THE SEA LIONS THAT SHUT DOWN A POPULAR BEACH. >>> THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH HALLIE JACKSON. >> I'M GAD SHISHGS WARTS IN FOR HALLIE, ISRAEL LAUNCHING PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST HEZBOLLAH SAYING THE I REASONIAN GROUP PLANNING TO STAGE A LARGE-SCALE ATTACK THIS MORNING AND HEZBOLLAH RESPONDING WITH DRONES AND MISSILES AND THE EXCHANGE MARKS A MAJOR ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE SINCE THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR AGAIN ON OCTOBER 7th NOW THREATENING TO OPEN THE BATTLE FRONT. THAT'S RAISING SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST COULD SPIRAL INTO CHAOS, PULLING OTHER COUNTRIES INTO A WIDER, REGIONAL CONFLICT THAT COULD LEAD TO U.S. INVOLVEMENT. WE ARE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS TONIGHT STARTING WITH MATT BRADLEY IN TEL AVIV. >> Reporter: THE >> Reporter: THE DAY BEGAN WITH A MASSIVE DISPLAY OF FIRE POWER. ISRAEL LAUNCHED WHAT IT CALLED A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST A PLANNED HEZBOLLAH ATTACK FROM LEBANON. A PRE-DAWN VOLLEY OF ROCKETS AND DRONES FROM LEBANON CAUSED NO CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, ISRAELI AUTHORITIES SAID, AND MINIMAL DAMAGE. A MONTH OF RISING FEARS ABOUT A REGION-WIDE WAR AVERTED FOR NOW. >> THIS MORNING WE DETECTED HEZBOLLAH'S PREPARATIONS TO ATTACK ISRAEL SAID ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER. WE INSTRUCTED THE IDF TO ACT PROACTIVELY TO REMOVE THE THREAT. STILL BOTH SIDES CLAIMED VICTORY. HEZBOLLAH'S LEADER DENIED ISRAEL HAD LAUNCHED A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE, BUT SAYING IT WAS COMPLETE CALLING IT RETRIBUTION FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH LEADER LAST MONTH, SPARKING CONCERNS OF A WIDER CONFLICT THAT COULD EVEN DRAG IN THE U.S. >> THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY STRIKE PARTICULARLY HARD. DO YOU THINK THIS WAS A FACE-SAVING CLIMB DOWN BY HEZBOLLAH? >> PART OF THIS ATTACK LOOKING NOT AS BIG WAS OUR DEFENSE ATTACKS IN THE MORNING BEFORE THEIR ATTACK. >> ISRAELI HANDOUT VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW MILITARY AIRCRAFT TARGETING HEZBOLLAH FIRING CANISTERS INTO NORTH AND CENTRAL ISRAEL. HEZBOLLAH SAID THEY FIRED 320 KATYUSHA ROCKETS AT ISRAEL AND A VOLLEY OF DRONES, BUT EVEN IF THE MIDDLE EAST CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF FOR NOW, FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISRAELI-LEBANESE BORDER, THERE'S NO CERTAINTY. THE WAR HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 11 MONTHS SAID THIS LEBANESE RESIDENT, PEOPLE ARE TIRED. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. >> MATT'S IN TEL AVIV. WHAT'S THE STATUS ON THE CEASEFIRE AND OFTAGE NEGOTIATIONS? >> Reporter: YEAH, GADI. A U.S. OFFICIAL TOLD NBC NEWS THAT THE TALKS IN CAIRO INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES IN HAMAS AND ISRAEL HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTIVE AND WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. GADI? >>> THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN IS KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AARON GILCHRIST IS LIVE AND HOW IS THE ADMINISTRATION >> Reporter: GADI, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS FLYING BACK TO THE EAST COAST RIGHT NOW AND WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TELL ME HE HAS BEEN BRIEFED TODAY ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND OVERNIGHT HE DIRECTED HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM TO KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH ISRAEL. A DEFENSE OFFICIAL ALSO TELLS NBC NEWS THE U.S. MILITARY DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE STRIKES WEISE SAW OVERNIGHT, BUT DID HELP ISRAEL WITH TRACKING HEZBOLLAH ACTIVITY. THE PENTAGON ALSO SAYING DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS ISRAELI COUNTERPARTS AND HE REINFORCED U.S. SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL'S DEFENSE. AUSTIN ALSO ORDERED TWO NAVY