Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

The Israeli military said its warplanes attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after detecting preparations for an air attack on Israel.

Israel said about 100 warplanes destroyed “thousands” of rocket launchers in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning, in what it described as “self-defence”.

Hezbollah then fired hundreds of rockets toward northern Israel, calling it “phase one” of a multi-phase attack.

The exchange marks a major escalation of tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim group.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had identified “extensive preparations” for a large-scale air attack by Hezbollah, prompting it to launch preemptive strikes.

The report added that their aircraft struck more than 40 launch sites, some of which were believed to be targeting central Israel.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel “acted to protect its citizens and territory” and “does not want all-out war” in the Middle East.

Israel said Lebanese people have been warned to immediately leave areas where Hezbollah is operating.

Lebanon’s Public Health Ministry said Israeli airstrikes killed one person in Khiam and wounded two others.

Immediately after the Israeli airstrike, Hezbollah said it had launched 320 Katyusha rockets at 11 Israeli military bases and barracks.

The group said the attack was in response to the assassination of its senior military commander, Fuad Shukr, last month.

was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital Beirut in July.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was convening an emergency meeting of his security cabinet.

Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were “managing the situation” from the IDF military base in Tel Aviv.

Israel has been fighting the Lebanon-based militant group since its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip began last October.

Hamas, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran.