JERUSALEM: Israeli jets launched strikes in Lebanon after the military assessed that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement was preparing to fire rockets and missiles towards Israel, the military said early on Sunday.
“The IDF identified the Hezbollah terrorist organization preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory. In response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon,“ the Israel Defence Forces said in a statement.
Flights to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv were been suspended, and Israel's cabinet was to meet at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT), Israeli media reported.
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Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the strikes, which came amid heightened expectations of an escalation between the two sides since a missile strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month killed 12 youngsters and the Israeli military assassinated a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut in response.
“In the near future, Hezbollah will launch rockets, and possibly missiles towards the territory of the State of Israel,“ the Israeli military said.
It said new civil defence instructions would be issued to the population shortly. It warned civilians in southern Lebanon to stay away from areas where Hezbollah operates.
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