Netanyahu Promises Increased Action Against Hezbollah Following Preemptive Strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would continue to deliver “surprising blows” against Iran-backed terrorist groups, specifically targeting Hezbollah, after the IDF’s preemptive strikes in Lebanon thwarted a planned rocket attack on Israel, Fox News reports.
During a government meeting in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu revealed that Hezbollah attempted an early morning attack on Israel using rockets and drones.
“What happened today is not the end of the story,” he stated.
He described the IDF’s operations as a powerful preemptive strike aimed at dismantling the imminent threat, stating that “we instructed the IDF to carry out a powerful pre-emptive strike to remove the threat.”
Source: AFP via Getty Images
According to Netanyahu, the IDF successfully destroyed thousands of short-range rockets targeted at Israeli citizens and military forces in the Galilee region. He also noted that the military intercepted all of Hezbollah’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched towards central Israel.
“We are hitting Hezbollah with surprising blows,” Netanyahu said.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant discussed the recent developments in the region, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. Austin reaffirmed US support for Israel and indicated that two Carrier Strike Groups would remain in the region as a precaution. He also stressed the importance of negotiating a ceasefire and a hostage-release deal.
In a statement following Hezbollah’s acknowledgement that their attack had ceased, White House officials confirmed they would continue to monitor the escalating conflict. Israel’s preemptive strikes specifically targeted missile launchers in Lebanon, which were programmed to fire at Tel Aviv at 5 a.m., New York Times reports, citing a Western intelligence official.
The Israeli military launched its strikes in response to Hezbollah’s preparations for a heavy barrage of rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. Following the IDF’s actions, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted eleven Israeli military bases, barracks, and positions in northern Israel, including the Golan Heights. The group dismissed Israel’s claims that it had thwarted a significant attack.
As of mid-morning, both factions reported that the exchanges had subsided, with each side claiming they only targeted military installations. However, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported two fatalities and two injuries in southern Lebanon due to the strikes.
