The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say they launched preemptive strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Very shortly after those air strikes, Hezbollah fired a massive volley of rockets and drones at Israel, saying it was undertaking retaliation actions for the assassination last month of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Hezbollah did not say the rocket barrage was in response to Israel’s strikes, so it would have been part of the impending attack Israel was working to degrade.
As of yet, Iran has not joined in directly but has threatened in the past to attack Israel in revenge for the assassination in Tehran last July 31 of Ismail Haniyeh, a top Hamas political leader.
“The IDF identified the Hezbollah terrorist organization preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory,” the IDF said on Telegram. “In response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon. Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets are currently striking targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization that posed an imminent threat to the citizens of the State of Israel. Following the strikes, and in accordance with the IDF Home Front Command’s situational assessment, life-saving guidelines for the public in certain areas of Israel will be published.”
“Dozens of IAF jets are currently striking targets in various locations in southern Lebanon,” said IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “We are continuing to remove threats, and to intensively strike against the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”
The night sky over northern Israel lit up with Iron Dome air defense system interceptors targeting incoming Hezbollah projectiles.
The Israeli shootdown of a Hezbollah drone over northern Israel was captured in amazing photos by AFP photographer Jalaa Marey.
At least one home in northern Israel was damaged by a Hezbollah rocket.
Hezbollah released a statement about its actions and claimed to have fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.
“Hezbollah begins the process of responding to the assassination of the martyr Fouad Shukr,” according to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen news outlet’s Telegram. “The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon…confirms targeting a qualitative military target, and completing the first phase with complete success.”
Israel’s preemptive attack was “aimed at missile launchers in Lebanon that had been programmed to be fired at 5 a.m. in the direction of Tel Aviv,” The New York Times reported, citing a Western intelligence official. “The official said that all the launchers that were targeted were destroyed and that Israel was anticipating a harsh response from Hezbollah.”
There are conflicting reports about whether the U.S. was warned ahead of Israel’s attack.
“One senior U.S. official said the United States had not been given advance notice of Israel’s intent to carry out pre-emptive strikes,” The New York Times reported. “But a second U.S. official said that Israel had briefed American officials in the past day and said the I.D.F. had assessed that Hezbollah was planning to attack early Sunday morning.”
President. Joe Biden “is closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon,” said Sean Savett, a White House National Security Council spokesman. “He has been engaged with his national security team throughout the evening. At his direction, senior U.S. officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts. We will keep supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III “spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to discuss Israel’s defense against Lebanese Hizballah attacks,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. “Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s defense against any attacks by Iran and its regional partners and proxies.”
What exactly this multi-phase campaign Hezbollah is saying it is executing will look like remains unclear, but Israel has been putting its country in a posture for a major hostilities, including cancelling all flights into and out of the Tel Aviv, although it looks like that the airport is now reopened.
Hezbollah has a massive arsenal, largely furnished by Iran, that includes longer-range weaponry that could strike across Israel. So far, it appears this onslaught was limited to less advanced rocket capabilities and drones. How this is related to Iran’s delayed reprisal attacks against Israel, if it all, remains an unknown.
This is a developing story.
Update 1:41 AM Eastern –
The IDF released a new statement on the number of aircraft used and targets it claimed were hit:
“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets, directed by IDF intelligence, struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon. Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel. More than 40 launch areas in Lebanon were struck during the strikes.”
Update: 1:53 AM Eastern –
Israeli Prime Minister delivered a message after a meeting of the Israeli Political and Security Cabinet at the IDF Headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“Whoever hurts us, we hurt him,” he said.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com