Fears of wider war as Israel warns exchange of fire with Hezbollah 'is not the end'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that “this is not the end” after Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire in southern Lebanon in an escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict.

- TOM WATLING

Yesterday’s cross-border firing of missiles, rockets and drones was the most intense day of attacks since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was reignited last October, after fellow Iran-backed group Hamas led a deadly incursion into Israel.

The Israeli military said it had struck Lebanon, the south of which is controlled by Hezbollah, yesterday morning with around 100 jets to thwart an attack from the militia.

Hezbollah then fired hundreds of projectiles and drones at Israel, claiming to have launched 320 Katyusha rockets and hit 11 military targets in what it called the “first phase” of its retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, last month.

“What happened today is not the end of the story,” said Mr Netanyahu in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Hezbollah tried to attack the state of Israel early this morning with rockets. We instructed the [Israeli military] to carry out a powerful pre-emptive strike to remove the threat.

“The [Israeli military] destroyed thousands of short-range rockets which were all intended to harm our citizens and our forces in the Galilee. In addition, the [Israeli military] intercepted all of the UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] that they sent to a strategic target in the centre of the country. We are hitting Hezbollah with surprising blows. Three weeks ago we eliminated their chief of staff and today we thwarted their attack.”