Posted on 06/23/24
| News Source: Times of Israel
The Lebanese Hezbollah terror group launched several explosive-laden drones at northern Israel on Sunday, seriously wounding a soldier in one incident, as the Israeli military said it shot down an unmanned aerial aircraft heading toward the country from Iraq.
Sunday’s drone launches came amid fears of a wider conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, which has ramped up its attacks in recent months.
In the first incident on Sunday morning, an explosive-laden drone launched from Lebanon struck an area near the northern community of Beit Hillel, the military and local authorities said.
The Israel Defense Forces said an interceptor missile was launched at the UAV, although it failed to intercept the device.
Hezbollah took responsibility for the drone attack, claiming to have targeted an Israeli military base adjacent to the community.
Several hours later, another drone apparently launched by Hezbollah was shot down over the Lower Galilee, near a sensitive defense facility.
The IDF said the device had entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon, but drone infiltration sirens did not sound “according to protocol.”
It was shot down by air defenses near the northern city of Sakhnin, an area that houses a major factory belonging to the Rafael defense contractor.
Rocket sirens sounded in several towns near Sakhnin, some 25 kilometers from the Lebanon border, over fears of falling shrapnel following the interception, the IDF said.
Hezbollah did not immediately take responsibility for the attack. The terror group did, however, claim a separate drone attack.
In a statement, Hezbollah said it launched several explosive-laden drones at a military base near the northern community of Ayelet HaShahar, about 10 kilometers from the border.
According to the IDF, one of the drones was shot down by air defenses, while several more struck near Ayelet HaShahar, sparking fires and seriously wounding one soldier.
The soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment.