Hamas praised the strikes by Lebanon’s Hezbollah against Israel, calling it a “strong and focused response.” In a statement, Hamas emphasized that the response, which struck deep inside Israel, was “a slap in the face” for the Israeli government.
Hezbollah described the attack as an “initial response” to the killing of its military commander Fouad Shukr, adding that the operation “ended with total success.” The first phase targeted “Israeli barracks and sites, facilitating the passage of offensive drones deep inside Israel,” according to the statement, which confirmed the drones crossed successfully “as planned.”
The statement mentioned 11 Israeli sites targeted by Hezbollah, including bases in Meron, Zaatoun, Al-Sahl, and Ein Zei Tim, as well as two military bases and two barracks in the occupied Golan Heights.
Early on Sunday, Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, while Israel’s military responded with airstrikes on Lebanon using around 100 jets to thwart a larger attack. This marked one of the biggest clashes in more than 10 months of border warfare.
Missiles were visible in the dawn sky, leaving dark vapor trails, as air raid sirens sounded in Israel. A distant blast lit the horizon, and smoke rose over houses in Khiam, southern Lebanon. Three deaths were confirmed in Lebanon, while no deaths were reported in Israel, where damage appeared limited. Hezbollah indicated it was not planning further strikes for now.
