Israel and Hezbollah trade fire in major regional escalation

The IDF later said Hezbollah fired more than 150 projectiles from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

It added that 100 Israeli Air Force fighter jets “hit and knocked out thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels.”

Hezbollah said it had carried out the “first phase” of a planned attack on Israel in response to the killing of Fuad Shukr, one of the group’s top commanders, according to Lebanese media.

The group said it fired 320 Katyusha missiles and targeted 11 military sites. It added that it had concluded its operations for the day.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded by declaring a 48-hour state of emergency across the nation.

In recent months, fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah have grown.

Gallant said on Sunday that Israel would try to avoid “regional escalation” and that Israel would work with the US “to ensure Israel’s defense as well as regional stability.”