By Bond Robertson 
Israel first attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the early hours of Sunday morning. Hezbollah responded shortly after with rocket and drone attacks against Israel.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, said it had launched a large-scale attack on Israel with drones and missiles in response to the killing of its top commander in a Beirut suburb last month, Reuters reported.
The Lebanon-based group said it targeted a specific “special military target” as well as Israeli Iron Dome platforms and other sites, but that a full response “will take some time.”
Israeli Defense Minister Galant has now declared a state of emergency in the country for the next 48 hours.
Just before 6:00 a.m. Sunday, Hezbollah announced that the first phase of a retaliatory attack after Israel killed its commander had been completed.
According to Reuters, the group reported that it struck 11 military targets and fired more than 320 rockets at Israel.
Both Iran and Hezbollah have announced that they will respond to the recent Israeli attacks.
Last week, both Tehran and Beirut were attacked. The attacks killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Fuad Shukr, described as the “right hand” of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The attack in Beirut came in response to a missile attack on the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
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A few hours before the attack, the Israeli military announced that it had launched an attack on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, and asked residents in and near the area to reach safety.
According to Reuters news agency, the attack took place because the Israeli defense believed it was aware that Hezbollah was planning more missile attacks against Israel.
Pictures are circulating on social media that appear to show attacks on southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Israel has warned that Hezbollah's actions could lead to escalation in the entire region.
Reuters wrote that Hezbollah claims to have launched a large number of drone attacks on Israel in response to the killing of a senior commander in a Beirut suburb last month.
According to Israeli media, air traffic to and from Tel Aviv will be suspended after a security assessment, and the airport will be closed.
Israeli Defense Minister Galant declares state of emergency in the country for the next 48 hours due to a “special situation on the home front”
Read also: Hezbollah threatens Israel: – Our response will be strong
Just before 0500 Norwegian time, the Israeli military reported that sirens were sounding in northern Israel, and people were being told to remain in or near bomb shelters. There must be fear of a Hezbollah response to the attacks by Israeli fighter jets.
There have been recent fears that the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a regional conflict, after Israel killed a senior Hamas leader in an airstrike, and the country was suspected of being behind the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
An Israeli military spokesman said, according to Reuters, that Hezbollah will fire rockets, and possibly missiles, at Israeli territory in the near future.
Some 40 attacks have been reported against targets in Lebanon, The Times of Israel reported.
They also wrote that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will call a meeting of the security cabinet at 0700 on Sunday.
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