IDF: 90% of Hezbollah launch sites struck on Sunday were near civilian areas, including schools & UN sites

Hezbollah rocket launchers were located only 150 meters from schools

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Israel Defense Forces announced on Tuesday that approximately 90% of Hezbollah’s rocket launch sites that it attacked on Sunday, in a preemptive strike against a planned large-scale assault on Israel, were situated near civilian areas in southern Lebanon.

“Early Sunday morning, following the detection of preparations by Hezbollah to launch missiles and rockets aimed toward the north and the center of the State of Israel, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets that posed an immediate threat,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen.-Daniel Hagari wrote on 𝕏.

Early Sunday morning, following the detection of preparations by Hezbollah to launch missiles and rockets aimed toward the north and the center of the State of Israel, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets that posed an immediate threat.

During the strike, about 230 launches and 20… pic.twitter.com/jbtEuuQ1Pz
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי - Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) August 26, 2024

Hezbollah put “its terrorist infrastructure in the middle of the civilian population while using Lebanese civilians as human shields. 90% of the launches were from the heart of a civilian area, near civilian facilities such as mosques, schools, UN sites, etc,” Hagari added.

The IDF spokesman attached several images showing the proximity of some of Hezbollah’s rocket launchers to civilian buildings. For example, in the area of Hanniyeh, a launcher was located only 150 meters (less than 500 feet) from a UN building.

Here’s the recap of yesterday’s Hezbollah attack and our defense. pic.twitter.com/LgkzIYdHQR
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 26, 2024

In Tallouseh, around a dozen launchers were placed between a school and a mosque, at a distance of only 150-160 meters (about 500-525 feet).

“We warn the civilians located in the areas where Hezbollah is operating to move out of harm’s way immediately for their own safety,” Hagari said.

WATCH how the IAF acted precisely today to stop a large-scale terrorist attack from Hezbollah.

Our operation in Lebanon targeted the terrorist infrastructure Hezbollah planned to use against us, protecting Israeli families and homes. pic.twitter.com/2J3sqAnFWB
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 25, 2024

Footage of the Israeli strikes on Sunday displayed massive secondary explosions, resulting from ignited ammunition and rockets that were primed for launch scattering in unpredictable directions amid the blasts.

כ-100 מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר, בהכוונת פיקוד הצפון ואגף המודיעין, תקפו והשמידו אלפי קני שיגור של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שמוקמו והוטמנו במרחב דרום לבנון. רובם כוונו לעבר הצפון וחלקם לעבר מרכז הארץ.

כמו כן, הותקפו למעלה מ-40 מרחבי שיגור pic.twitter.com/zTAmG9GZsW
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי - Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) August 25, 2024

The IDF's announcement underlined the immediate danger to the Lebanese civilians living near Hezbollah’s military sites, which dot the southern Lebanese landscape.

In a broad wave of airstrikes involving around 100 fighter jets, the IDF reported that it simultaneously struck 270 individual targets consisting of thousands of rocket launcher barrels, across approximately 40 sites in Lebanon.

Today, on @BBC I talked about our real-time, self-defense strikes in southern Lebanon in order to thwart Hezbollah’s large-scale attack on northern and central Israel. pic.twitter.com/YdR34hDCj0
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) August 25, 2024

“About 90% of the targets that were attacked were short-range rockets and launchers directed towards the north of the country. Also, at least six terrorists were eliminated,” Hagari said.

Despite the Israeli pre-emptive strike, “Hezbollah launched about 230 rockets and over 20 unmanned aerial vehicles. Most of them fell on their way to Israeli territory, in open areas or were intercepted by the defense systems of the Air Force and Navy ships,” he added.