Israel continues strikes in southern Lebanon, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said the military was targeting Hezbollah with additional strikes in southern Lebanon.
"In the last hour, the IDF struck Hezbollah launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon to remove threats," the IDF said in a statement. "In addition, the IDF identified a terrorist cell operating in the area of Khiam in southern Lebanon. The IAF swiftly struck the terrorists."
-ABC News' Anna Burd and Victoria Beaule
3:35 AM EDT
'Whoever harms us -- we will harm them,' Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday described his country's preemptive strikes within Lebanon as a "strong action to foil the threats" raised by a potential attack by Hezbollah.
"It has eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel," Netanyahu said as he convened his Security Cabinet for a meeting at 7 a.m. local time. "It is thwarting many other threats and is taking very strong action -- both defensively and offensively."
Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli air strike on Zibqin in southern Lebanon on August 25, 2024.
Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty Images
Netanyahu had earlier in the morning been managing the situation with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, his office said. The prime minister's office released photos of the pair meeting with military officials.
"We are determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us -- we will harm them," Netanyahu said.
-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey
1:17 AM EDT
'Thousands' of Hezbollah rocket launchers destroyed, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said it had destroyed "thousands" of Hezbollah rocket launchers.
"Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets, directed by IDF intelligence, struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.
13:10
Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel after IDF launches preemptive strike
The Biden administration said it was concerned the attacks would "derail any hopes of a cease-fire with Hamas."
The statement added, "Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel. More than 40 launches areas in Lebanon were struck during the strikes."
-ABC News' Will Gretsky and Kevin Shalvey
1:08 AM EDT
Israel warns Lebanese citizens of danger as it strikes Hezbollah
The Israeli Air Force launched "dozens" of planes to attack locations throughout southern Lebanon, saying it was continuing "to remove threats, to vigorously attack the terrorist organization Hezbollah."
"Israel's air defense systems, navy ships and Air Force planes are on a defense mission above the country's skies, identifying, intercepting threats and attacking wherever in Lebanon it is required in order to remove threats and harm Hezbollah," Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
A view shows smoke on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel, after Israel said it had noted armed group Hezbollah preparing to attack Israel and had carried out preemptive strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, as seen from Tyre, southern Lebanon August 25, 2024.
Aziz Taher/Reuters
The aerial strikes within Lebanon were coming as Israeli defenses were dealing with "different types of threats," including scores of rockets and drones launched into Israeli airspace, he said.
"We have already intercepted a number of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles that approached the territory of the State of Israel," Hagari said.
This photo taken from a position in northern Israel shows a Hezbollah UAV intercepted by Israeli air forces over north Israel on August 25, 2024.
Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images
He added, "We warn the Lebanese citizens in South Lebanon. We recognize that Hezbollah is firing in a large area near your homes. You are in danger. We attack and remove Hezbollah threats."
