Israel launched a series of intense air strikes in southern Lebanon early on Sunday in what it said was a pre-emptive strike against the Hezbollah militant group, The army said Hezbollah was planning to launch a heavy barrage of rockets and missiles towards Israel. The Iranian-backed group had been promising to retaliate for Israel's assassination of a top commander late last month.

Israel launched a series of intense air strikes in southern Lebanon early on Sunday in what it said was a pre-emptive strike against the Hezbollah militant group, The army said Hezbollah was planning to launch a heavy barrage of rockets and missiles towards Israel. The Iranian-backed group had been promising to retaliate for Israel's assassination of a top commander late last month.