William Christou Reports:

Israel continued its air strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning and Israeli government officials announced that they would attack any area from which they were attacked by Hezbollah.

Fighter planes flew low over border villages and launched at least three air strikes, while residents in the south prepared for further attacks.

The attacks followed a series of Israeli bombings at dawn, which Israel described as “preemptive,” as Hezbollah prepared for a wave of drone and rocket attacks. Despite the Israeli attack, Hezbollah called its operation a “complete success.” It hit 11 Israeli military sites and fired over 320 rockets, mostly concentrated in the Upper Galilee region.

Hezbollah said its attack on Sunday was a response to the assassination of its top military commander. Fouad Shukurin Beirut almost a month earlier.

Despite extensive Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, only one casualty was reported: a Syrian citizen sustained minor injuries in the town of Qasimiyeh in southern Lebanon.

“Most of the attacks took place in the valleys (away from populated areas) and apart from the Syrian, we have no casualties,” a source within a first responder organisation operating in southern Lebanon told the Guardian.

Hezbollah fighters are known to use the forested areas of southern Lebanon as cover for their attacks on Israel.

Hezbollah said in a statement on Sunday that it would respond “strongly” if Israel harmed civilians. The group said the “first phase” of its operation had been completed but gave no indication of whether there would be further attacks.