Israel, Hezbollah exchange heavy fire before withdrawing, shaking region braced for war

Hezbollah began attacking Israel almost immediately after the start of the Gaza war, sparked by Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost daily, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.

Hezbollah, which fought a fierce battle with Israel in the summer of 2006, is considered far more powerful than it was during that conflict. The United States and Israel estimate that it has some 150,000 rockets and is capable of striking anywhere in Israel. The group has also developed drones that can evade Israeli defenses, as well as precision-guided munitions.

Israel has vowed an overwhelming response to any major attack by Hezbollah. It has a multi-layered missile defense system and is backed by a U.S.-led coalition that helped it shoot down hundreds of missiles and drones fired from Iran earlier this year. The U.S. military has been building up its forces in the region in recent weeks.

Hezbollah is a close ally of Iran, which has also threatened to retaliate against Israel for the killing of a senior Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an explosion in Tehran last month. Israel has not said whether it was involved.

Iranian state media on Sunday exaggerated the Hezbollah attack, calling it a success, but there was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.

The United States and other mediators view a ceasefire in Gaza as essential to averting a wider conflagration in the Middle East. Hezbollah has said it would halt its strikes against Israel if a ceasefire were reached in Gaza.