After a drone launched from Lebanon crossed Israel’s sensitive northern border, the Israeli military said it fired interceptor missiles and rushed jets for protection.
Hours later, investigations revealed that the drone had returned to Lebanon, according to an Israeli military statement, which stopped short of blaming Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group for the drone’s launch.
Hezbollah published a statement in Lebanon claiming responsibility for sending the “Hassan” drone into Israel. According to the report, the drone explored the targeted area for 40 minutes on a “reconnaissance mission that spanned seventy kilometres” inside the occupied territory.
“Despite the enemy’s repeated attempts to shoot it down, the ‘Hassan’ plane returned safely from the seized territory after successfully completing the needed mission,” it stated.
Minutes after Hezbollah’s declaration, an Israeli fighter jet buzzed Beirut at a low altitude, startling civilians, rattling windows, and setting off some car alarms.
The event occurs just one day after Israel claimed to have shot down a drone apparently belonging to Hezbollah.
According to the military, the infiltration triggered air raid sirens in northern Israel, and Iron Dome interceptors and fighter jets were deployed to scan the skies.
“Radar contact with the aircraft was lost after a few minutes,” it stated, adding that the incident was being investigated and that “civilian life in northern Israel has returned to normal.”
Hezbollah and Israel are longtime rivals who fought a month-long war in 2006 that ended in a draw. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel, is Israel’s greatest immediate threat.
Hezbollah has long threatened Israel with obtaining or developing guided missiles to target drones.
Post Your Comments