Israeli jets launched strikes in Lebanon after the military assessed that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement was preparing to fire rockets and missiles towards Israel, the military said early on Sunday.
REUTERS
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Aug 25 (Reuters) – Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones 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 as the military assessed that Hezbollah was preparing to begin the barrage, the military said.
Hezbollah said it had launched more than 320 Katyusha rockets towards Israel and hit 11 military targets. It said the barrage had completed “the first phase” of its response to the assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior commander, in Beirut but that the full response would take “some time”.
Expectations of an escalation between the two sides had risen since a missile strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month killed 12 youngsters and the Israeli military assassinated Shukr in Beirut in response.
Israel’s cabinet was to meet at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel would respond to developments on the ground but did not seek a full-scale war. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel would do whatever necessary to defend itself.
