The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported Sunday morning that they have begun “proactive and large-scale” strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon to eliminate threats against Israel.

This comes after the Israeli military discovered that Hezbollah was preparing to fire rockets into Israeli territory.

“We are removing threats against the Israeli home front,” IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a news conference. “Dozens of (Israeli Air Force) fighter jets are currently striking targets in various locations in southern Lebanon. We are continuing to remove threats and continue to intensively strike the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”

“Hezbollah is launching missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory,” he continued. “Our air defense systems, Israeli Navy ships and IAF aircraft are participating in the mission to defend Israeli airspace, identify and intercept threats, and strike any place in Lebanon necessary to remove threats and hit Hezbollah.”

IDF HITS HEZBOLLAH TERROR TARGETS IN LEBANON AFTER PREPARING TO SHOOT INTO ISRAEL

A Hezbollah rocket attack in northern Israel, near the town of Neve Ziv, on August 25, 2024. Israel carried out extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah and called on residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate after discovering “imminent” plans for a major Hezbollah attack. (Roni Egozi Aberman/TPS-IL)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meeting with cabinet members on Sunday morning, again called for an end to the displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis by months of hostilities.

“We are determined to do everything we can to protect our country, to allow the residents of the north to return home safely, and to continue to uphold a simple rule: whoever harms us, we will harm,” Netanyahu said.

According to Hagari, the Israeli military has already intercepted several rockets and UAVs launched towards Israeli territory.

Hagari also warned civilians in southern Lebanon that they are in danger. According to him, the Israeli army has learned that Hezbollah is firing into Israeli territory near their homes.

Hezbollah said in a statement that it has launched an offensive against Israel and that the military operation has been completed for the day.

“With God’s help, all offensive drones were launched at the designated times from all their positions and crossed the Lebanese-Palestinian borders to their intended targets via multiple routes,” the statement said. “Therefore, our military operation for today has been completed and accomplished, praise be to God Almighty.”

“The enemy’s claims about the preventive measures they took, the goals they achieved and the way they disrupted the resistance’s attacks are empty claims that contradict the facts on the ground and which will be refuted later today in a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,” the statement said.

HEZBOLLAH ACTIVITIES KILLED IN ISRAELI AIR STRIKES AS TERROR GROUP FIRES 100 ROCKETS AT JEWISH STATE

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said several rockets and UAVs launched toward Israeli territory were intercepted. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday morning called on dozens of his foreign colleagues around the world to support Israel after the country attacked Hezbollah to prevent attacks on the Jewish state.

The minister stressed that Israel is acting to protect its citizens and territory from “the axis of evil led by Iran, which has a clear goal of bringing about Israel’s destruction,” according to the Israeli government. Katz said Israel does not want an all-out war.

“Hezbollah has just fired over 150 projectiles from Lebanon into Israeli territory. We target terrorist infrastructure, they target civilians,” the IDF wrote on social media Sunday morning.

Israeli Defense Minister Gallant has declared a 48-hour emergency.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Gallant about the IDF’s activities after Israel began eliminating Hezbollah targets. They discussed the importance of avoiding regional escalation, and Gallant emphasized that Israel wants to defend its citizens with all the means at its disposal to eliminate imminent threats.