Via Heidi Gantwerk
SAN DIEGO, Sunday, Aug. 25 — Overnight, a major escalation took place in Israel’s north. Thankfully, at this stage, there are no reports of Israeli lives lost, and the immediate threats to Israel seem to be over for now.
Background
Ever since the assassination of Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Lebanon last month, Israelis – and much of the world – have been bracing for a major retaliation threatened by the terrorist group.
Similarly, many expected an Iranian retaliation for the assassination in Tehran of Hamas’ top leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Despite this, in recent days, reports have suggested that Iran would leave its attacks on Israel to its proxy, Hezbollah. Yesterday, Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Hossein Salami commented on the possible retaliation against Israel for the killing of Haniyeh, stating, “You will hear news soon.”
On Friday, IDF Intelligence said that it believed that Hezbollah would retaliate “within the coming days.” The IDF Spokesperson also noted that “an attack on Tel Aviv would be met with an attack on Beirut.”
US Forces, including two aircraft carriers, are currently stationed in the region, presumably to help defend Israel, as the White House has promised.
Pre-emptive Strike
In the early hours of this morning, IDF Intelligence said it had solid knowledge that a Hezbollah attack was imminent and that thousands of rockets were about to be launched toward Israel, with many aimed at Tel Aviv and other cities in the country’s center.
It is also understood that numerous rockets were to be directed at some of the Jewish state’s most sensitive military and intelligence targets.
As a result, at around 4:30 am, Israel launched a preemptive strike on hundreds of rocket launch sites on what is being called a significant intelligence and military accomplishment. It is believed that around 100 Israel Air Force jets attacked thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers, severely harming the terror group’s capabilities. Watch video of the strikes and footage from the Underground Operations Center in the Kirya, Israel’s defense headquarters.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This morning, we detected Hezbollah’s preparations to attack Israel. In consultation with the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff, we instructed the IDF to act proactively to remove the threat.”
See this full statement by the IDF Spokesperson on the strikes.
Hezbollah Attack
Despite the IDF’s successes, Hezbollah continued with its planned attack, managing to fire some 320 rockets at Israel. These rockets were aimed at towns in the country’s north, with none directed at the center. Reports in Israel suggest that the longer-range rockets were all destroyed in the IDF’s earlier attack.
Sirens sounded across the north in the early hours of the morning.
The Iron Dome shot down most rockets. At this stage, no loss of life or major injury has been reported in Israel, but it is understood that there has been a level of property damage.
By mid-morning, Hezbollah announced that it had successfully retaliated against Israel and said that the “first stage” of its attacks was now over. It is unclear whether the terror group plans further stages at all or when such phases may be.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin after the IDF launched the preemptive strikes, saying, “We have conducted precise strikes in Lebanon in order to thwart an imminent threat against the citizens of Israel. We are closely following developments in Beirut, and we are determined to use all the means at our disposal in order to defend our citizens.”
Homefront
Ben Gurion International Airport was temporarily shut down during the attacks, with all incoming and outbound flights halted. By 7 am Israel time, the airport was reopened. Nonetheless, numerous foreign carriers canceled their flights to Israel for today. El Al continues to fly.
The IDF’s Home Front Command initially announced new restrictions. The updated guidelines affected all people residing north of Rishon Letzion, an area where a large proportion of the country’s population lives, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Netanya. In those areas, outdoor gatherings of more than 30 people were prohibited, as were indoor gatherings of more than 300.
Also, in those areas, going to work or attending educational activities was only permitted at places where it was possible to reach a shelter in the allotted time. Initially, the guidelines were set to be in place for 48 hours, but they were then lifted at 12:30 pm (Israel Time) today.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog stated, “The decisive action we witnessed early this morning epitomizes Israel’s right and duty to defend itself and its citizens against the threat of terrorism. This is once again an opportunity to express our gratitude and support for our daughters and sons in the Israel Defense Forces, as well as in the security, emergency, and rescue services, for their relentless efforts across all battlefronts. Their immense sacrifices and personal costs in thwarting the malicious acts of our enemies and in defending the State of Israel and its citizens deserve our deepest thanks. I hug all of them with deep gratitude!”
You can also find all past updates here. New updates are posted every Thursday.
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Heidi Gantwerk is President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego.
Sasha Roytman, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, had this comment:
I’m writing this email after a long and intense day here in Israel, which began abruptly at 5:00 AM with the chilling sound of my phone buzzing incessantly—alerts of incoming rockets. The sheer volume of these alerts in such a short span was unlike anything we’ve experienced before, and it was immediately clear that something far more serious was unfolding.
By dawn, Hezbollah had launched a relentless assault of over 200 rockets aimed directly at civilian areas in Northern Israel. While the Iron Dome intercepted many of these missiles, some tragically hit homes and civilian facilities, leaving no doubt that Hezbollah aimed to harm innocent lives. The first thing I did was make sure our bomb shelter was ready for our three kids and check that we had enough supplies, just in case this escalates into a full-scale war.
This attack is part of a broader campaign of terror that Hezbollah has been waging against Israel since the war began in October 2023. To date, Hezbollah has fired over 8,000 rockets into Israel, killing 41 people, injuring 271 others, and causing the destruction of 250,000 acres of land due to fires ignited by these attacks.
As Hezbollah was about to launch its attack, the Israeli Defense Forces executed a precise preemptive strike this morning, successfully neutralizing hundreds of missiles aimed at Tel Aviv. Given the ongoing threat environment, Israel has elevated its security posture across the nation. As a precautionary measure, all schools and public gatherings have been suspended for today and tomorrow to ensure public safety.
Despite these clear acts of aggression by Hezbollah, we know that certain media outlets and political voices will, as they have in the past, attempt to portray Israel as the aggressor. This is why we are asking you to stand with us and share the truth. Educate your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and elected officials about the reality of what is happening in Israel…
Sadly, there does not appear to be any end to these attacks by Hezbollah in sight.