Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday warned Iran and Hezbollah to avoid retaliatory strikes against Israel, as the Lebanese militia said it attacked an Israeli training base with drones.
“Whoever harms us in a way that has not previously occurred will probably be hit in a way that has not previously occurred,” said Gallant, arguing that Israel is fighting for its existence in a hostile environment.
Israel is bracing itself for an attack following the killings within days of two leading Israeli opponents in recent weeks: a Hezbollah commander in Beirut and the political leader of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.
“I hope they think this through and don’t get to a point where they force us to do significant damage and increase the likelihood of war breaking out on other fronts,” said Gallant.
“We don’t want that, but we need to be prepared,” he added.
Meanwhile, two people were killed in a suspected Israeli attack in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
They are said to be members of Hezbollah, Lebanese security sources said. The incident reportedly occurred in the border town of Taybeh.
The Israeli army announced that it had attacked Hezbollah members in the area.
Israeli forces reportedly attacked further targets of the pro-Iranian militia in the neighbouring country. At the same time, numerous shells from Lebanon reportedly landed in Israeli territory.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Earlier, Hezbollah said it used “swarms of assault drones on the Mahava Alon base” in northern Israel late on Saturday, “achieving a direct hit and causing confirmed casualties.”
The attack came in response to Israel’s killing of Hamas member Samer al-Haj on Friday in Lebanon’s port city of Sidon.
Hezbollah also said it attacked a gathering of Israeli soldiers near the border.
The Israeli military confirmed drones flew over Israeli territory from Lebanon. One was intercepted and others crashed, with damage but no injuries reported, the army said.
A large-scale barrage by Hezbollah on Israel, perhaps in coordination with an attack by Iran, has been expected for days.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has sworn revenge after the targeted killing of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on July 30. Haniyeh’s death in the Iranian capital followed on August 1, prompting the leadership in Tehran also to swear vengeance on Israel.
Iran and Hamas blame Israel for both attacks. Israel claimed responsibility for the attack on Shukr but has not commented on the accusations regarding Haniyeh’s death.
