Jerusalem: Hezbollah launched a major barrage of missiles against Israel on Sunday in retaliation for the assassination of a senior commander in Beirut last month, the Iranian-backed movement said, as Israel’s cabinet met to prepare a response.
Israeli jets hit targets in Lebanon shortly before the strikes were launched as the military assessed that Hezbollah was preparing to begin the barrage.
“The IDF identified the Hezbollah terrorist organisation 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 Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declares a ‘special situation on the home front.’ Israel’s cabinet was to meet at 7am (2pm AEST), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced.
Hezbollah said its attack was targeting “a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later” as well as “targeting a number of enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome platforms.”
It said it would take “some time” to complete its response to the killing of its top commander Fuad Shukr.
The attack came as Egypt hosts a new round of talks aimed at ending Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its 11th month. Hezbollah has said it will halt the fighting if there is a ceasefire.
Hezbollah fighters stand behind the coffin of their top commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in July by an Israeli air strike.Credit: AP
Flights to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv were suspended, the airports authority said, and the defence minister declared an emergency.