'If results are not seen to be enough, we will respond another time': Hezbollah chief

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday that his group‮ ‬would assess the impact of its rocket and drone attack on Israeli military targets earlier in the day before determining whether it would carry out further attacks to avenge a slain commander.

Nasrallah, speaking about 12 hours after the most intense exchange of fire between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel since hostilities broke out in parallel with the war in Gaza, said  “We will assess the impact of today’s operation. If results are not seen to be enough, we will respond another time,".

Nasrallah said the group would assess the results of the operation, a retaliation for Israel’s killing of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr on the edges of Beirut last month.

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Hezbollah fighters had successfully launched a volley of more than 300 Katyusha rockets to distract Israel’s Iron Dome defences before sending attack drones, he said. They included drones fired from the eastern Bekaa Valley, a first for the group, he said. None of the drone or rocket launchers were damaged in Israel’s pre-emptive strikes, he said.

Israel and Hezbollah said they aimed only at military targets. Israel’s military said one soldier with the navy was killed and two others were wounded either by an interceptor for incoming fire, or by shrapnel from one. Two Hezbollah fighters and a terrorist from an allied group were killed, the groups said.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel and shot down drones heading for the center of the country.

“I repeat — this is not the end of the story," he added.

Meanwhile, the UK calls for restraint in the Middle East, after the largest exchange of fire between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group since the start of the war in Gaza.

“Further escalation in the Middle East must be avoided at all costs,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on X, following a call with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. “I reiterated the UK’s support for Israel’s security, the importance of restraint, the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.”

Further escalation in the Middle East must be avoided at all costs. In my call with Israeli Minister @AmbDermer I reiterated the UK’s support for Israel’s security, the importance of restraint, the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 25, 2024

With inputs from agencies.