Israel and Hezbollah exchange heavy fire in major escalation

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Hezbollah said it managed to fire 320 rockets and drones into Israel

MON 26 AUG, 2024 09:18

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The US says it is working to avoid any further escalation after 10 months of hostilities that have raised fears of an all-out war.

Israel has said it carried out a wave of pre-emptive strikes across southern Lebanon to thwart a large-scale rocket and drone attack by Hezbollah.

Jets destroyed thousands of the Iran-backed armed group’s rocket launchers on Sunday morning, Israel's military said. Hezbollah and its Amal allies said three fighters had been killed.

Hezbollah said it had still managed to fire 320 rockets and drones at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of a senior commander. According to Israel's military, one Israeli navy soldier was killed.

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The US says it is working to avoid any further escalation after 10 months of hostilities that have raised fears of an all-out war.

There have been almost daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the day after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7.

There was no breakthrough at the latest round of US-backed Gaza peace talks in Cairo.

Before leaving, Hamas said it rejected new Israeli conditions and accused Israel of backtracking on promises. Israel denies changing its demands since a last round of talks in early July.

Hezbollah has said it is acting in support of the Palestinian group, which is also backed by Iran. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed as terrorist organisations by Israel, the UK and other countries.

Since October, more than 560 people have been reported killed by Lebanon's health ministry, the vast majority of them Hezbollah fighters, while 26 civilians and 23 soldiers have been killed in Israel, according to authorities.

The UN says almost 200,000 people have also been displaced on both sides of the border.

You can read the full article on the BBC here...