Israel claimed that Hezbollah planned to attack northern and central Israel with 6,000 rockets and drones, prompting it to launch an offensive against Lebanon.

Channel 12 Israel said: "The Israeli army estimates that the air strikes against Lebanon prevented the launch of about 6,000 missiles and drones into Israeli territory."

For its part, the Israeli army said in a statement: "About 100 IAF warplanes, under the direction of the Northern Command and the Intelligence Corps, targeted and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah platforms that were placed and planted in southern Lebanon."

It added: "Most of these platforms were directed towards the northern region and some towards the central region of the country."

The Israeli army continued: "More than 40 launch areas were also targeted."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "This morning we identified Hezbollah's preparations to attack Israel. In consultation with the Minister of Defense (Yoav Galant) and the Chief of Staff (Herzi Halevi), we issued instructions to take action to remove the threat."

Netanyahu's statements came at the start of a meeting of the security cabinet inside the fortified underground headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv.

"Since then, the IDF has been working hard to thwart threats. It has destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at the north of the country, and has thwarted many other threats," he added.

It continued: "I ask you, citizens of Israel, to adhere to the Home Front Command's directives. We are determined to do everything in our power to protect our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes, and to continue to follow a simple rule: whoever harms us, we will harm him."

In turn, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced the cancellation of the weekly meeting of the expanded government that was scheduled for today due to security developments.

In another context, she said: "Israel informed the United States before launching the preemptive strike."

For its part, Israeli Channel 12 said that 200 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel since this morning.

"The police are responding to a number of rocket incidents in the Galilee Finger without causing any injuries or property damage," the Israeli police said in a statement.

She added: "The police and explosives experts in the Northern Brigade are isolating the scene of the incident and searching for additional missile remains to remove further dangers."

On Sunday morning, Israeli warplanes launched more than 40 raids targeting areas in southern Lebanon in the most violent attack since the beginning of the confrontations on October 8, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Hezbollah announced the launch of 320 missiles towards Israeli military sites as part of the first phase of the response to Tel Aviv’s assassination of its leader, Fouad Shukr, at the end of last July.