Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Hezbollah launched a large-scale attack on Israel, targeting numerous military sites in retaliation for earlier Israeli airstrikes and avenging the death of its prominent leader, Fouad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut last month.
In its initial statement, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon declared, "On the fortieth day of Imam Hussein bin Ali's martyrdom, the leader of martyrs and the symbol of sacrifice and selflessness, at dawn on Sunday, August 25, 2024, the Islamic Resistance launched an aerial attack with numerous drones deep into Zionist territory.”
“This was an initial response to the brutal Zionist aggression on Beirut's Dahieh, which resulted in the martyrdom of the great leader, Mr. Fouad Shukr, and several of our people, including women and children,” the statement added.
“The drones targeted a significant Israeli military site, which will be revealed later.”
“Simultaneously, the Resistance fighters launched a large number of rockets at multiple enemy sites, barracks, and Iron Dome platforms in northern occupied Palestine," the statement added.
Hezbollah further stated, "These military operations will take some time to complete, after which a detailed statement on their progress and objectives will be issued," warning, “The Resistance is at its highest state of readiness and will firmly resist any Zionist aggression, with severe punishment promised if civilians are harmed.”
In its second statement, Hezbollah announced it had launched “320 rockets in the first phase of the attack to help clear the way for offensive drones to reach their target.”
In response, the Israeli army reported intercepting dozens of rockets launched from Lebanon, but Israeli Channel 12 confirmed that “several drones from Lebanon had successfully breached Israel's defense systems.”
“Sirens were sounding across northern Israel, warning of imminent attacks or possible Hezbollah drone infiltrations,” the army reported, urging residents in several areas “to take shelter in bunkers, anticipating a Hezbollah counterattack.”
Moreover, the Israeli army announced “preemptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah's preparations for large-scale attacks on Israel.”
A military spokesperson confirmed, "We are targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon to neutralize threats and prevent their planned rocket and missile launches toward Israeli territory."
In turn, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Israel "is preparing for an immediate Hezbollah response" after the surprise attack.
In this context, Israeli media reported that “flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv were halted.”
Notably, Hezbollah, one of the Middle East’s most powerful paramilitary groups, has been engaged in intense, near-daily cross-border fighting with Israel since October 7, marking the most significant escalation since the 2006 war, reflecting its solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, who have suffered over 40,000 deaths and more than 94,000 injuries, mostly among children and women, due to Israeli aggression.