The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced early Sunday local time that they had launched pre-emptive strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in an effort to thwart an imminent major attack by the Iran-backed terror group.
Residents of northern Israel were advised to go into bomb shelters or “safe rooms” in their homes in case of a Hezbollah counterattack, as Israeli missile defense systems, particularly the Iron Dome, are said to be intercepting the rockets.
Israeli Army Radio reported that residents had also been advised to evacuate cities farther from the northern border, such as the port city of Haifa, which is in the north of the country but is not usually hit by rocket attacks.
The Home Front Command has banned gatherings of more than 130 people from the Tel Aviv area northwards.
IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said in a Hebrew-language statement that the military had detected Hezbollah planning to launch a large number of rockets and missiles at Israel, which led to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) taking preemptive action, he said. Residents in the north should stay in safe rooms for at least 10 minutes as a counterattack from Hezbollah is expected, he said. He stressed that Israel’s defenses are “not complete.”
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— Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) August 25, 2024
Israeli Army Radio reported that Hezbollah acknowledged that it was planning to attack but claimed that it had in fact done so before the Israeli airstrikes.
A more comprehensive explanation was expected.
update: Hagari said in an official statement that the IDF would attack Hezbollah “all over Lebanon” if necessary, not just in the south. He reiterated restrictions on gatherings, adding that he had received instructions from the Interior War Command not to go to work in northern areas far from bomb shelters. “The defense is not complete, so we should continue to follow the instructions of the Interior War Command,” he said.
Hagari concluded by saying that the IDF will do whatever is necessary to protect the Israeli people.
He added that Ben Gurion Airport was closed but would reopen at 7 a.m. local time. He said it would be closed again if necessary.
Asked whether the United States had provided intelligence that could lead to a preemptive strike, Hagari did not directly answer, but said Israel was cooperating with the United States and noted the arrival in the region on Saturday of Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would convene a meeting of his security cabinet at Kirya, the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, at 7 a.m. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he had spoken with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and that they agreed on the need to avoid a broader escalation of regional tensions, possibly involving Iran.
This story is unfolding.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He is the author of “Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” which is available for preorder on Amazon. He also wrote,Trumpian virtues: The lessons and legacy of Donald Trump’s presidency” is available on Audible. He is the 2018 recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
