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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the latest exchange of strikes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon is “not the end of the story”.
Israel launched a series of nearly 40 airstrikes in southern Lebanon early on Sunday in what it described as a “preemptive attack” to prevent an imminent Hezbollah drone and rocket strike.
The two sides have exchanged messages that neither wants to escalate further, with the main gist being that the exchange was “done”, two diplomats told Reuters.
Hezbollah, which had vowed retaliation for Israel's assassination of one of its top commanders in Beirut last month, responded anyway, hitting military sites and Iron Dome platforms with over 320 drones and rockets.
Speaking in a video message published on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Netanyahu said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was “another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes" and that “this is not the end of the story”.
Key Points
- Netanyahu says Israeli strikes against Hezbollah 'not the end of the story'
- Hezbollah leader issues warning of future attacks
- Israel launches heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, Hezbollah retaliates
- Hezbollah says it fired over 320 rockets at Israel in a 'successful' attack
- Biden ‘closely monitoring’ events in Israel and Lebanon
Hezbollah leader makes lengthy speech after rockets fired at Israel
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said that his group would assess the impact of its rocket and drone attack on Israeli military targets earlier in the day before determining whether it would carry out further attacks to avenge a slain commander.
The leader of the Lebanese armed group said in a televised address that it had been able to carry out its attack “as planned,” denying statements by the Israeli military that its pre-emptive strikes had stopped a wider attack by the group.
Nasrallah, speaking about 12 hours after the most intense exchange of fire between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since hostilities broke out in parallel with the war in Gaza, said the group had intentionally refrained from targeting civilians or public infrastructure, including Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
He said the group’s main target was a military intelligence base about 110 km (70 miles) inside Israeli territory - the deepest attack yet and just 1.5 km north of Tel Aviv.
Nasrallah said the group would assess the results of the operation, a retaliation for Israel‘s killing of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukron the edges of Beirut last month.
“If the result is not enough, then we retain the right to respond another time,” Nasrallah said.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah had not planned a larger attack, specifically denying Israeli military statements that the group had intended to fire thousands of projectiles.
But he acknowledged that the operation had been delayed for several reasons, including what he called a “mobilization” of Israeli and American military assets in the region.
British Airways and Wizz Air suspend flights to Israel amid regional escalation
British Airways and Wizz Air suspend flights to Israel amid regional escalation
The two airlines have cancelled all flights from London to Tel Aviv.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 18:01 1724603422Israeli military says one navy soldier killed, two wounded in combat in northern Israel
One Israel navy soldier was killed and two wounded during combat in northern Israel on Sunday, the Israeli military said.
It gave no details of the circumstances of the soldier’s death but Israeli media reported it occurred on a naval vessel offshore as an interceptor from Israel‘s Iron Dome aerial defence system engaged a drone fired by Hezbollah.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 17:30 1724601647Hezbollah leader issues warning of future attacks
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has claimed that Hezbollah did not use precision missiles in their strikes this morning but that they could use them in the near future.
In a lengthy speech, he added that Hezbollah had targeted an Israeli military intelligence base just outside of Tel Aviv and had ruled out targeting civilian infrastructure.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 17:00 1724599702Jordan warns that escalation in lebanon could lead to regional war
Jordan has warned that heightened escalation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah could lead to a “regional war” that would threaten stability.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Sufain Qudah said that Israel‘s relentless “aggression” in Gaza and the failure to reach a ceasefire was exposing the region to the dangers of an expansion of the conflict, Jordanian state media reported.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 16:28 1724598082Israel and Hezbollah traded messages saying neither wants further escalation, two diplomats say
Israel and the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah exchanged messages via intermediaries on Sunday in order to prevent further escalation following one of the biggest exchanges of fire between the two foes in 10 months, two diplomats told Reuters.
The main message was that both sides considered that Sunday’s intense exchange of bombardment was “done” and that neither side wanted a full-scale war, one diplomat said. The diplomats spoke on condition they were not identified.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 16:01 1724596222From Hamas to Hezbollah, a look at the Iran-allied groups rallying to arms around Middle East
From Hamas to Hezbollah, a look at the groups rallying to arms around Middle East
Hezbollah says it launched a new wave of rockets at Israel in response to an Israeli assassination of one of its leaders last month. It is just the latest spat between Israel and one of several Iran-backed militias in the Middle East
Tom Watling25 August 2024 15:30 1724594424Netanyahu says Israeli strikes against Hezbollah 'not the end of the story'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel took pre-emptive action against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and said air defences had intercepted all rockets and drones launched against Israel.
He said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was “another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes” and that “this is not the end of the story”.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 15:00 1724592504Watch live: Israeli government spokesman David Mencer gives update as Middle East conflict escalates
Watch: Israeli government spokesman gives update as Middle East conflict escalates
Watch live as Israeli government spokesman David Mencer gives an update on Sunday (25 August) as Middle East conflict escalates.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 14:28 1724590824Gallant debriefs US defence sec on Lebanon strikes
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has debriefed his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on the exchange of rocket fire with the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.
Tom Watling25 August 2024 14:00 Newer1 / 5OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
