Hezbollah says it launched a massive drone attack on Israel in response to the killing of a commander in Beirut

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel launched a wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon early Sunday in what it said was a preemptive strike against Hezbollah, which the militant group said it fired hundreds of rockets and drones to avenge the killing of one of its top commanders last month.

The fierce exchange of fire threatens to spark an all-out war that could draw the United States, Iran and militant groups across the region into the conflict. It could also torpedo efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with the Palestinian Hamas, a Hezbollah ally, for more than 10 months.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah planned to fire heavy rockets and missiles at Israel. Shortly afterwards, Hezbollah announced that it had attacked Israeli military positions in its first response to the killing of Fouad Shukur, one of its founders, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month.

The attacks came as Egypt hosts a new round of talks to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Hezbollah has said it will stop fighting if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Iran supports both groups, as well as militant groups in Syria, Iraq and Yemen that could join a larger conflict.

Air raid sirens were reported throughout northern Israel, and Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport diverted incoming flights and temporarily delayed takeoffs. The Israel Airports Authority said air traffic resumed at 7 a.m. local time.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said Hezbollah had planned to attack targets in northern and central Israel. He said initial assessments showed “very little damage” in Israel, but the military remained on high alert. He said around 100 Israeli aircraft were involved in Sunday's attacks.

Lebanon's state news agency reported that one person was killed in an attack on a car in the town of Khiam. Lebanese media reported further attacks in the south of the country, and footage of apparent attacks circulated on social media.

Hezbollah said its attack included more than 320 Katyusha rockets against several sites in Israel and a “large number” of drones. The operation targeted “a qualitative Israeli military target to be announced later” as well as “enemy sites and barracks, as well as Iron Dome (missile defense) platforms.”

Hezbollah later announced the end of the first phase of its retaliatory strikes, which are designed to allow it to launch more attacks deeper into Israel. The group said all the exploding drones it launched had hit their targets, but did not say how many. It named 11 bases, barracks and military positions in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights that it had attacked.

In the US, National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said President Joe Biden was “closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon”.

“At his direction, senior U.S. officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts,” Savett added. “We will continue to support Israel's right to self-defense and remain committed to regional stability.”

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed Israel's defense against Hezbollah with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. Austin “reiterated the United States' ironclad commitment to defending Israel against any attacks by Iran and its regional partners and proxies,” it said in a statement.

In recent weeks, diplomats from the United States and European countries have paid numerous visits to Israel and Lebanon, fearing that the situation could escalate into a regional war.

Last week, Israel's defense minister said he would deploy more troops to the Lebanese border in anticipation of possible fighting with Hezbollah.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, another Israeli military spokesman, said the military struck in self-defense.

“We see that Hezbollah is preparing a full-scale attack on Israel, endangering the Lebanese civilian population,” he added, without giving details. “We warn civilians in the areas where Hezbollah operates to immediately leave the danger zone for their own safety,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he and Defense Minister Gallant had directed the latest operation from military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Gallant said there was a “special situation” on the home front. Netanyahu's security cabinet is scheduled to meet later Sunday morning.

Hezbollah began attacking Israel almost immediately after the war in Gaza began, sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost daily, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border. Until Sunday, both sides were anxious to avoid open war.

Hezbollah, which fought Israel in the summer of 2006 and suffered a stalemate, is considered far more powerful today than it was then. The US and Israel estimate that Hezbollah has about 150,000 rockets and is capable of striking anywhere in Israel. The group has also developed drones that can evade Israel's defenses and precision-guided munitions.

Israel has one of the world's best militaries and an extensive multi-tiered missile defense system. It is backed by a US-led coalition that helped Israel shoot down hundreds of missiles and drones from Iran earlier this year. The US military has been increasing its forces across the region in recent weeks.

Israel has vowed a devastating response in the event of a full-scale war, which would likely destroy vital civilian infrastructure, particularly in south Beirut and southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah's main strongholds are located. A war would likely displace hundreds of thousands of people on both sides.

Hezbollah is a close ally of Iran. Iran also threatened retaliation for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, in an explosion in Tehran last month. Blame for the blast was widely attributed to Israel, which has not commented on its involvement.

Associated Press writers Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Buellton, California, contributed.