Hezbollah hits back with rockets as it declares 'open-ended battle'

WAR AGAINST ISRAEL INTENSIFIES

Hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets early Sunday across northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa, as Israel launched hundreds of strikes on Lebanon. A Hezbollah leader declared an "open-ended battle" was underway as both sides appeared to be spiraling closer toward all-out war.

The overnight rocket barrage was in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon that have killed dozens, including a veteran Hezbollah commander, and an unprecedented attack targeting the group's communications devices. Air raid sirens across northern Israel sent hundreds of thousands of people scrambling into shelters.

Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Kassem said the rocket attack was just the beginning of what's now an "open-ended battle" with Israel. "We admit that we are pained. We are humans. But as we are pained -- you will also be pained," Kassem said at the funeral of top Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Akil.