Israel conducted airstrikes in Lebanon on Sunday in a preemptive attack that Israel viewed as needed to counter an impending Hezbollah assault.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at Galilee and intercepted drones launched by Hezbollah, according to the Times of Israel.
He said Sunday that Hezbollah tried to attack with rockets and drones, so Israel instructed its IDF to carry out a powerful preemptive strike to eliminate the threat.
Hezbollah said it then struck at Israeli military positions, calling it a response to an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month.
Lebanese caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam said officials were feeling optimistic about a deescalation.
“We feel more reassured since both sides confirmed that the expected operations ended, and we know that the negotiations in Cairo are very serious,” Mr. Salam said.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog told CBS News that the threat of escalation remains but he thinks Israel can avoid a direct confrontation by Iran.
“I think the Iranians are contemplating an attack on Israel but decided for now to put it on hold,” Mr. Herzog said. “And I think the main reason for that was, [deterring] messages from Israel and the U.S., and a very strong U.S. posture in the region, which tells you that you can deter them.”
Mr. Herzog said the upcoming visit of U.S. Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, on Sunday was intended to make sure things were under control.
While the exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel appeared to have ended by midmorning, Mr. Netanyahu said Sunday’s preemptive strike was “not the end of the story.”
The level of casualties from Sunday’s crossfire remains not fully known. Multiple fighters were reported dead in the strikes in Lebanon.
Mr. Herzog told CBS that one Israeli soldier was killed from the debris of interceptors stopping rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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