:August 2024 Israel–Lebanon strikes

{{Main|2024 Haret Hreik airstrike|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; 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/world/middleeast/hezbollah-israel-retaliation-hassan-nasrallah.html |title=Hezbollah Leader Threatens Retaliation Against Israel, Saying Conflict Is in 'New Phase' |date=1 August 2024 |last=Ward |first=Euan |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}}

In the days preceding the strikes, the US and Israel received intelligence showing Hezbollah was preparing to initiate an attack.{{Cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/2024/08/25/israel-hezbollah-lebanon-attack |title=IDF says it launched preemptive strike in Lebanon ahead of Hezbollah attack |date=24 August 2024 |last=Ravid |first=Barak |work=Axios |access-date=24 August 2024}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Federman |first=Josef |last2=Sewell |first2=Abby |last3=Chehayeb |first3=Kareem |last4=Madhani |first4=Aamer |date=24 August 2024 |title=Israel says it is staging airstrikes inside Lebanon targeting the Shiite militia Hezbollah |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-gaza-palestinians-hezbollah-52056075daebc9aac6675043f64439ab |access-date=24 August 2024 |publisher=Associated Press}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Liebermann |first=Oren |date=2024-08-25 |title=Israel strikes Hezbollah sites in Lebanon |url=https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hamas-iran-hezbollah-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=CNN |language=en}} According to The New York Times, Hezbollah intended to fire rockets at 5 a.m. and Israel destroyed Hezbollah's missile launchers.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/24/world/israel-hamas-gaza-war/855d427d-9493-504c-ad51-37e1def842f1 |title=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. |date=24 August 2024 |last=Bergman |first=Ronen |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}} Israel sent a hundred fighter jets during its operations.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-begins-striking-targets-in-lebanon-089bb210 |title=Israel Sends 100 Jets at Lebanon in Huge Pre-emptive Strike |date=24 August 2024 |last1=Keller-Lynn |first1=Carrie |last2=Dowell |first2=Andrew |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=24 August 2024}} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gallant-preemptive-strike-was-very-very-successful-hezbollah-thrown-off-balance/ |title=Gallant: Preemptive strike was 'very, very successful,' Hezbollah 'thrown off balance' |date=25 August 2024 |last1=Fabian |first1=Emanuel|work=The Times of Israel |access-date=25 August 2024}}

Hezbollah stated the organization began its response to the assassination of Fuad Shukr, targeting a "special military target", Iron Dome platforms, and other sites.{{Cite news |last=Gould |first=Tom |date=2024-08-25 |title=Israel orders media blackout as Hezbollah to show proof of damaged targets |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/08/25/israel-hezbollah-strike-latest/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/aug/25/middle-east-crisis-live-israel-carries-out-airstrikes-on-hezbollah-targets-in-lebanon?page=with%3Ablock-66caa6928f089e7649976355#block-66caa6928f089e7649976355 |title=Hezbollah says it has begun attacking Israel |date=24 August 2024 |work=The Guardian |access-date=24 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Nils |last2=Uras |first2=Umut |date=25 August 2024 |title=Photos: The aftermath of Hezbollah's retaliatory attack on Israel |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=25 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} In its first stage, Hezbollah claimed that it had fired over 320 rockets at nearly twelve Israeli military bases and positions.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/24/world/israel-hamas-gaza-war/be9255cd-03b8-5b83-af2d-ce0cc844a343 |title=In a second statement, Hezbollah said it had successfully completed the first stage of its attack on Israel. |date=24 August 2024 |last=Kershner |first=Isabel |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last= |date=25 August 2024 |title=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. |url=https://www.palestinechronicle.com/slap-in-the-face-israel-censors-news-of-damage-from-hezbollah-attacks/ |access-date=25 August 2024 |website=Palestine Chronicle |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Motamedi |first=Maziar |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Usaid |date=25 August 2024 |title=The "main target for the operation" inside Israel was "the Glilot base – the main Israeli military intelligence base", Nasrallah said. |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=25 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |quote=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.}}

Two Hezbollah militants were killed and one Hezbollah militant and a Syrian national were injured in southern Lebanon, one critically.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/24/world/israel-hamas-gaza-war/9c7dedec-a09b-549b-a1d4-542af326c915 |title=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. |date=24 August 2024 |last=Ward |first=Euan |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Motamedi |first=Maziar |date=25 August 2024 |title=Hezbollah announces killing of 2 members |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=25 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} The Amal movement said one of its fighters from Khiam was killed. Hezbollah confirmed death of their six militants on 25 August.{{Cite web |last=Rowlands |first=Lyndal |last2=Rasheed |first2=Zaheena |date=25 August 2024 |title=WATCH: Israel attacks south Lebanon, Hezbollah launches rockets at Israel |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/26/israels-war-on-gaza-live-panicked-patients-flee-al-aqsa-martyrs-hospital |access-date=26 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |quote=Hezbollah said six of its fighters were also killed.}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/395143|title=Sgt. David Moshe Ben Shitrit fell in battle in north|work=Israel National News|date=25 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Motamedi |first=Maziar |date=25 August 2024 |title=Reports in Israeli media indicated there were casualties, but the Israeli military has yet to comment. |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=25 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Motamedi |first=Maziar |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Usaid |date=2024-08-25 |title="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. |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} A woman was slightly injured by a missile in northern Israel.{{Cite web |url=https://aje.io/l9yxzq?update=3139690 |title=Woman injured by shrapnel as explosions heard in northern Israel |date=24 August 2024 |publisher=Al Jazeera English |access-date=24 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Usaid |date=25 August 2024 |title=Homes damaged in northern Israel after Hezbollah attack: Report |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/8/25/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-bombards-gaza-on-eve-of-high-level-talks |access-date=26 August 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}

Departures and arrivals were canceled at Ben Gurion Airport until 10 a.m.; two El Al flights were diverted. The Golan Regional Council instructed residents of the Golan Heights to remain in their shelters.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/24/middleeast/israeli-strike-hezbollah-lebanon-intl-hnk/index.html |title=Israeli military striking what it says are 'terror targets in Lebanon' |date=24 August 2024 |last=Karni |first=Dana |publisher=CNN |access-date=24 August 2024}} Yoav Gallant declared an "emergency situation" for two days.{{Cite web |url=https://aje.io/l9yxzq?update=3139677 |title=Israel declares 'emergency situation' for next 48 hours |date=24 August 2024 |publisher=Al Jazeera English |access-date=24 August 2024}}

In a conversation with Gallant, U.S. secretary of defense Lloyd Austin discussed avoiding escalating the Gaza war, according to Gallant.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/24/world/israel-hamas-gaza-war/25d6af6b-9513-5738-a46d-aec2e20a2021 |title=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. |date=24 August 2024 |last=Kershner |first=Isabel |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/24/world/israel-hamas-gaza-war/2cbf6029-9cc2-5b76-bbbd-715dd98f4fa4 |title=Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said President Biden is "closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon." |date=24 August 2024 |last=Barnes |first=Julian |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 August 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Gaza war}}

Category:2024 airstrikes

Category:2024 in international relations

Strikes

Lebanon strikes

Category:Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon

Category:Aerial operations and battles involving Israel

Category:Drone strikes conducted by Israel

Category:Drone strikes in Israel

Category:Hezbollah attacks

Category:Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)

Category:Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)