The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it was targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, just prior to a scheduled speech by the group’s leader. The military also indicated that the chief of staff had sanctioned operational plans for Israel’s northern region, which shares a border with Lebanon.

According to the military, Hezbollah has transformed southern Lebanon into a battleground. “For many years, Hezbollah has utilized civilian residences for military purposes, constructed tunnels beneath them, and employed civilians as human shields,” the statement read. “The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is taking action to ensure the safety of northern Israel, facilitating the return of residents to their homes and achieving all military objectives.”

Additionally, a separate military announcement revealed that Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff, had recently finalized plans for operations in the northern sector.

These statements were issued shortly before Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, was set to speak for the first time since a series of explosions involving booby-trapped radios and pagers targeted the Iran-aligned group.

Israeli aircraft are producing significant sonic booms over Beirut, according to a witness from Reuters. Lebanese citizens, already anxious due to recent explosions throughout the country attributed to Israel by the group, experienced heightened panic amid fears of a potential escalation.

The assaults on Hezbollah’s communication systems resulted in 37 fatalities and approximately 3,000 injuries, heightening concerns of an impending large-scale conflict. While Israel has not officially acknowledged its involvement in the attacks, various security sources have indicated that they were executed by the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.