Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel today, the Israeli military said, adding that it had carried out preemptive strikes on targets in Lebanon, saying it had prepared Hezbollah for “large-scale” attacks on Israeli territory.

Israel said its military had deployed fighter jets that destroyed “thousands” of Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon that were targeting northern and central Israel.

“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets have hit and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers aimed directly at northern and central Israel. More than 40 Hezbollah launch sites have been hit. We will do whatever it takes to defend our citizens and the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X.

Footage emerged of an Israeli fighter jet firing flares as it attempted to intercept an enemy plane launched from Lebanon over the border area with southern Lebanon. Israel carried out an airstrike on the town of Zibqin in southern Lebanon. Footage showed smoke billowing from the scene of the airstrike.

“We are still working to thwart real-time threats. IDF fighter jets have just struck additional Hezbollah launchers in several areas of southern Lebanon and a terrorist cell operating in the Khiam area of ​​southern Lebanon,” IDF wrote on X.

We are still working on countering real-time threats.

IDF fighter jets have just struck additional Hezbollah launch sites in several areas of southern Lebanon and a terrorist cell operating in the Khiam area of ​​southern Lebanon. photo.twitter.com/j6E1WNwb4d

— Israeli Defense Forces (@IDF) August 25, 2024

Israeli aircraft were seen intercepting Hezbollah drones over northern Israel early Sunday morning. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, said its militants “launched an airstrike with a large number of drones” sent across the border, followed by “more than 320” Katyusha rockets that hit 11 military targets.

The Lebanese movement said the attack was a “first response” to the killing of its military commander Fuad Shukr last month and that the attack was “completely successful”.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a state of emergency and Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond to developments on the ground but that there was no full-scale war.

As a precautionary measure, flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport were suspended for about 90 minutes.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon and the office of the UN special coordinator in the country called on all sides to cease fire, calling overnight developments “worrying.”

Responding to the developments, the US said it “will continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself”. National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said: “At the direction of President Joe Biden, senior US officials have been in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts. We will continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself and we will continue to work for regional stability.”

Today’s escalation is one of several conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah that have emerged following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which led to the outbreak of war in Gaza.