An IDF drone flying over Lebanon on Wednesday was fired at, apparently by the Hezbollah terror organization, a significant escalation of tensions in the area.
The IDF stated that anti-aircraft fire was launched at a remotely manned aircraft during a routine operation over Lebanese territory. The drone was not damaged and continued its mission, the IDF said.
The last similar incident occurred in October 2019 when an SA8 surface-to-air missile was fired at an Israeli drone but missed its mark.
Hezbollah on Monday announced that it had downed an IDF drone flying over southern Lebanon. The IDF said that it had crashed and that there was no fear of an intelligence leakage.
The IDF has been on high alert on Israel’s border with Lebanon following a July 2020 Israeli Air Force strike in Syria against Iranian targets in which a Hezbollah operative was killed.
Hezbollah has threatened to respond to any death of its men killed by Israel, in Lebanon or Syria. This official recognition of the death of one of their men would require a response.