Israel will remain in a state of emergency for the next 48 hours following a large-scale drone attack launched in the early hours of the morning by the armed Lebanese movement Hezbollah.
In response, Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, describing them as “preemptive” attacks. According to the Lebanese state news agency, one person has died in the city of Khiam in southern Lebanon, CNN reports.
The situation now appears to be de-escalating, with Hezbollah announcing it has completed the first phase of its retaliations for the death of Fuad Shukr and Tel Aviv claiming it has averted the worst. However, flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport have resumed, as announced by Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a 48-hour state of emergency, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an urgent cabinet meeting. The Israeli military urged everyone in areas where Hezbollah is active to leave immediately to protect themselves.
The Israeli armed forces reportedly bombed at least 40 targets and counted “more than 150” rockets launched from Lebanon.
“Shadows” in Cairo Talks for Gaza Strip
Today’s hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah occurred amidst talks in Cairo aimed at concluding a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The war in the Palestinian enclave erupted on October 7, triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas’s military wing in the southern part of Israeli territory. The new round of negotiations began on Thursday in the Egyptian capital. A Hamas delegation went to Cairo, which was not expected to participate in the talks, and was supposed to meet with an Egyptian official last night, said an official of the Palestinian Islamic movement.
For months, mediators have been trying to persuade the warring parties to declare a ceasefire, to at least temporarily halt the war that is now on its 324th day, but without success.
