The IDF early Sunday morning launched a series of powerful airstrikes deep in Lebanon and southern Lebanon, attacking Hezbollah’s long-range and precision missiles.

The preemptive attack included 150 targets and involved dozens of fighter jets. Later, after 11:00 a.m., the IDF announced another wave of strikes in Lebanon, specifically in southern Lebanon. The IDF reported early afternoon that it attacked over 300 Hezbollah targets since the morning. Another wave of strikes was launched close to 3 p.m.

There were reports in Lebanon that the IDF took control of radio stations in Lebanon and broadcast the message that anyone near Hezbollah sites is endangering their life.

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari spoke at about 3 p.m. and said that the IDF will soon strike the Beqaa area. He warned of widescale strikes, instructing Lebanese citizens to evacuate Hezbollah sites in the area.

Hagari said: “The scenes we’re seeing right now in southern Lebanon are explosions of Hezbollah weapons, which detonate within homes. In every home we strike, there are weapons intended to be used to kill Israeli civilians. We’re now preparing to strike terror targets in Beqaa, where there are weapons located in residential homes. I warn the residents there: Whoever is near homes where weapons are stored – flee.”

In response to the Israeli strikes on Monday morning, Hezbollah fired barrages of rockets toward the Galil and the Kinneret area, including 25 rockets at the Tzfas area and at least 10 rockets at the Lower Galil. An Israeli man was lightly injured by shrapnel in the attack on the Galil. He was treated at the scene and evacucated to Poriya Medical Center. Another man who was injured while running to a shelter and three people suffering from shock were also evacuated to Poriya.

A rocket directly hit a home in Givat Avni in the Lower Galil, destroying most of the house. B’Chasdei Hashem, the residents of the home narrowly escaped death as they ran to their safe room seconds before the rocket struck and were unharmed.

On Monday morning, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari spoke to the public and warned that the IDF is attacking Lebanon to remove the threat to Israeli citizens. He explained that the IDF launched the attacks after identifying Hezbollah’s preparations to attack Israel.

“Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a stronghold of terror,” he said. “A village in southern Lebanon is nothing other than a terror base, with rocket launchers located inside people’s homes – risking the lives of the villagers.”

Hagari showed footage of Hezbollah terrorists about to launch a powerful cruise missile from the home of an “innocent” Lebanese civilian in southern Lebanon. The IDF destroyed the house. Hagari explained that the terrorists knock down walls of civilian homes, creating openings for missile launchers.

For the first time since the war began, Hagari warned Lebanese civilians in southern Lebanon,  especially those who have launchers located in their homes, to immediately evacuate the area.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)