Israeli Air Force destroys thousands of Hezbollah rockets in preemptive strike

The Israeli Air Force destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rockets during a preemptive strike conducted on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced. Hezbollah declared a massive attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of one of the leaders of this Iran-backed movement.

Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that earlier today, preparations by Hezbollah for an attack on Israel were identified. After discussions with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff General Herzl Halevi, the decision was made to direct the military to take proactive steps to neutralize this threat, ahead of a special meeting of the Israeli security cabinet.

Since that moment, Israeli armed forces have been working intensively to eliminate the threat. Thousands of rockets aimed at the north of the country have been destroyed, and many other operations have been carried out, as emphasised by the Prime Minister. He added that the military acts with great force in defence and attack.

Netanyahu pointed out that Israel will do everything to defend itself and will adhere to a simple principle: "Whoever harms us — we harm him".

Shortly after the announcement of the Israeli preemptive strike, Hezbollah stated that it had launched over 320 Katyusha rockets and drones at 11 Israeli military bases located in the north of the country.

The Israeli army reported that about 210 Hezbollah rockets and approximately 20 drones flew over Israel. Some missiles were intercepted, many fell in open areas, and some hit, causing injuries and damage, the army stated without further details.

In the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, one person was killed in an Israeli air raid, local media reported.

The Israeli military announced that around 100 fighter jets took part in the preemptive strike, and most of the destroyed launchers were aimed at northern Israel. The American daily "New York Times" reported that the Israelis also destroyed launchers prepared for an attack on Tel Aviv.

Sunday's strike was "the first phase" of the response to the killing of Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah stated. Shukr was killed on 30 July in an Israeli air raid on Beirut. Since then, Hezbollah has repeatedly announced retaliation. The day after Shukr's death, the leader of the Palestinian Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an attack attributed to Israel in Tehran. Iran also announced that it would avenge Israel.

Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah has regularly shelled northern Israel, which has been met with counterattacks. Over 100,000 endangered civilians have been evacuated from both sides of the border. In Israeli strikes on Lebanon, close to 600 people have been killed so far, mostly Hezbollah fighters, and in attacks by this group on Israel, almost 50 civilians and soldiers have lost their lives.

The decades-long skirmishes between Hezbollah and Israel are considered so-called proxy clashes within the framework of the Iranian-Israeli conflict. The Shia organisation controlling southern Lebanon is one of Tehran's most important allies.