Starting on Thursday afternoon, a total of about 100 rocket
launchers and other military infrastructure were attacked, including about
1,000 rockets that were ready for immediate launch, the IDF said.
Three Lebanese security officials told Reuters that these
were "the heaviest aerial strikes since the conflict began in October last
year."
According to reports in Lebanese media, cited in Israeli
media, the number of attacks ranged from about fifty to seventy throughout
Lebanon in only about twenty minutes.
These strikes come only days after the far-reaching
Hezbollah communications explosion, spanning two days, wounding thousands
and killing at least 30 people.
Hezbollah threatened to respond, with leader Hassan
Nasrallah live streaming a speech on Thursday in which he goaded Israel,
daring it to attack.
"We are waiting for you to enter Lebanese territory. We
are waiting for your tanks and will see this as a historic opportunity.”
Nasrallah's speech was dripping with symbolism with
references to Surah Al-Hajj, verse 39, which permits Muslims to fight defensive
wars, to the red background symbolizing revenge.
These strikes, in combination with the explosions, are only
the latest series of defeats that pose serious questions for the organization.
Fuad Shukr, one of the most senior Hezbollah commanders, was
assassinated in July, for which Hezbollah threatened vengeance.
Hezbollah's planned retaliation at the end of August
was thwarted by an IDF preemptive strike involving more than 100
strikes across the south of the country.
