Israeli army says it intercepted drone coming from Lebanon

By Abdel Ra'ouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army on Sunday said that it intercepted a drone that was approaching Israel from Lebanon.

“Air defense fighters intercepted a drone that approached Israeli territory, coming from Lebanon,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

The statement pointed to exchanges of fire on both sides of the border and said the Israeli army raided a "cell" that tried to open fire on the Zarit area near the Lebanese border.

“Gunmen fired anti-tank missiles at the Tsibourne area near the Lebanese border, and the army opened fire on sources of fire inside Lebanese territory,” the army added.

The army also reported that “an Israeli tank attacked a group that fired an anti-tank missile toward it in the Shebaa Farms area.”

No casualties and no damage were reported, according to the army statement.

No group has claimed responsibility for launching the drone or other attacks on the Israeli army, which occupies Lebanese areas, including Shebaa Farms.

Amid the conflict in the Gaza Strip, tension has flared along the border between Israel and Lebanon, with exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

The border clashes have been the deadliest since Hezbollah and Israel fought a full-scale war in 2006, when the Lebanese group struck major Israeli cities with rockets, causing significant damage.

More than 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the war, while much of southern Lebanon -- a Hezbollah stronghold -- was devastated by Israeli attacks.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi