WW3 Fears: Israeli Fighter Jets Scrambled to Launch Blistering Barrage of Air Strikes on Hezbollah Strongholds in Lebanon
Aug. 25 2024, Published 1:15 p.m. ET
Israeli jets have conducted "pre-emptive" strikes on thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers as a response to the group's retaliation for the assassination of a senior commander in July.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) launched these strikes after detecting preparations for a massive attack from the Lebanon-based terror group.
RadarOnline.com can reveal an IDF spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated that 100 fighter jets targeted over 40 launch areas in southern Lebanon in an "act of self-defense" to thwart Hezbollah's plans.
Hezbollah reportedly aimed to launch thousands of rockets towards north and central Tel Aviv, but IDF strikes disrupted their plans, allowing only a few hundred missiles to be launched.
Israel's Iron Dome and David's Sling air defenses were reported to have taken out all threats to populated areas, and many projectiles landed harmlessly in open ground.
This escalation marks the most significant clash between Israel and Hezbollah since last year, sparking fears of an all-out war involving the United States, Iran, and other militant groups in the region.
Despite the attacks, Israel managed to intercept most of the threats using its advanced air defense systems, causing minimal damage.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in civilian casualties and forced thousands to evacuate the northern regions.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed that the recent operation is only "phase one" of their plan to avenge the assassination of their commander.
The attacks have led to the destruction of numerous launch sites in southern Lebanon, prompting Israel to issue warnings to civilians and deploy defensive measures to protect populated areas.
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Terror group commanders are believed to have deliberately sited launchers next to homes to use families as human shields against air attacks.
Some 80,000 Israeli civilians have evacuated the north in the last 10 months, retired IDF general Amir Avivi told Sky News.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel's pre-emptive strikes are "not the end".
He said: "Three weeks ago, we eliminated his chief of staff, and today we foiled his attack plan.
"Nasrallah in Beirut [Hezbollah leader] and Khamenei in Tehran [supreme leader of Iran] should know that this is another step on the path to changing the situation in the north, and returning our residents safely to their homes", he continued. "And I repeat - this is not the end of the verse."