Israel, Hezbollah exchange heavy missile fire in major clash

Lebanese militia leader says group targeted military base near Tel Aviv

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Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel early on Aug 25, as Israel's military said it struck Lebanon with around 100 jets to thwart a bigger attack, in one of the biggest clashes in more than 10 months of border warfare.

Missiles were visible curling up through the dawn sky, dark vapour trails behind them, as an air raid siren sounded in Israel and a distant blast lit the horizon, while smoke rose over houses in Khiam in southern Lebanon.

Speaking on television later on Aug 25, Lebanese militia Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the group targeted a military intelligence base 110km into Israeli territory, which was 1.5km away from Tel Aviv.

Three deaths were confirmed in Lebanon and none in Israel, where damage appeared to be limited.

Hezbollah indicated it was not planning further strikes yet.

Israel's Foreign Minister said the country did not seek a full-scale war but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: "This is not the end of the story." Any major escalation in the fighting, which began in parallel with the war in Gaza, risks morphing into a regional conflagration drawing in Hezbollah's backer Iran and Israel's main ally, the United States.

Hezbollah said it had fired 320 Katyusha rockets towards Israel and hit 11 military targets in what it called the first phase of its retaliation for Israel's assassination of Mr Fuad Shukr, a senior commander, in July.