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

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.

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.