Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement has fired barrages of rockets and drones towards targets lying in the northern part of the occupied Palestinian territories in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of a senior military commander of the resistance group last month.

In a statement released on Sunday, Hezbollah said that it had conducted the operation at dawn on Sunday “as part of the initial response” to Israel’s assassination of Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander of the resistance group, in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on July 30, Press TV reports.

Hezbollah added that it had released drones and 320 Katyusha rockets at enemy sites, including Ramot Naftali barracks, Neveh Ziv and Zaoura artillery positions, as well as Meron, Zaatoun, Sahel and Ein Zeitim bases.

Among other targets of the operation were Keila and UAV barracks, along with Nafah and Yardena bases, all situated in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. 

“The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon is currently at its highest level of readiness and will stand firm and vigilant against any Zionist transgression or aggression, especially if civilians are harmed, in which case the punishment will be severe and very harsh,” Hezbollah said.

During the operation, missile and drone sirens went off across numerous illegal settlements spread throughout the northern side of the territories.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport also said morning flights were to be delayed or redirected amid the situation.

Earlier, the regime staged scores of airstrikes against southern Lebanon, alleging that it was seeking to “pre-empt” a “large-scale” retaliation by Hezbollah.

It was reported to have bombed the Lebanese towns of Kfar Malaki, Beit Yahoun, al-Tayri, Wadi Salouqi, Deir Siryan, Ayn Qana, Tayr Harfa, Shama, Ain Qana, al-Louwaiza, Basaliyya, and Kounine.

Other places targeted by Israeli warplanes were identified as the Kounine Forest, the area between Zibqine and Yater, and al-Iqlim Heights.

bd-pratidin/GR