Israel imposes state of emergency following pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has announced a 48-hour nationwide state of emergency beginning at 6:00 am local time (0300 GMT) on Sunday. 

The declaration comes after the Israeli military launched what it described as pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon.

Gallant explained that the state of emergency will empower the Israel Defense Forces, IDF, to issue specific directives to Israeli citizens, which may include "limiting gatherings and closing sites where it may be relevant," according to a statement from his office.

The minister expressed concerns about a potential attack on civilians in areas of the country that were not previously under emergency measures.

 "I am convinced that there is a high probability of an attack against the civilian population," Gallant said. 

He added, "I hereby declare a special situation on the home front in other areas of the country. The situation is valid for 48 hours starting at 6:00 am."

In a separate statement, Gallant's office revealed that he had briefed U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the situation. Gallant informed Austin, "We have conducted precise strikes in Lebanon in order to thwart an imminent threat against the citizens of Israel.

“He emphasized that Israel is closely following developments in Beirut and is determined to use all the means at our disposal in order to defend our citizens."

The statement also noted that both defense leaders discussed the importance of avoiding regionalescalation.