BICOM

Israel’s Air Force yesterday intercepted and destroyed a drone, thought to have been sent by Hezbollah several miles off the coast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa.

IDF air defences detected the drone just after 1pm yesterday, moving southward along the Lebanese coast. IDF spokesman Peter Lerner said, “Aircraft, helicopters and combat airplanes were alerted to the area and after confirmation that it was an unfriendly aircraft, they were approved to shoot it down,” once it had entered Israeli airspace.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he viewed “with utmost severity the attempt to breach our borders. We will do what it takes to defend our citizens.” A helicopter in which Netanyahu was travelling was briefly grounded yesterday as a precaution after the drone incursion was detected.

It is unclear whether the drone itself was bearing weapons, but Lerner said that the navy is “searching for the remains of the UAV.” Asked about the origins of the drone, Lerner remained cautious, saying “We don’t know where the aircraft was coming from and where it was actually going.” However, Israel’s Deputy Defence Minister Danny Danon pointed the finger sharply at Hezbollah, telling Israel Army radio, “We’re talking about another attempt by Hezbollah to send an unmanned drone into Israeli territory.”

Although Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attempted incursion yesterday via its television station Al Manar, the organisation’s leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah admitted that Hezbollah sent an Iranian-made drone into Israeli air space in October last year, which was downed by Israeli aircraft. Several pundits in Israel, including Ynet’s military analyst Ron Ben Yishai speculate this morning that Hezbollah launched the drone in an attempt to divert attention from its direct support for Syrian President Assad, which has drawn criticism within Lebanon.