From: CBS News August 25, 2024
Israel and Hezbollah exchange strikes before pulling back, jolting region amid Gaza cease-fire talks

Israel and the Hezbollah militant group launched their heaviest exchange of fire after months of strikes and counterstrikes.
By mid-morning Sunday, it appeared to have ended, with both sides saying they only aimed at military targets.

Authorities in Lebanon said the Israeli strikes killed three people, while Israel said one of its soldiers was killed.

President Biden is closely monitoring the events in Israel and Lebanon. "At his direction, senior U.S. officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts," National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement.

By mid-morning, it appeared that the exchange had ended. At least three people were killed in the strikes in Lebanon, while Israel said one service member, Petty Officer 1st Class David Moshe Ben Shitrit, 21, was killed in northern Israel. Two other soldiers were "lightly and moderately injured," Israel said.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said Hezbollah had intended to hit targets in northern and central Israel. He said initial assessments found "very little damage" in Israel, but that the military remained on high alert.

He said around 100 Israeli aircraft took part in Sunday's strikes.

"Hezbollah managed to launch only about two hundred and thirty rockets and over twenty unmanned aerial vehicles," Hagari said on Sunday. "Most of them either fell on their way to Israeli territory, landed in open areas, or were intercepted by Israeli Air Force defense systems and Israeli Navy ships."

Hezbollah said its attack involved more than 320 Katyusha rockets aimed at multiple sites in Israel and a "large number" of drones.
It said the operation was targeting "a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later" as well as "enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome (missile defense) platforms."

Hezbollah later announced the end of what it said was the first stage of retaliatory strikes, which it said would allow it to launch more attacks deeper into Israel. But a later statement said "military operations for today have been completed."