Israel and Hezbollah strikes put region on edge; Hamas official says delegation has left Cairo

Josep Borell, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs, said in a post on X that the situation has reached a "critical level" as he supported Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's efforts to de-escalate.

"I support Lebanon PM Mikati call for the immediate application of UNSCR 1701, in addition to the much-needed ceasefire in Gaza, to conjure the risk of a full blown war," Borell wrote.

He was referring to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for a full end of hostilities at the shared border between Israel and Lebanon. Officials have been urging for both Israel and Hezbollah to abide by the resolution for months.

Mikati held a meeting at his residence today with several Lebanese ministers and military officials to discuss the exchange of fire today, the country's state news reported. The prime minister said he was making contact with "Lebanon’s friends" in an effort to stop the escalation of aggression and re-implement the 1701 resolution.

Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah told Lebanese civilians that the Iran-backed group delayed its response to an Israeli assassination in Beirut in order to allow the ongoing Gaza cease-fire negotiations to continue.

But ultimately Hezbollah chose to target Glilot base, which is near Tel Aviv, Nasrahllah said in a televised speech today. He that there was never any intention of targeting civilian infrastructure.

"We put a set of standards for the target of our response: it was not to be a civilian target, although the enemy targeted civilians and it is our right to target civilians if we wanted, nor infrastructure," Nasrallah said. "It was to be a military target."

Netanyahu said earlier today that the IDF intercepted the attack toward central Israel made by Hezbollah. That base was chosen for its housing of Unit 8200, a military intelligence unit, Nasrallah said.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut reminded its citizens who have not left Lebanon to prepare "contingency plans" and be ready to have to shelter in place for a long period of time.

"Due to high tensions in the region, the security environment remains complex and can change quickly," the embassy said in its security alert. "We remind U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments."

A handful of flights were canceled out of Beirut's airport earlier today, but the airport remains fully operational. The U.S. Embassy said its citizens that it can provide repatriation loans for those who may need financial assistance to leave Lebanon.

The United Nations' Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) called for a cease-fire today, saying in a joint statement that it was urging de-escalation with the organization's contacts in the region.

"In light of worrying developments across the Blue Line since the early morning, UNSCOL and UNIFIL call on all to cease fire and refrain from further escalatory action," the statement, posted to X, said.

Lebanon's state news reported "violent raids" in Wadi Hamoul, an area east of Naqoura. The UNIFIL headquarters is based in Naqoura.

Asked on NBC News' "Meet the Press" for her reaction to Israel's strikes on Sunday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said she was "deeply concerned about the violence and chaos spreading throughout the region."

"We need to stop all the bombing, get the hostages back home, spend real resources on humanitarian relief in Gaza and most of all, give a hard shove to both parties in order to keep them at the negotiating table," Warren said.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., also warned of the danger of an escalating conflict.

"The most urgent issue right now is ending this awful conflict in the Middle East, bringing about a cease fire, and stopping this from expanding to a wider arena," he told CNN.

"Last night was really worrisome," he added.

Video published by Al-Mayadeen news, verified by NBC News, shows large plumes of smoke rising from explosions on the outskirts of Zibqine, a southern Lebanese village near the border with Israel.

The short clip showed an explosion go off next to a significant plume of black smoke. A resident of the town told Reuters he woke to the sounds of planes and explosions before dawn prayer, saying “it felt like the apocalypse.”

The Amal Movement, a Lebanese political party and militia, announced that one if its members was killed "defending Lebanon and the south."

The man was identified as Ayman Kamel Idriss, who is from the southern town of Khiam in the Nabatieh Governorate. Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said one person was killed in a drone strike in Khiam earlier today.

Hezbollah also announced the deaths of two of its fighters, Hamza Mohammad Zalghout and Khader Musa Sweid. The group did not provide the circumstances of their deaths.

Hamas congratulated Hezbollah for its "major response" in retaliation to "the crime of assassinating the great jihadist leader Sayyed Fuad Shukr."

Israel’s military said it killed Shukr in an airstrike on the Beirut area of Lebanon in July. It had blamed Shukr for the deadly attack on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that killed 12 young people a week before.

In its statement, Hamas said Hezbollah's strike was a message "that crimes against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples will not pass without a response."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed comments at the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran at the beginning of a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, following the latest round of strikes across the Israeli-Lebanon boarder.

"We instructed the Israel Defense Forces to carry out a powerful pre-emptive strike to remove the threat. The IDF destroyed thousands of short-range rockets, and they were all intended to harm our citizens and our forces in the Galilee."

He went on to say that the IDF intercepted "all the drones that Hezbollah launched," and that the IDF was hitting Hezbollah with "surprising thrusts."

According to Hezbollah, they had fired 320 Katyusha rockets towards 11 Israeli bases and military sites.

Addressing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, Netanyahu said: “This is another step on the way to changing the situation in the north, and return our residents safely to their homes.”

"And I repeat — this is not the end of the verse."