Israel declares 48-hour nationwide emergency amid Hezbollah airstrikes

Tel Aviv: Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared a 48-hour nationwide state of emergency on Sunday morning after the Israeli military launched pre-emptive strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The emergency measure, effective from 6:00 a.m. (Israeli time) aims to empower the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to implement crucial directives, including restrictions on public gatherings and the closure of vulnerable sites.

The decision comes in response to a significant escalation of hostilities, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility for firing over 320 rockets and several explosive-laden drones at northern Israel.

In a statement, Hezbollah asserted that it had targeted 11 military bases in the region, marking a severe intensification of the conflict.

The state of emergency grants the IDF the authority to issue safety instructions to the civilian population, especially in areas where the risk of attacks is high, the Defence Minister said in a statement.

“I am convinced that there is a high chance of an attack against the civilian population in areas of the country where the declaration of a special situation did not apply,” Defence Minister Gallant warned, stressing the need for the nationwide emergency status.

Hezbollah’s actions were described as an “initial response” to the killing of one of its top commanders, prompting Israel to engage in a series of pre-emptive strikes.

Earlier, IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari warned about Hezbollah’s plans to attack Israeli civilians.

“We have detected preparations by the militant organisation Hezbollah to launch missiles and rockets at the State of Israel, we are attacking proactively to remove the threat,” he said.

“In a self-defence act to remove these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon, from which Hezbollah was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians,” the IDF Spokesperson said in another video posted on social media platform X.