Israel's preemptive strike across southern Lebanon on Sunday targeting Hezbollah military centres has escalated the cross-border conflict. Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones against northern Israel in response to the attack.
The Israel military said it had launched around 100 fighter jets for the preemptive strikes, making it the largest attack on Lebanon since the full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
Meanwhile, around 300 rockets and missiles were fired by Hezbollah targeting military facilities in northern Israel. Hezbollah termed its strikes as “successful”.
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Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam, after an emergency government meeting, said the officials were feeling optimistic about a de-escalation. “We feel more reassured since both sides confirmed that the expected operations ended, and we know that the negotiations in Cairo are very serious,” he said.
Though both sides scaled back the strikes, the situation remained tense in the region.
Hezbollah in a statement said this was the first phase of its response to the Israeli assassination of a senior Fouad Shukr in Beirut last month.
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At least three fighters were killed in the strikes on Lebanon, while Israel reported no causalities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel eliminated thousands of rockets and shot down drones heading for the centre of the country. He said it marked another step toward changing the situation along the border.
"I repeat this is not the end of the story," he said. “We are determined to do everything to protect our country, return the residents of the north safely to their homes and continue to uphold a simple rule: whoever hurts us – we hurt them,” said Netanyahu.
The Pentagon said Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, about Israel's defences.
The strikes took place as high-level talks were going to take place on Sunday over truce terms and exploring ceasefire options as the Hamas-Israel war rages on. The talks, hosted by Egypt, were to be attended by CIA director William Burns and David Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Joe Biden was closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon.
“President Biden is closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon. He has been engaged with his national security team throughout the evening. At his direction, senior US officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts," Sean Savett said.
Meanwhile, Israel said it still expected an “extensive” Hezbollah response and declared a 48-hour state of emergency, giving the military special powers. Sirens sounded in towns across northern Israel, the Tel Aviv airport was closed for a few hours and incoming flights were diverted in the wake of high tension in the region.