Early Sunday morning, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they had launched a strike against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. This was to prevent a major attack from this terror group backed by Iran.
The Israeli government advised residents in northern Israel to prepare bomb shelters or “safe rooms” within their homes, in preparation for a possible response from Hezbollah. Iron Dome was reportedly intercepting rockets.
Israel’s Army Radio advised residents to seek shelter in cities that are relatively far away from the northern border. This includes the port city of Haifa in the north, but it is usually safe from rockets.
Home Front Command banned public gatherings with more than 130 people from Tel Aviv northward.
In a Hebrew statement, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that the military detected Hezbollah’s intention to launch a barrage of missiles and rockets at Israel. He said that the Israel Air Force had taken preventive action. Hezbollah was expected to respond, so he advised residents in the north to enter safe rooms and stay there for a minimum of ten minutes. He said that Israel’s defenses are “not hermetic.”
מטוסי קרב תוקפים כעת מטרות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שהיוו איום מיידי על העורף הישראלי.
בעקבות תקיפות אלו ובהתאם להערכת המצב שהתקיימה בפיקוד העורף, יופצו הנחיות מצילות חיים בחלק מאזורי הארץ. תעקבו אחר ההנחיות המעודכנות בפלטפורמות של דובר צה”ל ופיקוד העורף pic.twitter.com/LtbYA1odYM
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) August 25, 2024
Hezbollah admitted to Israel’s Army Radio that they were about to launch an attack but insisted that this had already been done before Israeli airstrikes.
The briefing should have been more thorough.
Hagari stated in a recent public statement that IDF will attack Hezbollah in Lebanon “everywhere” and not only in the southern part. He reiterated the restrictions placed on public gatherings and said that the Home Front Command has told people not to go to work if they are far away from a bomb-proof shelter in the north. He said that the defense was not hermetic and you should therefore continue to follow instructions from Home Front Command.
Hagari concluded his speech by saying the IDF would do everything necessary to protect the citizens of Israel.
He said that Ben-Gurion Airport had been closed, but would reopen at 7 am local time. He added that the airport would be closed again if needed.
Hagari, when asked if the U.S. provided the intelligence that led to preemptive strikes, did not directly answer, but said that Israel is cooperating with the U.S. and noted that U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman U.S. Air Force general Charles Q. arrived in the area on Saturday. Brown.
Defense Minister Yoav Galant stated that he spoke with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and they agreed that it was important to avoid an escalation in the region (possibly involving Iran).
