The Israeli occupation army announced Thursday that it responded to missiles from Lebanon with a “large-scale strike” on Hezbollah military targets.

The occupation army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said in a statement, “Army warplanes and helicopters attacked Hezbollah targets in the past few hours in response to the shooting that was carried out from Lebanon earlier today.”

The occupation army statement confirmed that attacks were being carried out against Hezbollah positions “using artillery and tank fire.”

The army added that it also used “IDF artillery fire and tanks.”

For its part, Hezbollah announced the bombing of 19 Israeli sites “simultaneously” on Thursday, on the eve of an expected speech by the party’s Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah.

A statement issued by Hezbollah said: “The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance attacked simultaneously at 15:30 (13:30 GMT) nineteen Zionist military sites and points with guided missiles, artillery shells, and direct weapons.”

Israel has occupied the Shebaa Farms since the 1967 Middle East war.

It is an area of 39 square kilometers that both Syria and Lebanon say is Lebanese.

In the largest bloody escalation on the border since the 2006 war, Hezbollah fighters have been exchanging fire with Israeli forces since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation carried out by Hamas on October 7.

Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, is expected to deliver his first speech since the start of hostilities tomorrow, Friday.