On Sunday, setters said that 100 Israeli fighter jets flew low and launched a major attack on Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon; they claimed that thousands of rocket launcher barrels were hit. The Israeli government described the strike as a preemptive strike that would prevent Hezbollah from launching an attack on the northern part of Israel. This comes after the group Hezbollah boasted of having fired 320 rockets and drones at Israel military targets.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reaffirmed the government’s stand, saying, “Whoever harms us, we harm him”, as threats and counter-threats are growing in the Middle Eastern region, further compounded by the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The attacks conducted by Israel targeted 40 launching pads, according to reports. Netanyahu stressed safeguarding the Israeli citizens and their protection as they stepped up efforts to regain control, stabilize the northern parts of the country, and avoid any such aggression in the future.
In response, Hezbollah continuously explained that its rocket and drone attacks were a direct response to the assassination of one of its outstanding field commanders, Fouad Shukur, by the Israeli strikes at Beirut last month. The recent aggression poses more threat of escalating the situation in the region, and this might trigger a full-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel. Some fear the conflict might expand to Iran through the Hezbollah group, which has been a target of recent operations by Israel, including the assassination of its operatives and an attack on its embassy in Syria this year.
The confrontation also jeopardizes ongoing efforts to broker a truce in Gaza, where Israel has been fighting a long war with the Hamas group that is affiliated with Hezbollah. As for Hezbollah, it hinted that it will not wage an attack if, and only if, a cease-fire is reached between Israel and Hamas.
Northern Israel received the sound of air raid warning signals with several Israeli aircraft being temporarily grounded or re-routed at the Ben-Gurion International Airport. They were able to reopen the airport later in the morning.
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