Hezbollah has begun its retaliation against Israel for the killing of Fuad Shukr, a top military commander in the Iran-backed group. This comes shortly before the top US military general is due to visit Israel in the coming days, a US official said. Al Arabiyah English that intelligence over the past two days indicated that Hezbollah was poised to launch a large-scale attack on Israel.
Hezbollah issued a statement announcing the first part of its response, which includes a drone strike on a “high-quality” military site and rocket attacks on Iron Dome launch pads and other military sites. The group said it was on high alert and would take retaliatory measures against Lebanese civilians.
Israeli army attacks Lebanon
The Israeli military said in a video posted early Sunday that it was striking terror targets in Lebanon to eliminate threats against Israeli civilians. A security source in Lebanon said at least 40 Israeli strikes had hit several towns in the south of the country, one of the heaviest bombardments since hostilities began in October.
Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet at 7 a.m. and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel would do whatever it took to defend itself. The military estimated that Hezbollah had prepared to fire hundreds of rockets into central Israel in an attack scheduled for 5 a.m.
The Pentagon referred questions about the Israeli operations to the Israeli military, saying it would continue to monitor the situation closely and support Israel’s defense.
A resident of the southern Lebanese town of Zibqeen described the bombing as “the apocalypse.” Flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport were suspended, but normal operations were expected to resume by 7 a.m. Warning sirens were sounded and multiple explosions were heard in several areas of northern Israel.
Last minute developments
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin met with his Israeli counterpart to discuss the strikes on Hezbollah targets. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown traveled to Jordan over the weekend ahead of scheduled visits to Egypt and Israel. The U.S. official said the Hezbollah threat came after Brow’s trip was already planned.
In a statement, Joint Staff spokesman Capt. Jereal Dorsey said Brown’s trip is intended to demonstrate the U.S.’s long-term commitment to the Middle East and to broaden his understanding of the different perspectives on the ongoing tensions. He wants to emphasize the importance of deterring further escalation, protecting U.S. forces in the region and U.S. support for Israel’s self-defense.
“As ceasefire negotiations continue, the chairman’s visit signals the importance of reaching an agreement that returns the hostages, ends the violence, and allows the entire region to focus on the next steps toward a safer and more stable Middle East,” Dorsey added.
Key takeaways
• Hezbollah took revenge on Israel for the killing of Fuad Shukr.
• The Israeli army has attacked terrorist targets in Lebanon.
• US officials have expressed concern about Hezbollah’s large-scale attack plans.
• Ceasefire negotiations are underway between Israel and Hamas.
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