Israel said it acted in self-defense Sunday when it fired at Hezbollah military targets ahead of an expected attack from the group, which is based in Lebanon.
The Middle East, and Israel specifically, has been on high alert since the Jewish State took out Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a strike on Beirut last month, along with the killing of a Hamas leader in Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that the Israeli Defense Force had taken action against perceived preparation for an attack by Hezbollah.
“This morning we identified Hezbollah preparations to attack Israel. In consensus with the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief-of-Staff, we directed the IDF initiate action to eliminate the threat,” Netanyahu said Sunday.
“Since then, the IDF has been taking strong action to foil the threats. It has eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel. It is thwarting many other threats and is taking very strong action – both defensively and offensively,” he added.
The IDF said it had taken out various military targets in a Sunday morning post on X.
“Approx. 100 IAF fighter jets struck and eliminated thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for immediate fire toward northern and central Israel. More than 40 Hezbollah launch areas were struck,” the IDF said.
Hezbollah said that its rocket fire on Sunday was going after “a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later,” according to the Associated Press, but also stated it had ended its military operation for the day later on Sunday. The outlet reports that the exchange of fire had ended by mid-morning and that a larger conflict appeared to have been averted. Three fighters were killed in Lebanon in the exchange, per the outlet.
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The exchange of fire on Sunday comes as Israel is still months into war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, with the terrorist group still holding Israeli hostages it took when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Talks for a ceasefire and exchange of the hostages have not produced lasting results so far.
