By bne Gulf bureau Israel launched extensive ‘preemptive’ air strikes on southern Lebanon early August 25, saying it aimed to thwart a planned attack by the militant group Hezbollah, which has been swiftly returned with rocket launches back into northern Israel. The Israeli strike has potentially triggered the most significant exchange of fire between the two sides since their 2006 war. It could pull other countries and groups allied with Hezbollah into the fight, including Iran and Iraq’s militias who have previously struck Israel. Israeli military sources told local media it deployed about 1…