Israel launches pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon; Hezbollah says day's attack 'accomplished'

This photo taken from a position in northern Israel shows a Hezbollah UAV intercepted by Israeli air forces over north Israel on August 25.

The situation between Israel and Hezbollah sharply flared up on August 25, with the Israeli military's announcement that it was conducting pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon in response to what it called preparations for "large-scale" attacks by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.

Later in the day, Hezbollah declared that its military operation against Israeli positions was "completed" following the large-scale offensive. The Iran-backed group dismissed Israeli claims that its pre-emptive strikes had thwarted the operation, labeling such assertions as "empty claims" in a statement.

"Our military operation today is completed and accomplished," the Iran-backed group said in a statement. Israeli "claims of pre-emptive action it carried out... and the thwarting of the resistance's attack are empty claims", it stated.

Earlier in the day, Hezbollah claimed it had launched over 320 rockets at Israel overnight, targeting multiple military positions. "The number of Katyusha rockets launched until now is more than 320... towards enemy positions," a Hezbollah statement said, adding it had targeted 11 Israeli bases and barracks.

In response to the imminent threat, the Israeli military launched extensive pre-emptive strikes targeting thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon, aimed at northern and central Israel. The operation involved approximately 100 fighter jets.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has committed to "do everything" necessary to restore security in northern Israel amid the ongoing conflict. "We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes, and to continue to uphold a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we harm him," he issue a statement.

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"The IDF identified the Hezbollah terrorist organization preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory. In response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon," the Israel Defence Forces said in a statement.

Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nadav Shoshani indicated that the attack was part of a larger planned operation by Hezbollah, which Israel managed to thwart significantly.

Shoshani noted that while there is an ongoing assessment of the situation, damage from the Hezbollah fire was minimal. He also confirmed that the operation was conducted solely by Israeli forces, with no involvement from international partners, including the United States. Israeli authorities had warned Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas where Hezbollah was active.

Warning sirens sounded in northern Israel and multiple explosions were heard around several areas as Israel's Iron Dome aerial defence system shot down rockets coming from southern Lebanon. Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said it was on high alert all over the country. The Lebanon ministry has reported one death in the Israeli strike in the south.

Meanwhile, Tel Aviv share indices opened higher on August 25, buoyed by market confidence following the Israeli pre-emptive strike. The blue-chip Tel Aviv 35 index increased by 0.4 percent, while the broader TA-125 index saw a rise of 0.5 percent.

The Pentagon said late Saturday that the United States was "postured to support" the defense of Israel after its military announced it was conducting pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting attack preparations by the militant group Hezbollah.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation and have been very clear that the US is postured to support the defense of Israel," a Pentagon spokesman said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Israel's Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday, following a brief suspension due to military strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Operations at the airport resumed at 7:00 am (0400 GMT), with diverted flights also returning to the main international hub.

Rising Tensions

Expectations of an escalation between the two sides had flared up since a missile strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month killed 12 youngsters and the Israeli military assassinated a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut in response.

The Israeli military said new civil defence instructions would be issued to the population shortly. It warned civilians in southern Lebanon to stay away from areas where Hezbollah operates.

The strikes came as negotiators were meeting in Cairo in a last-ditch effort to conclude a halt to fighting in Gaza and a return of Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel immediately after the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants on Israel. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire constantly ever since while avoiding a major escalation as war rages in Gaza to the south.

That precarious balance appeared to shift after the strike in the Golan Heights, for which Hezbollah denied responsibility, and the subsequent assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander in Beirut.

Shukr's death in an air strike was quickly followed by the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which led to vows of reprisal against Israel by Iran.

With agency inputs