Israel bombs Lebanon shortly before Hezbollah begins retaliatory attack
Israeli jets bombed southern Lebanon with a wave of air strikes early on Sunday, shortly before Hezbollah launched hundreds of missiles and drones across the boundary in retaliation for the killing of one of its top commanders last month.
The Israeli military said its dawn attacks were pre-emptive and aimed at thwarting a much larger attack after assessing that Hezbollah was about to launch the barrage.
Over 100 jets struck over 40 Hezbollah launch sites, the military added.
Hezbollah denied Israel’s attacks were pre-emptive, calling the statements “empty claims that contradict the facts on the ground”.
The Israeli air strikes killed at least three people, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
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Shortly after the Israeli attack, Hezbollah said it fired over 320 Katyusha rockets at 11 Israeli military bases to “facilitate the passage of drones” towards their desired targets.
It said the attack was the "first phase" in its retaliation for top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut last month.
The group said its "drones have passed as planned" and that the full response will take "some time".
'Intense'
The attack led to the temporary closure of Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport and the closure of beaches in northern Israel. Bomb shelters were also opened.
“The hitting was intense and very close,” a resident of northern Israel told Middle East Eye.
“It didn’t stop. Lots of shrapnel fell in our village.”
'The hitting was intense and very close… Lots of shrapnel fell in our village'
- Resident of northern Israel
In Lebanon, several flights were cancelled at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri international airport.
Both Hezbollah and Israel claim to have completed their operations.
However, Israeli strikes were reported on several parts of south Lebanon after Hezbollah’s attack.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is set to speak at 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT).
The latest exchange of fire was among the biggest since clashes between Israel and Hezbollah began on 8 October.
Hezbollah said it was firing at Israel in solidarity with Palestinian groups in Gaza and vowed to continue until there's a ceasefire.
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