Israeli drone targets car in southern Lebanon

By Naim Burjawi

BEIRUT (AA) – An Israeli army drone or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck a car in southern Lebanon on Thursday, local media reported.

The Lebanese official National News Agency said the Israeli drone hit the car in the southern town of Nabatieh, which caught fire.

But as of yet, no casualties have been announced.

However, the Israeli army later claimed to have targeted and killed Hezbollah military commander Abbas al-Dabs, also known as Hajj Abdullah, in the drone attack on Nabatieh.

Hezbollah has not yet responded to Israel's announcement.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire, with the Lebanon-based group said to have injured three soldiers in one of the attacks.

Tension has escalated along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah since early October, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 that has since killed at least 27,840 people and injured 67,317 others.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar