Israel’s preemptive strikes ‘not end of story’, Netanyahu warns

Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel’s preemptive strike on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Sunday morning is “not the end of the story”.

Fears of the Middle East descending into all out war flared on Sunday as Hezbollah launched its long awaited retaliatory attack on Israel over the assassination of one of its top commanders in Beirut in late July.

Acting preemptively 30 minutes before the attack, Israel used more than 100 fighter jets to take out hundreds of missile launchers in 40 locations across southern Lebanon.

It was the most intense exchange of fire on the Israel-Lebanon border since Oct 7 and came as high-level talks resumed in Cairo aimed at ending the bloody 10-month conflict in which more than 2,500 Israelis and 40,000 Palistinians are thought to have died, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry.

Hezbollah claimed to have hit an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv in a barrage of 320 Katyusha rockets and a “large number” of drones, while Israel claimed the attack had been “mostly” thwarted.

Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister said preemptive strikes in Lebanon were “not the final word” in his country’s military campaign against Hezbollah.

“We are striking Hezbollah with surprising, crushing blows... This is another step towards changing the situation in the north and safely returning our residents to their homes. And, I repeat, this is not the final word,” Mr Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting.

Israel “does not seek an all-out war” but “will exact a heavy price for any aggressions”, added a spokesman.

The next strike on Israel may come not from Hezbollah in Lebanon but from other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the region, Israel analysts believe.

Israeli officials told The Telegraph that they thought Hezbollah would not seek to escalate things further.

However, they warned that Iranian backed proxies in Yemen, Iraq and Syria could launch attacks on Israel at any time.

“The assessment at the moment is that the next wave of retaliation will come from another country [other] than Lebanon,” said an Israeli official.

Reuters reported that both sides had exchanged text messages following the exchange via intermediaries, saying they were “done” and did not want to escalate further.

Since the start of war on Oct 7, Israel has had to evacuate 60,000 to 80,000 people from an area of some 650 square kilometres along the Lebanon border – about three per cent of its total land mass – because of Hezbollah’s rockets.

It is thought that both the US and Iran, neither of which want to become embroiled in another major war in the Middle East, are also applying intense diplomatic pressure on their respective allies to stand down.

Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader in Lebanon, appeared to indicate in a televised speech on Sunday that justice had been served and he was standing down his forces for the moment at least.

“At this current stage, the country can take a breath and relax,” he said.

“We will monitor what happened and how the enemy has kept it under wraps. If we are satisfied with these results, we will consider our response complete. If they are not sufficient, we reserve the right to retaliate at another time.”

Mr Nasrallah claimed to have hit the Glilot military intelligence base, near Tel Aviv.

Israel insisted the Glilot base was “not hit” and that it continued to operate as normal.

Joe Biden, the US president, was “closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon”, said a spokesman for the National Security Council.

The Pentagon said Lloyd Austin, the defence secretary, spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant urging restraint but backing Israel’s right to defend itself.

Pat McFadden, UK Cabinet Minister, said “major regional war” in the Middle East was a “real danger” and called for restraint.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said “further escalation in the Middle East must be avoided at all costs”.

Flights diverted as air raid sirens wailed across Israel during the exchange early Sunday and initially all citizens were warned to stay inside.

Avi Melamed, Israeli intelligence official and regional analyst, said he expected de-escalation now on the northern front.

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“The exchange of fire alongside the Israeli-Lebanese border earlier today, and the post-strike messages from both Israel and Hezbollah seemingly indicate neither is interested in an all-out war,” he said.

Mr Melamed added that Israel would probably have coordinated its military action with the US in advance and Hezbollah would have done the same with Iran.

Danny Citrinowicz, an expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, said Hezbollah might be trying to “balance the equation without escalating into war”.

Each side hopes their narrative will be sufficient for them to declare victory and avoid a wider confrontation, he said.

Iranian state media on Sunday played up the Hezbollah attack, calling it a success, but there was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.

The US and other mediators see a ceasefire in Gaza as key to averting a wider war. Hezbollah has said it will halt its strikes on Israel if there is a cease-fire.

Egypt continued to host high-level talks in Cairo on Sunday aimed at bridging the gaps in a proposal for a ceasefire and the release of scores of hostages held by Hamas.

The talks include William Burns, CIA director, and David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

Hamas sent a delegation to be briefed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators but was not directly taking part in negotiations.

05:53 PM BST

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05:51 PM BST

Pictured: Benjamin Netanyahu at military headquarters on Sunday morning

05:47 PM BST

Israel’s strikes in Lebanon ‘not the final word’ in campaign against Hezbollah

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister said Sunday’s strikes in Lebanon were “not the final word” in his country’s military campaign against militant group Hezbollah.

The IDF carried out a wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Sunday morning to thwart a “large-scale” attack which included a plan to hit the Mossad headquarters.

“We are striking Hezbollah with surprising, crushing blows... This is another step towards changing the situation in the north and safely returning our residents to their homes. And, I repeat, this is not the final word,” Mr Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting.

Hezbollah returned fire this morning, with more than 300 rockets and drones reaching Israeli territory, an Israeli spokesman said in a press conference this afternoon.

A Hezbollah official said the group worked to ensure its response to the Israeli killing of one of its top commanders would not trigger a full-scale war.

Israel “does not seek an all-out war” but “will exact a heavy price for any aggressions”, its spokesman said.

The spokesman also described Iran and Hezbollah as an “axis of evil” that “despises democracy” and is attacking Israel on its way to attacking other Western countries.

05:29 PM BST

UK defence minister speaks to Israeli defence minister

John Healey, the UK Secretary of State for Defence, has been briefed on the exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah by Yoav Gallant, the Israeli minister of defence.

Mr Healey and Mr Gallant discussed Israel’s preemptive strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and the importance of preventing regional escalation, according to an Israeli government press release.

04:56 PM BST

Nasrallah: Israel is “covering up losses”

Nasrallah claimed “Israel is covering up losses” inflicted by Hezbollah drone strikes this morning.

“According to our information, a number of drones reached their intended targets, but the enemy remains silent about this as usual,” Nasrallah said.

He also said Israel has exaggerated the success of its preemptive airstrikes against Hezbollah targets.

“Netanyahu and his army’s claim that they destroyed thousands of missiles and thousands of missile launchers is false. Only two of our rocket launchpads were hit by their strikes - after our operation and not before,” Nasrallah said.

04:45 PM BST

Locations of cross-border strikes by Israel and Hezbollah

04:42 PM BST

Hezbollah may use precision missiles in the future, Nasrallah says

Hezbollah had no intention to use precision missiles today but may use them in the future, Nasrallah said, adding that none of these missiles were damaged in Israeli strikes today.

The militant group fired more than 300 rockets to distract Israel’s Iron Dome defence system while launching drones from the Bekaa region, which all entered Israeli airspace, Nasrallah claimed.

04:23 PM BST

Nasrallah: Hezbollah targeted Israeli military intelligence near Tel Aviv

Hezbollah targeted an Israeli military intelligence base outside Tel Aviv and avoided attacking Israeli infrastructure,  Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a press conference this afternoon.

“The main target of today’s operation was the Glilot base, where Unit 8200 is located. The targeted base is 110 kilometers from the Lebanese border and 1,500 meters from Tel Aviv,” Nasrallah said.

Unit 8200 is an Israeli Intelligence Corps unit responsible for surveillance and cyber intelligence.  It is often compared to the American National Security Agency.

Nasrallah claimed its retaliation for the Israeli assassination of Fuad Shukr was delayed due to American and Israeli mobilisation, and “to give negotiations a chance.”

04:11 PM BST

Hezbollah chief begins speech

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has begun a televised address following the exchange of fire between the militant group and Israel this morning.

Nasrallah began his speech by paying tribute to former Lebanese prime minister Salim Hoss, whose death was announced earlier today.

03:51 PM BST

One Israeli soldier killed and two wounded in combat in northern Israel

One Israel navy soldier was killed and two wounded during combat in northern Israel on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

It gave no details of the circumstances of the soldier’s death but Israeli media reported it occurred on a naval vessel offshore as an interceptor from Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defence system engaged a drone fired by Hezbollah.

03:47 PM BST

Israel says 300 Hezbollah drones and rockets evaded Iron Dome

More than 300 rockets and drones fired by militant group Hezbollah reached Israeli territory, an Israeli spokesman said in a press conference this afternoon.

The barrage followed a “pre-emptive strike” by Israeli forces against Hezbollah early this morning, raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Hezbollah projectiles reached central Israel, the spokesman said, but he would not confirm details of any damage.

The spokesman also said that Israel “does not seek an all-out war”, but repeated comments made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, that “whoever harms us will be harmed”.

“We will exact a heavy price for any aggressions,” the spokesman said, adding that Hezbollah and Iran have formed an “axis of evil” that have “formed a stranglehold on Israel”.

Israel introduced a censorship order this afternoon, banning journalists from reporting on details of any damage caused by the Hezbollah attack.

A Hezbollah official said the group worked to ensure its response to the Israeli killing of one of its top commanders would not trigger a full-scale war.

Mr Netanyahu said Sunday’s strikes in Lebanon were “not the final word” in his country’s military campaign against Hezbollah.

03:41 PM BST

Jordan warns escalation in conflict could lead to “regional war”

Jordan on Sunday warned that heightened escalation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah could lead to a “regional war” that would threaten stability.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Sufain Qudah said that Israel’s relentless “aggression” in Gaza and the failure to reach a ceasefire was exposing the region to the dangers of an expansion of the conflict, Jordanian state media reported.

03:30 PM BST

Watch: Disruption at Beirut airport

Passengers have been left stranded at Beirut airport today after airlines cancelled flights to Lebanon following the exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah this morning.

Air France has cancelled all flights to Beirut until at least Monday. It has also suspended all flights to Tel Aviv in Israel, alongside British Airways, Etihad Airways, Wizz Air, and others.

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02:30 PM BST

Hezbollah tried to avoid triggering full-scale war, official says

A Hezbollah official said today that the group worked to ensure its response to the Israeli killing of one of its top commanders would not trigger a full-scale war.

The official said that the group’s rocket and drone attack against Israel had been delayed by “political considerations”, chiefly among them the ongoing talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal for the Gaza Strip.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday’s strikes in Lebanon were “not the final word” in his country’s military campaign against Hezbollah.

“We are striking Hezbollah with surprising, crushing blows... This is another step towards changing the situation in the north and safely returning our residents to their homes. And, I repeat, this is not the final word,” Mr Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting.

02:26 PM BST

Iran and Hezbollah attacking Israel to destroy Western democracy, says spokesman

An Israeli spokesman said Iran and Hezbollah are an “axis of evil” that “despises democracy” and is attacking Israel on its way to attacking other Western countries.

Israel remains at “extremely high alert” following the barrage of 300 Hezbollah rockets and drones that reached Israeli territory this morning, the spokesman said in a press conference this afternoon.

“Our long arm will reach anyone who causes harm to our civilians,” the spokesman said

In the press conference, the spokesman thanked Israel’s allies, especially Joe Biden for his “steadfast support”.

02:10 PM BST

Israel orders media blackout as Hezbollah promises to show proof of damaged targets

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Israel introduced a censorship order on Sunday banning the reporting of any damage caused by Hezbollah strikes as the Iran-backed terror group promised to show evidence it had hit some targets.

Israel said it carried out a wave of air strikes on targets in south Lebanon on Sunday morning to thwart a “large-scale” Hezbollah attack.

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said initial assessments found “very little damage” from Hezbollah’s rocket fire.

However, Hezbollah issued a statement saying it had completed the first stage of its attack and disputed Israel’s claims to have successfully disrupted its assault.

A censorship decree issued by the Israeli government said reporters require permission before publishing “damage caused by rocket attacks to strategic national infrastructure or to military bases” to avoid “harm to Israeli forces on the ground.”

The BBC reported that Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader, is expected to show proof that rockets hit targets in Israel, including close to Tel Aviv.

01:45 PM BST

Israel vows to ‘exact heavy price’ for rocket attacks

Israel has reiterated that it “does not seek an all-out war” but “will exact a heavy price for any aggressions”.

In a press conference this afternoon, a spokesman described Iran and Hezbollah as an “axis of evil”, which has “formed a stranglehold on Israel”.

Israel is determined to return the 62,000 residents displaced by rocket attacks in the north of the country, the spokesman said.

12:54 PM BST

Pictured: Man inspects building hit by Hezbollah rocket

12:30 PM BST

Hamas congratulates Hezbollah on ‘strong and focused response’

Hamas has hailed strikes by Hezbollah against Israel as a “slap in the face” of the Israeli government.

In a statement, the Palestinian militant group said Hezbollah’s rocket strikes send the message that Israel’s  “terrorism and crimes against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples will not pass without a response, and will not achieve its goals and aggressive plans”.

The statement continued: “At the same time, we in Hamas condemn in the strongest terms the escalation of the Zionist occupation’s brutal aggression against the sisterly Lebanese Republic, and the continuation of its brutal and criminal bombardment of lands and civilians in Lebanon.

“We consider it a blatant violation of all international conventions and norms, and a Zionist persistence that reveals once again that it is a rogue entity that poses a real danger to the region, and threatens international security and stability, which holds the US administration fully responsible for its repercussions, as it supports and partners with this Zionist entity in its ongoing aggression and criminality in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.”

12:16 PM BST

Watch: Home damaged by Hezbollah rockets in Acre, northern Israel

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12:07 PM BST

Israel lifts security restrictions across most of the country

Israel lifted restrictions on gatherings across most of the country at 12.30 local time, about six hours after they were introduced following the IDF’s strike against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. 

Partial restrictions remain in the border areas of northern Golan and some of southern Golan.

11:40 AM BST

Watch: IDF strikes Hezbollah military site

Footage shows the IDF striking an alleged Hezbollah military site in Zebqin in southern Lebanon this morning.

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11:23 AM BST

Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates as US deploys navy forces to Middle East

The United States has been moving its navy forces to the Middle East in recent weeks as fears rise that a wider war could break out in the region, according to The New York Times.

Two American aircraft carrier groups and an attack submarine are currently deployed around the Gulf of Oman to deter Iran and its allies from further attacks against Israel. The US ordered additional combat aircraft and missile-shooting warships to the area earlier this month.

The attack submarine USS Georgia can fire cruise missiles and carry teams of Navy Seal commandos.

11:21 AM BST

Israel strikes Lebanon ‘to thwart Hezbollah attack on Mossad HQ’

Israel carried out a wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Sunday to thwart a “large-scale” attack which included a plan to hit the Mossad headquarters.

The IDF said 100 fighter jets hit thousands of rocket launchers aimed at central and northern Israel, as Hezbollah claimed to have fired 320 missiles and drones in an early morning barrage.

Western intelligence officials told The New York Times that the rocket launchers preemptively hit by Israel were primed to fire at 5am local time.

The Israeli army said Hezbollah was planning to strike the Glilot base in central Israel.

The base near Herzliya houses several IDF intelligence units and the Mossad headquarters.

The IDF said initial assessments found “very little damage” in Israel from Hezbollah’s rocket fire, but that the military remained on high alert.

On Sunday morning, Hezbollah issued a statement saying the first stage of its attack was over and disputing Israel’s claims to have successfully disrupted its assault.

Israel and the West have been braced for escalation in the Middle East since Iran, Hezbollah’s sponsor, vowed revenge for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran.

10:59 AM BST

Major war in the Middle East a ‘real danger’

Pat McFadden, a UK cabinet minister, told Sky News that the Government is “very concerned” after Israel carried out air strikes in Lebanon and Hezbollah launched drone and rocket attacks in northern Israel. He called for restraint to avoid a “major regional war” in the Middle East, calling this possibility a “real danger”.

Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, held an emergency cabinet meeting this morning at 10:30am local time to discuss Israeli attacks in the south of the country.

10:20 AM BST

Homes damaged by Hezbollah rockets in northern Israel

Photographers capture destruction in Acre in northern Israel. Several dozen apartments were damaged by Hezbollah rockets in Acre this morning, according to Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot.

10:11 AM BST

Hezbollah leader to show proof of successful rocket strikes in Israel, reports BBC

Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, is expected to show proof that rockets have hit targets in Israel, including one that is apparently close to Tel Aviv, according to BBC reporter Nafiseh Kohnavard.

10:02 AM BST

IDF: Israel strikes further Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military said in the past hour it struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon and a Hezbollah cell operating in the area of Khiam near the Israeli border.

09:51 AM BST

UN officials call for cease fire

The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) say developments on the Lebanon-Israel border are “worrying” and call on all sides to cease fire.

09:30 AM BST

Home destroyed in Hezbollah barrage

More images have started to emerge of the damage caused by Hezbollah’s drone attack.

A home in the town of Katzrin in the Golan Heights appears to have been largely destroyed.

09:11 AM BST

Israeli delegation still heading to Cairo for ceasefire talks

Israel is still sending negotiators to Cairo for ceasefire talks with Hamas brokered by Egypt and Qatar.

The US has been pushing hard for a truce in Gaza amid reports that Iran will hold off attacking Israel directly if one is agreed.

With the region on edge following this morning’s clashes, the delegation going ahead can be seen as an attempt to calm tensions.

Hamas leaders are also in the Egyptian capital but it is unclear if they will participate in the talks.

09:01 AM BST

Woman injured by rocket-fire in northern Israel

Early damage assessments carried in the Israeli media appear to corroborate the military’s view that the Hezbollah strike caused “very little” damage.

A woman has been lightly wounded in the port-city of Acre, while one rocket hit a house in Manot in northern Israel, where a separate missile caused a fire in a chicken coop.

Tel Aviv said that leisure activities in the city were cancelled and closed its beaches.

But flights resumed out of the Ben Gurion airport at 7am local time.

08:51 AM BST

Three people killed in Israeli pre-emptive strike, says Lebanon

At least three people were killed in Israel’s early morning raid on southern Lebanon, the country’s health minister said.

Firass Abiad said it was “too early to tell” if the toll would rise but added that the attack had mostly hit “forested and open areas”.

Meanwhile, Israeli firefighters were dousing flames on buildings wrecked by Hezbollah drones in Galilee, northern Israel.

08:42 AM BST

Mossad headquarters was target of planned attack, IDF believes

Hezbollah was planning to strike the Glilot base in central Israel, the Israeli army estimates.

The base near Herzliya houses several IDF intelligence units and the Mossad headquarters.

Unit 8200, the main Israeli signals intelligence gathering unit, is based at the site.

Most of the rocket launchers destroyed by IDF jets this morning were pointed at northern Israel, but some were aiming towards the centre of the nation.

08:32 AM BST

Watch: Hezbollah drone hits highway in northern Israel

08:30 AM BST

Israel not interested in ‘all-out war’

Israel is not interested in “all-out war”, its foreign minister said on Sunday.

Israel Katz called for the support of world leaders against the “axis of evil led by Iran” in a statement issued by the foreign ministry.

“Israel is not interested in all-out war and will act according to developments on the ground,” it said.

Fears have risen over the potential for a regional war in the Middle East following Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders at the end of last month.

08:23 AM BST

Photographer captures moment Hezbollah drone is shot out of sky

Jalaa Marey, AFP photographer, managed to capture the moment a Hezbollah drone heading towards Israel was blown out of the sky.

Israel says that Hezbollah’s attack did “very little” damage, partly thanks to a pre-emptive strike by its air force on the terror group’s rocket launchers in southern Israel.