TEL AVIV, Israel (Washington Insider Magazine) – According to the Israeli forces, 3 drones launched by the Hezbollah group of Lebanon were intercepted as they approached an offshore gas field in the mediterranean sea.
The military stated in a statement on Saturday that it had intercepted 3 hostile drones entering the airspace in Israel’s economic seas.The drones were on their way to the Karish gas field, which is partially claimed by Lebanon, the statement added.
According to Israeli military officials, the drones were unarmed and posed no threat.
According to the sources, a cruiser and a fighter plane both successfully intercepted one drone.
On Saturday, Hezbollah claimed that it had deployed 3 unarmed drones, adding that they had successfully completed their job and “sent the message.” The Lebanese authorities did not respond to the incident right away.
Last month, when a vessel run by the Greek energy company Energean approached the Karish field, Lebanon criticized Israel.
Israel asserts that the field is located within its territorial seas and is not a subject of the maritime boundary issue.
Energean was forewarned by Hezbollah not to move forward with their plans.
In 2020, Israel and Lebanon restarted talks on their maritime border, but the process was hampered by Beirut’s insistence that the UN map used in the talks needed to be modified.
After claiming that 330 square miles (860 square kilometers) of waters were in dispute, Beirut later requested an additional 552 square miles (1,430 square kilometers), including a part of the Karish gas field.
As it struggles with the greatest economic crisis in its recent history, Lebanon has planned to increase offshore gas and oil production.
The Israeli military said that the interceptions on Saturday marked the first time an air defense system placed on an Israeli naval ship had brought down an approaching target.
According to Al Jazeera, Israel and Lebanon are still formally at war and do not have any diplomatic ties. UN pacifists guard the border.
Israel views Hezbollah, which is sponsored by Iran, as one of its main foes after a disastrous conflict with the movement in 2006.
Image via Reuters
