The Lebanon-based Shia Muslim group Hezbollah says it has begun a major attack on Israel. It announced the move in a statement released on early Sunday.

Hezbollah said it fired more than 320 rockets against Israeli bases and other military targets. It explained the attack is in response to the killing of one of its senior commanders by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut in July.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a "special situation," calling on residents to follow instructions from authorities.

The international airport near Israel's largest commercial city of Tel Aviv was temporarily closed.

The Israeli military announced earlier that it had carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah targets, citing signs of preparations for large-scale attacks. Its spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that the military had identified Hezbollah preparing to fire missiles and rockets towards Israeli territory. He added that it was striking targets in Lebanon "in a self-defense act to remove these threats."