(Jerusalem) The Israeli army announced on Sunday that it was carrying out preemptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting preparations by Hezbollah to launch “large-scale attacks” against Israel.
“We are observing Hezbollah’s preparations for large-scale attacks against Israeli territory,” the Israeli military wrote in an Arabic message on Telegram to residents of southern Lebanon.
“Anyone in the vicinity of areas where Hezbollah operates must leave immediately to protect themselves and their families,” she urged. She said she had “observed preparations to launch shells and missiles” against Israel.
The army “will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel,” she added.
In a video message on the social network X, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that “fighter jets are currently attacking Hezbollah targets.”
Exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, a Shiite movement supported by Iran, have been almost daily since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip.
This was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah.
Fears that the violence could escalate into all-out war have been heightened since the death of a Hezbollah military leader in late July, killed by an Israeli strike in Lebanon, and that of the former Hamas leader in Iran, who accused Israel of assassinating him. Hezbollah and Tehran have vowed to retaliate.
Since October, violence has left more than 600 dead in Lebanon, mainly Hezbollah fighters, but also at least 131 civilians, according to an AFP count.
In Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians were killed, according to Israeli authorities.