Israel launches pre-emptive strikes at Lebanon to avert ‘large-scale’ Hezbollah attack

In an attempt to mitigate the looming threat from Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, the Israeli military early Sunday announced pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon.
Israel said the strikes were carried out in the wake of detecting preparations for “large-scale” attacks by Hezbollah.
“The IDF identified the Hezbollah terrorist organization 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 (IDF) said in a statement.
Flights to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv were suspended, and Israel’s cabinet was to meet at 7 am (0400 GMT), Israeli media reported.
“We are monitoring Hezbollah’s preparations to carry out large-scale attacks on Israeli territory near your homes. You are in danger. We are attacking and eliminating Hezbollah threats,” the military said, in an Arabic-language warning to residents of southern Lebanon, reported news agency AFP.

Israel, which has been pounding Gaza since the October 7 attack, called the strikes “self-defence” act to remove threats.
“In a self-defense act to remove these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon, from which Hezbollah was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians,” IDF Spokesperson, Daniel Hagari said regarding Hezbollah’s plans to attack Israel.

A few days ago, in a rare move, an Israeli strike targeted a Hezbollah arms depot in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, two security sources told Reuters.
Targeted Hezbollah’s weapons storage facilities in the Nabatieh area were situated approximately 12 kilometres (seven miles) from the closest point of the Israeli border. This information was shared on the military’s Telegram channel.
Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon have been trading fire with Israel in parallel with the Gaza war.
Last week, an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of nine people, including a woman and her two children, claimed Lebanon’s health ministry. The strike, which occurred in the Nabatieh area, also left five people wounded, with two of them in critical condition.
Since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip last October between Palestinian Hamas militants and Israeli forces, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, and Israeli forces have been engaged in near-daily exchanges of fire across their border.
This recent incident occurs amidst concerns of a broader regional conflict, which international mediators have been attempting to prevent through negotiations aimed at establishing a truce in Gaza.