Israeli army identifies ‘suspicious aerial object’ launched from east

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army said Tuesday that it identified a “suspicious aerial object” entering the country’s airspace from the east near Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev Desert.

“Following the siren in Mitzpe Ramon in southern Israel, a suspicious aerial target that was launched from the east was identified crossing into Israeli territory,” it said in a statement.

The military often uses “suspicious aerial object” to refer to an unmanned drone, while “from the east” typically indicates origins in Iraq.

“The incident has concluded. So far, no injuries have been reported,” the statement added, without specifying whether the object was intercepted or landed in the area.

In a separate statement, the army reported that the air force intercepted a rocket launched from northern Gaza after alarms sounded in Kfar Aza, a settlement located approximately five kilometers (3.1 miles) east of Gaza.

Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 43,700 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year.

As the conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, around 3,300 people have been killed and more than 13,800 injured in Israeli attacks since last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region is on the brink of a regional war, Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio