Israel PM Netanyahu warns strikes in Lebanon ‘not the final word’

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Sunday’s (Aug 25) strikes in Lebanon were “not the final word” in his country’s military campaign against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
“We are striking Hezbollah with surprising, crushing blows … This is another step towards changing the situation in the north and safely returning our residents to their homes. And, I repeat, this is not the final word,” Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting.
He said the military destroyed thousands of “short-range rockets, all of which were intended to harm our civilians and forces in the Galilee”.
“Additionally, the IDF (Israeli military) intercepted all the drones that Hezbollah launched at a strategic target in central Israel,” he said, without identifying what the target was.
Israeli media reported the target Hezbollah aimed to strike was the headquarters of the Israeli Mossad spy agency near Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel early on Sunday as Israel’s military said it struck Lebanon to thwart a bigger attack.
It was one of the biggest clashes in more than 10 months of border warfare.
The Iran-backed Lebanese group said it had fired 320 Katyusha rockets towards Israel and hit 11 military targets in what it called the first phase of its retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior commander, last month.
Israel’s military said it had foiled a much larger attack with pre-emptive airstrikes after assessing that Hezbollah was preparing to launch the barrage, using 100 jets to strike more than 40 Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon.
The strikes destroyed thousands of launcher barrels, aimed mostly at northern Israel but also targeting some central areas, Israel’s military said.
Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel immediately after the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas gunmen on Israel.
Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire constantly ever since while avoiding a major escalation as war rages in Gaza to the south.