Israel launches airstrikes, Hezbollah fires rockets

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT — Israel launched airstrikes into Lebanon on Sunday, saying it had thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah attack, while the Lebanese group said it had carried out its own raids to avenge a top commander's killing.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets had destroyed "thousands" of Hezbollah rocket launchers "aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel", far from the border.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, countered that Israel was making "empty claims" of having thwarted a larger attack, and said its own operation for Sunday "was completed and accomplished".

Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah was due to speak on the "latest developments" later on Sunday, the group said.

The group has traded near-daily cross-border fire with Israeli forces throughout the Gaza conflict, in a campaign Hezbollah says is in support of Hamas.

Fears of a wider regional conflagration soared after attacks in late July killed militant leaders, including Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, prompting vows of revenge.

Hezbollah said its militants "began an air attack with a large number of drones" sent across the border, followed by "more than 320" rockets targeting "enemy positions".

The Lebanese movement said its attack was an "initial response" to Shukr's killing, adding it had "ended with total success", although the extent of the damage on the Israeli side was not immediately clear.

Hamas on Sunday called Hezbollah's strikes a "strong and focused response".

An Israeli military spokesman, Nadav Shoshani, said the strikes from Hezbollah were "part of a larger attack that was planned and we were able to thwart a big part of it this morning".

The government declared a 48-hour state of emergency, but 7 am flights had resumed at Israel's main international airport after a brief suspension, the aviation authority said.

In Lebanon, the Beirut airport did not close but some airlines, including Royal Jordanian and Etihad Airways, canceled flights.

Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a media briefing that the Israeli strikes were meant "to remove the threats aimed at the citizens of Israel".

Lebanon's health ministry reported at least three dead in Israeli strikes in the country's south. No casualties were immediately reported in Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet and vowed "to do everything to … return the residents of the north safely to their homes" after more than 10 months of violence.

In recent weeks, international diplomats have sought to head off a broader response to the conflict, as mediators were making their latest push toward a Gaza cease-fire.

Egypt was hosting high-level talks in Cairo on Sunday aimed at bridging the gaps in an evolving proposal for a truce and the release of scores of hostages held by Hamas.

Agencies Via Xinhua