Hezbollah says it downed Israeli drone over Lebanese territory

By Naim Berjawi​​​​​​​

BEIRUT (AA) - Hezbollah said Saturday that it downed an armed Israeli drone of the “Hermes 450” type above Lebanese territory.

The Israeli army acknowledged the downing of one of its drones in the area by a surface-to-air missile.

The Lebanese group noted that the downing “came in support of our resilient Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in solidarity with their resistance.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said, “A short while ago, a surface-to-air missile was launched towards an air force drone operating in Lebanese airspace, causing the drone to be hit and fall inside Lebanon.”

It added that the incident is under investigation.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of weapons fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The escalation comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 33,100 Palestinians following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul