The Israeli army announced, at dawn on Sunday, a “preemptive attack” against Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Israeli sources confirmed that the Israeli army carried out more than 40 raids on areas in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army said in a statement, “We are carrying out attacks in Lebanon to remove threats from Hezbollah after detecting its preparation to launch shells and missiles towards Israeli territory.”
The statement added: “Air Force warplanes, under the direction of the Northern Command and Military Intelligence, are attacking Hezbollah targets that posed an immediate threat to the Israeli home front.”
In its message to the residents of southern Lebanon, the Israeli army urged “all persons located near areas where Hezbollah is active to leave immediately to protect themselves and their families.”
The Israeli army added that it “will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel.”
The Israeli army announced that “100 warplanes participated in the attack on thousands of Hezbollah missile platforms to neutralize the threat.”
The Israeli army said in a statement: “About 100 IAF warplanes attacked and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers, most of which were directed towards the north of the country and some also towards the center of the country.”
In the context, Hezbollah announced in a statement today, Sunday, “the start of the attack on Israel, in response to the assassination of one of its most prominent leaders, Fouad Shukr.
Hezbollah said in its statement: “At dawn on Sunday, August 25, 2024, and within the framework of the initial response to the brutal Zionist aggression on the southern suburb of Beirut, which led to the martyrdom of the great jihadist leader Sayyed Fouad Shukr, may God have mercy on him, and a number of our honorable people, women and children, the Islamic Resistance fighters launched an air attack with a large number of drones towards the Zionist depth and towards a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later, and in conjunction with the Islamic Resistance fighters targeting a number of enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome platforms in northern occupied Palestine with a large number of missiles.”
The statement added: “These military operations will take some time to complete, after which a detailed statement will be issued about their course and objectives.”
Hezbollah announced that it “launched 320 missiles in the first phase of the attack to facilitate the passage of the offensive drones towards their target, targeting 11 Israeli sites and barracks, stressing that its drones crossed as planned.”
Hezbollah concluded its statement by stressing that “the Islamic resistance in Lebanon is now and at this moment at its highest level of readiness and will stand strong and vigilant against any Zionist transgression or aggression, especially if civilians are harmed, as the punishment will be very severe and harsh.”
Hezbollah denied the “Israeli allegations of thwarting its military operations, stressing that they contradict the facts on the ground,” stressing that “all the offensive marches crossed towards the desired target, and thus our military operation for today has been completed and accomplished.”
Hezbollah also denied “Israel’s allegations of a preemptive strike against the party, which was preparing to carry out a large-scale attack with missiles and drones against Israel.”
“The enemy’s claims about the preemptive action it carried out, the targets it achieved, and its disruption of the resistance’s attack are empty claims that contradict the facts on the ground, and they will be refuted in a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, to be determined later today, Sunday,” according to Al-Manar TV, adding that “its military operation against Israel for today has been completed and accomplished.”
Hezbollah indicated that “all the offensive drones were launched at the specified times, from all their positions, and crossed the Lebanese-Palestinian border towards the desired target, from multiple paths.”
Following that, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant declared a “state of emergency in Israel for 48 hours after Hezbollah announced the start of the attack in response to the assassination of Fouad Shukr. The Israeli army spokesman also announced the expansion of the scope of warnings to include the greater Tel Aviv area and all areas extending north of it.”
Israel assassinated the prominent Hezbollah leader, Fouad Shukr, in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Suggest a correction
2024-08-25 15:40:27