What do we know about the latest Hezbollah-Israel escalation?

Hezbollah claimed that it launched drone and missile attacks deep into Israel while as Israeli military announced that it had carried "preemptive strikes" in Lebanon to thwart the Hezbollah threat of an attack.

On Sunday, the Lebanon-based group said the attack was a response to the assassination of its commander, Fuad Shukr by an Israeli strike on July 30 and announced that they had completed the "first phase" of its retaliation against Israel.

Hezbollah's initial statement read: "We have launched a large-scale aerial attack with numerous drones towards a significant military target deep within Israel, which will be revealed later."

Israel claimed that it launched over 40 air strikes on southern Lebanon early on Sunday aimed to prevent an impending Hezbollah attack.

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced a 48-hour nationwide state of emergency after the Israeli military launched what it called 'preemptive' strikes in Lebanon.

Tel Aviv's military said that Israeli jets launched strikes in Lebanon after they assessed that Hezbollah was preparing to fire rockets and missiles towards Israel,

"The Israeli army assessed that Hezbollah is preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory and in response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

Health officials in southern Lebanon confirmed that at least three people were killed and two others injured after a series of intense Israeli air strikes targeted various areas.

Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Israeli drones struck a car in Khiam town, and warplanes conducted a raid on the al-Tyri town and two air strikes on the outskirts of Zibkin.

Operational details

Later, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah announced the group’s “success” accusing Tel Aviv of “lying and failing.”

"We identified the Galilot base as the primary target of our operation. It houses Unit 8200, which is responsible for intelligence gathering and espionage. The base is located 110 kilometres from the Lebanese border and only 1,500 meters from Tel Aviv,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

“Our operation today was in two phases. In the first phase, we launched 340 Katyusha rockets targeting 12 sites and military barracks in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights. In the second phase, we directed dozens of drones towards military targets in the depth of enemy territory.”

Regarding the results of the attack, he said “Our data indicates that a significant number of drones successfully reached the two specified targets with precision, but the enemy remains secretive as usual.”

“We focused on hitting sites connected to military intelligence and the Israeli Air Force because of their involvement in the assassination of the leader Shukr,” he added.

The Israeli military on its part said its fighter jets attacked thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon that were aimed at northern and central Israel.

"Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

"Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and central Israel."

Hezbollah in turn "fired hundreds of rockets and UAVs towards northern Israel", most of them after Israel launched its attack, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters.

A Hezbollah official also said that the group's rocket and drone attack against Israel, in retaliation for a top commander's killing last month, had been delayed by "political considerations", chiefly among them the ongoing talks on a ceasefire and prisoner-hostage release deal for Gaza.

The US factor

A US defence official said the United States helped track the barrage of rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah against Israel but was not involved in strikes in Lebanon or in shooting down incoming projectiles,

"The US was not involved in Israel's preemptive strikes last night. We did provide some ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) support in terms of tracking incoming Lebanese Hezbollah attacks, but did not conduct any kinetic operations as they were not required," the official said on condition of anonymity.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain well-postured and ready to support the defence of Israel," the official added.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered two American carrier strike groups to remain in the Middle East on Sunday. The announcement came in the Pentagon's readout of Austin's call with Yoav Gallant, his Israeli counterpart.

During the call, Austin discussed "Israeli actions to defend against attacks by Lebanese Hezbollah."