Major Israel-Hezbollah Escalation: Fire Exchanged As Wider War Feared

 

Rockets fired from southern Lebanon are intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome air defence system over the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel on Friday. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has ramped up, raising fears of a wider war.

Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in what it called a preemptive strike to stop an imminent attack by the militant group, and Hezbollah followed up with hundreds of rockets, a major exchange between the two that came as fears of escalation in the Middle East increase—and negotiators work toward a delicate Israel-Hamas cease-fire.

Key Facts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted early Sunday morning Israel identified “Hezbollah preparations to attack Israel” and he directed the Israel Defense Force to “initiate action to eliminate the threat.”

The Israel Defense Force says about 100 fighter jets hit “more than 40 launch areas” in southern Lebanon and intercepted rockets aimed for northern and central Israel.

Netanyahu said in the statement that Israel is “determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we will harm them.”

Hezbollah responded with 320 rockets and drones that hit 11 Israeli targets, which it said was the first phase of retaliation for Israel’s killing of its top military commander, Fu’ad Shukr, last month, according to multiple outlets.

There were at least three deaths confirmed in Lebanon after Israel’s strike and no deaths reported in Israel, multiple outlets reported.

Key Background

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah—a powerful militant group in Lebanon—has increased in recent months while Israel continues its war with another Iran ally, Hamas. Israel and Hezbollah have been at war for decades, but the conflict escalated quickly in recent weeks, after a rocket killed more than 10 people in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights last month (Israel said Hezbollah was responsible, which Hezbollah denied). Israel killed Shukr, the Hezbollah commander Israel said was responsible for the Golan Heights attack, after which Israel said Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price.” Israeli forces also said they killed a number of high-ranked Hamas leaders recently. Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed while staying in Iran—which Israel hasn’t formally taken responsibility for—leading to fears of direct retaliation against Israel by Iran.

What To Watch For

Hezbollah said in early July that if Israel and Hamas come to a cease-fire agreement, it would stop fighting “without any discussion,” The Associated Press reported. Cease-fire negotiations have stalled recently, though they were scheduled to begin again in Cairo on Sunday.

Tangent

Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant said on X he “discussed the importance of avoiding regional escalation” with U.S. defense secretary LlLoyd Austin, who emphasized the U.S. stood with Israel “against any attacks by Iran and its regional partners and proxies.” In late July, after the Golan Heights strike, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also reiterated support for Israel but said he does not want to see an escalation of conflict.