fired more than 300 missiles at Israeli military targets. The “large-scale attack” was in retaliation for the death of a senior Hezbollah commander in late July. Israel has declared a state of emergency.
Earlier on Sunday morning, the Israeli army had announced that an attack was imminent and that it had carried out pre-emptive airstrikes in Lebanon. According to the Israeli army, about 100 fighter jets destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers.
Hezbollah then reportedly fired more than 320 rockets and a “large number” of drones at northern Israel. It is not clear what targets have been hit and the extent of any damage. According to the Israeli army, its pre-emptive airstrikes thwarted a much larger attack.
Retaliatory attack
Hezbollah declared that this was “a successful first phase of a retaliatory attack” in response to the killing of senior commander Fuad Shukr. He was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a building in the Lebanese capital Beirut in late July. Hezbollah added that the full response would take "some time".
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet at 6.00 Belgian time. A state of emergency is in effect across the country, for at least the next 48 hours.
"We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes and to continue to uphold a simple rule: whoever harms us – we will harm them," Netanyahu said in a statement. Foreign minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond to developments on the ground but did not seek a full-scale war.
A Hezbollah UAV intercepted by Israeli air forces over north Israel, 25 August 2024 © PHOTO JALAA MAREY / AFP
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