Israel says it foiled large-scale Hezbollah attack

Israel said it had foiled a large-scale Hezbollah attack on Sunday ;agrave; Hezbollah's large-scale strikes in Lebanon, but the Lebanese movement said it managed to launch hundreds of drones and rockets at Israeli positions in revenge the death of one of its leaders.

The Israeli army did not report any casualties in the Hezbollah attack, and spoke of “minor damage ” including fires. A state of emergency has been declared throughout Israel for 48 hours from 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT).

As US President Joe Biden “closely follows events,” a Pentagon spokesperson said the United States was “ready to support” the defense of Israel, their ally.

Armed and financed by Iran, Israel's sworn enemy, Hezbollah had threatened Israel, Lebanon's neighbor, with a response after the death of one of its military leaders Fouad Chokr, killed on July 30 in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Map of southern Lebanon and northern Israel © AFP – Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA, Paz PIZARRO

Hezbollah, Iran and the Palestinian Hamas, engaged in a war against Israel in Gaza for more than ten months, have also threatened to respond to the assassination attributed to Israel of the former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran on July 31.

Following intelligence reports of Hezbollah attack preparations, the Israeli Air Force launched “a complex operation shortly before 05:00 (0200 GMT) in which about a hundred aircraft struck thousands of rocket launchers aimed at northern Israel in 40 firing zones in southern Lebanon,” said a military spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani.

The Hezbollah strikes were part of a “planned attack as larger and we were able to foil a good part of it,” he said.

The Israeli operation was launched to “eliminate threats targeting Israeli citizens,” the army had previously assured.

– More than “320 rockets” –

A Hezbollah drone flies over northern Israel on August 25, 2024 © AFP – Jalaa MAREY

Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah is due to speak at 3:00 p.m. GMT, described as “meaningless” Israel's statements “concerning the preventive action carried out” by its army and “the failure of the resistance's attack.”

In a statement, it said it had launched “a large number of drones” into Israeli territory and fired “more than 320” Katyusha rockets at 11 military bases in Israel and the Syrian Golan Heights occupied by Israel.

The attack, which targeted “Israeli barracks and positions,” “was successfully completed” and “is over” by Sunday, said the movement, which exercises a preponderant influence in Lebanon.

A Hezbollah drone intercepted by Israeli air defense near the border between Israel and Lebanon, August 25, 2024 © AFP – Jalaa MAREY

According to the Israeli army, Hezbollah fired “more than 150 projectiles towards Israel.” Several rockets and drones were intercepted by anti-aircraft defenses.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who convened his security cabinet, vowed to “do everything” for the “security” of the inhabitants of the north of the country, bordering southern Lebanon.

– Three dead in Lebanon –

In Lebanon, the authorities reported three dead – including a fighter according to the Amal movement, an ally of Hezbollah – in Israeli strikes in the south of the country.

After planes were delayed and landings diverted to other airports in Israel, the Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Beirut airport continues to operate normally, although some airlines including Royal Jordanian and Etihad Airways have cancelled flights.

For weeks, the international community has been saying it fears a regional military escalation between Iran and its allies on the one hand and Israel on the other, at a time when the war in Gaza continues.

An Israeli fighter jet flying to intercept a hostile projectile fired from Lebanon, August 25, 2024 © AFP – Jalaa MAREY

This was triggered on October 7 by an unprecedented attack by Hamas against Israel. The next day, Hezbollah opened a front against Israel, in “support” of Hamas and since then the border between the two countries has been caught in a spiral of violence.

– Negotiations in peril? –

© AFP – Kawnat HAJU

In this explosive context, Mr. Netanyahu's spokesman told AFP that the decision on whether or not to send a delegation to Cairo to continue negotiations on a truce in Gaza would be taken later in the day.

A new round of talks began Thursday in the Egyptian capital, in the presence of Israeli intelligence chiefs, CIA Director William Burns, as well as Egyptian and Qatari intelligence chiefs. It was to continue Sunday.

Hamas is not taking part in these negotiations, which come after months of fruitless talks.

Demonstration in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv to demand the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, August 24, 2024 © AFP – Jack GUEZ

The October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data. 251 people were also kidnapped that day: 105 are still being held in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the army.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has left at least 40,334 dead, according to the Hamas government's Ministry of Health, caused a humanitarian and health disaster and displaced 90% of the territory's 2.4 million inhabitants according to the UN.

Palestinian children carry pots of soup received at a food distribution point in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip amid destruction and waste, on August 21, 2024 © AFP – Omar AL-QATTAA

The ministry does not provide details on the number of civilians and fighters killed, but according to the UN, most of the dead were women and children.

On Sunday, Israeli strikes again targeted Gaza City, in the north of the besieged and devastated Palestinian territory, killing three people, and fighting pitted Israeli soldiers against Palestinian fighters in Deir al-Balah (center), according to witnesses.

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