A Hezbollah official said on Sunday that the group's rocket and drone attack against Israel on Sunday in retaliation for a top commander's killing last month had been delayed by "political considerations," chiefly among them the ongoing talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal for the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported.
The official, in written comments shared with media outlets, said the group had "worked" to make sure its response to the killing of Fuad Shukr on July 30 would not trigger a full-scale war.
Also on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel took pre-emptive action against Hezbollah in Lebanon and that all drones launched against a strategic target in central Israel were intercepted.
He said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was "another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes" and that "this is not the end of the story".
