Israeli airstrikes continue on terrorist targets, rocket launchers in southern Lebanon
The strikes have killed at least two top Hezbollah commanders and more than a dozen members of the group
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday said it was continuing to extensively attack terrorist targets in southern Lebanon for a second day after detecting that Hezbollah was preparing to fire on Israeli territory.
"Dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft are currently striking terrorist targets and rocket launchers to remove the threat to Israeli civilians," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday in a translation of a press briefing.
The strikes have killed at least two top Hezbollah commanders and more than a dozen members of the group.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ISRAELI'S WAR FRONT SHIFTS DRAMATICALLY TO NORTH AGAINST IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, left, conducts a situation assessment. (Ariel Hermoni)
"We are methodically targeting and degrading Hezbollah’s launching capabilities, eliminating commanders and terrorists, as we did throughout the day," Hagari said. "Overall, today we struck approximately 400 Hezbollah launchers, including thousands of rocket launcher barrels."
Hagari said to Israelis: "Rockets and other threats may be launched toward Israeli territory in the near future. We ask you to strictly follow the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines. We are in the midst of a time of warfare, so it is important to remain vigilant and alert."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, center, conducts a situation assessment together with the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Director General of the Ministry of Defense, and additional senior defense officials, Saturday. (Ariel Hermoni)
On Friday, he said the IDF killed Ibrahim Aqil, head of Hezbollah's Operations Unit, along with 15 commanders of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Unit.
Ahmed Wahbi, who oversaw the military operations of Hezbollah’s Radwan special forces unit until early 2024, was also killed in the attack.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mourners raise their hands and chant slogans during the funeral procession of Hezbollah fighters who were killed in Friday's Israeli strike, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
"They met to plan terror attacks and infiltrations into Israeli territory, but we knew where they were, and preempted them - eliminating them in a precise and powerful operation conducted by the Intelligence Directorate and the Israeli Air Force," Hagari said.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also called for an emergency meeting Saturday night of the special Security Cabinet at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv over the Lebanon strikes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Saturday, the State Department also issued an advisory, urging Americans to leave Lebanon "while commercial options are still available."
"At this time, commercial flights are available, but at reduced capacity. If the security situation worsens, commercial options to depart may become unavailable," the "Do Not Travel" advisory for Lebanon said. "The U.S. Embassy may not be able to assist U.S. citizens who choose to remain."
The IDF said approximately 290 targets were hit in Lebanon over the last day, including thousands of "launcher barrels and additional terrorist infrastructure."