Israel’s military launched a wave of air strikes in southern Lebanon in the early hours of Sunday, in what it said was an attempt to foil an “extensive attack” by the militant group Hizbollah.
The exchange of fire was the biggest between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbollah since they fought a 34-day war in 2006, and marked a sharp escalation of the hostilities that have simmered between the two sides since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza last year.
Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah’s leader, sought to draw a line under the exchange on Sunday evening, saying the attack was over, although its impact would still have to be assessed.