Israeli defence minister warns Iran and Hezbollah against retaliation

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday warned Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement to avoid retaliatory strikes against Israel.

"Whoever harms us in a way that has not previously occurred will probably be hit in a way that has not previously occurred," said Gallant, arguing that Israel is fighting for its existence in a hostile environment.

Israel is bracing itself for an attack following the killings of two leading Israeli opponents in recent weeks: a Hezbollah commander and the political leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh.

"I hope they think this through and don't get to a point where they force us to do significant damage and increase the likelihood of war breaking out on other fronts," said Gallant.

"We don't want that, but we need to be prepared," he added.