The IDF reports that nearly all of the hundreds of rockets and drones fired by Hezbollah into Israel early Sunday had been launched from civilian areas in Lebanon. Hezbollah positioned its rocket launchers and drones near mosques, schools, gas stations, and United Nations sites, the IDF said.
Of the 230 rockets and 20 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that crossed into Israeli territory, 90% were launched from “the heart of a civilian area,” according to the IDF. An infographic released by the military highlighted launch sites in southern Lebanon, including one located just 150 meters (492 feet) from a school and another 160 meters (525 feet) from a mosque in the village of Tallouseh. Another launcher was placed just 525 feet from a U.N. building in the Hanniyeh area, with many other launchers positioned nearby. “The Hezbollah terrorist organization places its terrorist infrastructure in the middle of the civilian population while using Lebanese civilians as human shields,” the IDF said.
The Israeli Air Force preemptively responded with a large-scale strike, destroying thousands of launchers and more than 6,000 missiles and drones, according to the IDF. The strike aimed to prevent a larger attack from Hezbollah.
Separately, on Monday night, Hezbollah launched what it called a “swarm of UAVs” targeting the Western Galilee and Hula Valley in northern Israel. The IDF confirmed that several “suspicious aerial targets” crossed into Israeli airspace after sirens sounded in the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee regions. The IDF’s aerial defense systems intercepted most of the UAVs, with the remaining debris falling in Israeli territory. No injuries were reported in the attack.
The drone assault followed a series of Israeli airstrikes earlier on Monday targeting southern Lebanon, including one that hit a Hamas commander in the Sidon area. Lebanese media reported that Nidal Hleihel, the intended target, was seriously injured when two missiles struck his vehicle as he was leaving his house.
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