Commencing initial retaliatory action: Hezbollah assaults Israel
Hizbullah announces completion of initial retaliatory attacks against Israel, prompting state of emergency.
According to Hizbullah, the Shia militant group based in Lebanon, they initiated a retaliatory assault on Israel following the death of a high-ranking military commander. Reportedly, more than 320 Katyusha rockets were launched towards Israeli military installations and other targets. Initial reports suggested over 100 rockets were fired into northern Israel.
Hizbullah has declared the "initial phase" of its assault as completed. However, verifying the precise number of projectiles launched from Israel was not immediately feasible. Hizbullah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut nearly a month earlier.
Meanwhile, Israeli military sources confirmed attacking Hizbullah positions in southern Lebanon. More than 40 targets were reportedly hit in southern Lebanon, with the situation appearing to stabilize after an hour of bombing.
Israel issues state of emergency
Israel declared a nationwide state of emergency, beginning at 6:00 AM local time (05:00 AM CET), to last for 48 hours. This announcement followed Israeli military strikes on numerous Hizbullah positions in the adjacent country, the Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant stated. The army mentioned the attacks were aimed at preventing an imminent threat posed by Hizbullah. Lebanese security sources corroborated the Israeli actions.
Israel had recently discovered that Hizbullah was preparing to launch rockets into Israeli territory. In response, the Israeli Air Force deployed several fighter jets to attack Hizbullah targets in Lebanon that posed an "immediate threat" to Israel. This was an act of self-defense that utilized Israel's missile defense system, navy, and air force.
Israel Warns Hizbullah
The spokesperson for the Israeli military warned that Hizbullah's continued aggression increased the risk of drawing the Lebanese people, Israelis, and the entire region further into an escalation. Israel refuses to tolerate Hizbullah attacks on its civilians.
Israeli Defense Minister Galant spoke with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, post the attacks in Lebanon. They emphasized the importance of preventing regional escalation.
The US is Israel's ally and has recently dispatched additional warships, aircraft, and even a nuclear-armed submarine to the region, to support Israel in case of an attack by forces in Lebanon or Iran.
Highest Alert Level Declared
Israel's emergency services announced the highest level of readiness due to the immediate threat at the border with Lebanon. The Israeli airport Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv reportedly rerouted incoming flights to other airports. It was initially reported that no flights would take place in the next few hours, citing the Israeli airport authority. However, shortly afterward, the army announced that the airport had been reopened.
Negotiations in Cairo
Since the initiation of the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas for over ten months, Hizbullah, an ally to Hamas, has regularly attacked regions in northern Israel. In retaliation, the Israeli military has frequently targeted areas in the neighboring country.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar, who are mediating in the Gaza war, hope an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza can prevent an escalation with Hizbullah and Iran, thereby averting a regional conflagration. Negotiations toward this end will continue today in Cairo.
The European Union has expressed concern over the escalating tensions between Israel and Hizbullah, calling for de-escalation and respect for international law. The European Union urges all parties involved to exercise restraint and engage in diplomatic dialogue to prevent further violence.
