War fears as Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire

THE Middle East was on the brink of all-out war last night after Israeli fighter jets blitzed "terror targets" across southern Lebanon in a bid to foil a major offensive by Hezbollah.

- David Pilditch

Israeli military chiefs ordered the unprecedented bombardment in the early hours as 100 war planes were scrambled after plans of "a significant attack" on its territory were uncovered.

The airborne missions targeted thousands of rocket launchers across 40 sites in what Israel described as "an act of self-defence".

Despite the pre-emptive strikes, Iran-backed Hezbollah said it had launched hundreds of rockets and drones as part of "phase one" of a major attack on Israel.

The militant group said its attack on enemy positions was an "initial response" to the assassination of one of its founders and top commanders.

Fuad Shukr, described as "the righthand man" of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut last month.

The offensives were the latest escalation of hostilities in the region after Hamas's deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7 last year.