ISRAEL was condemned today after it pummelled southern Lebanon with air strikes, driving the Middle East further into crisis, in what it claimed was a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah. 

Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones of its own towards Israel in what they said was vengeance for the killing of Fouad Shukur, one of its top commanders, last month.

The heavy exchange of fire has further raised the tensions in the region, although both sides appear to have pulled back for the moment from any further escalation.