August 2024 Israel–Lebanon strikes explained

Conflict:August 2024 Israel–Lebanon strikes
Place:Southern Lebanon and northern Israel
Result:
  • Hezbollah claims to have hit Glilot Military Base and Ein Shemer Airfield
  • IDF claims to have intercepted most of Hezbollah's rockets and drones
Combatant1:
Amal Movement
Combatant2: Israel
Date:25 August 2024
Partof:the Israel–Hezbollah conflict and the Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)
Units1:320+ Katyusha rockets
Units2:100 fighter jets
Casualties1:
  • 6 Hezbollah militants killed
  • 1 Amal militant killed
  • 1 Hezbollah militant injured
Casualties2:
  • 1 Israeli Navy sailor killed
  • 2 Israeli Navy sailors injured
Casualties3:1 Syrian national and 1 Israeli civilian injured

On 25 August 2024, Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon, followed by strikes by Hezbollah.[1] [2] [3]

Israel framed its strikes as preemptive. According to Lebanese officials, the Israeli military struck forty locations in southern Lebanon with about 100 fighter jets. Shortly after, according to Hezbollah, it launched over 320 rockets at northern Israel as "the first phase" of its response to Israel's July assassination of senior commander Fuad Shukr.[4] [5] [6]

Background

Israeli assassinations

See main article: 2024 Haret Hreik airstrike and Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. On 30 July 2024, Fuad Shukr, a Hezbollah militant leader, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Israel has previously accused Shukr of involvement in the Majdal Shams attack three days prior that killed twelve children and young adults in the disputed Golan Heights.

On 31 July 2024, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was killed in a guesthouse in Tehran. In response to the assassination, Iran has stated that it would respond militarily, accusing Israel of Haniyeh's death;[1] Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah stated that the organization had entered new phase in its conflict with Israel in response to Shukr and Haniyeh's deaths.[7]

Anticipated Hezbollah strikes

In the days preceding the strikes, the US and Israel received intelligence showing Hezbollah was preparing to initiate an attack.[8]

Strikes

Israel

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that domestic intelligence believed that Hezbollah was intending to initiate an imminent "extensive attack"—including rockets, missiles, and drones—on Israel and fired counterstrikes against long-range missiles Hezbollah intended to use. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed the operation from Tel Aviv with defense minister Yoav Gallant; Netanyahu convened his security cabinet at 7 a.m.[9]

According to an Israeli official, the U.S. was informed of the operation. According to a U.S. defense official, the United States helped Israel track incoming Hezbollah attacks.[10] According to The New York Times, Hezbollah intended to fire rockets at 5 a.m. and Israel destroyed Hezbollah's missile launchers.[11] Israel sent a hundred fighter jets during its operations.[12] Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the strikes as "very successful", stating that "over fifty percent, maybe two-thirds" of Hezbollah's strikes were prevented.[13]

Hezbollah

Hezbollah stated the organization began its response to the assassination of Fuad Shukr, targeting a "special military target", Iron Dome platforms, and other sites.[14] [15] [16] In its first stage, Hezbollah claimed that it had fired over 320 rockets at nearly twelve Israeli military bases and positions.[17] [18] [19]

Casualties

Two Hezbollah militants were killed and one Hezbollah militant and a Syrian national were injured in southern Lebanon, one critically.[20] [21] The Amal movement said one of its fighters from Khiam was killed. Hezbollah confirmed death of their six militants on 25 August.[22]

An Israeli Navy officer was killed by a malfunctioning missile launched by the Iron Dome that struck a Dvora-class fast patrol boat off the coast of Nahariya, northern Israel and two others were injured.[23] [24] [25] A woman was slightly injured by a missile in northern Israel.[26] [27]

Responses

Israel

Departures and arrivals were canceled at Ben Gurion Airport until 10 a.m.;[1] two El Al flights were diverted.[9] The Golan Regional Council instructed residents of the Golan Heights to remain in their shelters.[28] Yoav Gallant declared an "emergency situation" for two days.[29]

United States

In a conversation with Gallant, U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin discussed avoiding escalating the Israel–Hamas war, according to Gallant.[30] United States National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett stated that president Joe Biden was "closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon" and reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself.[31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Israel Begins Striking Hezbollah in Lebanon . 24 August 2024 . Shankar . Vivek . . 24 August 2024.
  2. Web site: 100 fighter jets struck & destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, says Israel . 2024-08-25 . The Times of India . en.
  3. Web site: Siddiqui . Usaid . 25 August 2024 . Nasrallah denies Israel destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers . 26 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
  4. News: Israel and Hezbollah say they don't want war - but they are both ready for it . 25 August 2024 . www.bbc.com.
  5. Web site: Borger . Julian . Israel says strikes on Hezbollah are pre-emptive action . . 25 August 2024 . 25 August 2024.
  6. Web site: 2024-08-25 . Israel and Hezbollah exchange heavy fire in major escalation . 2024-08-25 . BBC News . en-GB.
  7. Web site: Hezbollah Leader Threatens Retaliation Against Israel, Saying Conflict Is in 'New Phase' . 1 August 2024 . Ward . Euan . . 24 August 2024.
  8. Web site: IDF says it launched preemptive strike in Lebanon ahead of Hezbollah attack . 24 August 2024 . Ravid . Barak . . 24 August 2024.
  9. Web site: 24 August 2024 . Israel says it is staging airstrikes inside Lebanon targeting the Shiite militia Hezbollah . 24 August 2024 . Associated Press.
  10. Web site: Liebermann . Oren . 2024-08-25 . Israel strikes Hezbollah sites in Lebanon . 2024-08-25 . CNN . en.
  11. Web site: Israel's preemptive attack was aimed at missile launchers in Lebanon that had been programmed to be fired at 5 a.m. in the direction of Tel Aviv, according to a Western intelligence official. . 24 August 2024 . Bergman . Ronen . . 24 August 2024.
  12. Web site: Israel Sends 100 Jets at Lebanon in Huge Pre-emptive Strike . 24 August 2024 . Keller-Lynn . Carrie . Dowell . Andrew . . 24 August 2024.
  13. Web site: Gallant: Preemptive strike was 'very, very successful,' Hezbollah 'thrown off balance' . 25 August 2024 . Fabian . Emanuel. . 25 August 2024.
  14. News: Gould . Tom . 2024-08-25 . Israel orders media blackout as Hezbollah to show proof of damaged targets . 2024-08-25 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  15. Web site: Hezbollah says it has begun attacking Israel . 24 August 2024 . . 24 August 2024.
  16. Web site: Adler . Nils . Uras . Umut . 25 August 2024 . Photos: The aftermath of Hezbollah's retaliatory attack on Israel . 25 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
  17. Web site: In a second statement, Hezbollah said it had successfully completed the first stage of its attack on Israel. . 24 August 2024 . Kershner . Isabel . . 24 August 2024.
  18. Web site: 25 August 2024 . Hezbollah aired footage on Sunday of Israeli bases and barracks that it said it targeted in the first phase of its retaliation for the assassination of Shukr. . 25 August 2024 . Palestine Chronicle . en-US.
  19. Web site: Motamedi . Maziar . Siddiqui . Usaid . 25 August 2024 . The "main target for the operation" inside Israel was "the Glilot base – the main Israeli military intelligence base", Nasrallah said. . 25 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en . The Israeli army says Hezbollah has failed to strike a military intelligence base near Tel Aviv that the Lebanese armed group’s leader says was the target of a rocket and drone barrage..
  20. Web site: Lebanon's state-run news agency reported that Israel's strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday were "the most violent" since the war in Gaza began in October. . 24 August 2024 . Ward . Euan . . 24 August 2024.
  21. Web site: Motamedi . Maziar . 25 August 2024 . Hezbollah announces killing of 2 members . 25 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
  22. Web site: Rowlands . Lyndal . Rasheed . Zaheena . 25 August 2024 . WATCH: Israel attacks south Lebanon, Hezbollah launches rockets at Israel . 26 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en . Hezbollah said six of its fighters were also killed..
  23. Web site: Sgt. David Moshe Ben Shitrit fell in battle in north. Israel National News. 25 August 2024.
  24. Web site: Motamedi . Maziar . 25 August 2024 . Reports in Israeli media indicated there were casualties, but the Israeli military has yet to comment. . 25 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
  25. Web site: Motamedi . Maziar . Siddiqui . Usaid . 2024-08-25 . "Petty Officer First Class, David Moshe Ben Shitrit, aged 21… fell during combat in northern Israel," the military said in a statement, adding that he was from the navy and that two others were also wounded. . 2024-08-25 . Al Jazeera . en.
  26. Web site: Woman injured by shrapnel as explosions heard in northern Israel . 24 August 2024 . . 24 August 2024.
  27. Web site: Siddiqui . Usaid . 25 August 2024 . Homes damaged in northern Israel after Hezbollah attack: Report . 26 August 2024 . Al Jazeera . en.
  28. Web site: Israeli military striking what it says are 'terror targets in Lebanon' . 24 August 2024 . Karni . Dana . . 24 August 2024.
  29. Web site: Israel declares 'emergency situation' for next 48 hours . 24 August 2024 . . 24 August 2024.
  30. Web site: Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, spoke with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin a short time ago, briefing him on the Israeli military's early-morning activities in Lebanon meant "to thwart an immediate threat" against Israel, according to a statement from Mr. Gallant's office. . 24 August 2024 . Kershner . Isabel . . 24 August 2024.
  31. Web site: Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Biden is "closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon." . 24 August 2024 . Barnes . Julian . . 24 August 2024.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "August 2024 Israel–Lebanon strikes".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.