BEIRUT -- Israel launched "a string of airstrikes" in Lebanon on Sunday morning, targeting positions held by the Lebanese Hezbollah group in a pre-emptive move, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

"Dozens of warplanes" participated in the attack, Hagari told a press conference, describing the attack as "a self-defense act to remove threats."

Shortly afterward, Hezbollah announced it had launched a large-scale drone attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of one of its senior commanders in Beirut, triggering air raid sirens in northern Israel.