Hezbollah shot down an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a surface-to-air missile on Monday as Zionist circles consider the incident as dangerous development.
In a statement, Hezbollah’s Military Media announced it had downed a medium-size Israeli Hermes 450 over the Iqlim Al-Tuffah area, near Nabatieh in south Lebanon.
“In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in reinforcement of their courageous and honorable resistance, the Islamic Resistance’s air defense unit shot down at 09:20 on Monday, February 26, 2024, an Israeli drone of Hermes 450 type with a surface-to-air missile above the area of Iqlim Al-Tuffah, and it was observed falling with the naked eye,” the statement read.
“The Islamic Resistance asserts that its fighters will relentlessly surveil and counter hostile aircraft, thwarting their aggressive pursuit with unwavering determination,” the statement added.
Earlier, Local media reported that an Israeli aircraft was downed in south Lebanon, with videos circulating on social media showing an aircraft on fire and spiraling out of control.
Israeli media reported that sirens sounded in an industrial zone near Afula due to the launch of an interceptor missile.
The Israeli occupation army then confirmed one of its drones was shot down by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
It said: “The David’s Sling medium-range air defense system successfully intercepted a surface-to-air missile fired by Hezbollah at an Israeli drone, but a short while later a second missile struck the aircraft.”
The Hermes 450 is the third largest UAV. It is an Israeli medium-sized multi-payload UAV designed for tactical long endurance missions. Made by Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, the drone’s primary mission is reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay.
Al-Manar prepared this inforgraphic that illustrates the spesifications of the downed Israeli drone ((source: Elbit Systems / Wikipedia).
Dangerous Development
Israeli circles described the incident in Iqlim AL-Tuffah as a dangerous development.
Military analyst in Israeli channel 14 said Hezbollah’s downing of an Israeli drone over the Lebanese territory is a dangerous incident.
For his part, Amir Bohbot, Israeli Walla news’ defense correspondent said: “Hezbollah calmly crossing red line (by downing Israeli aircraft).”
More Operations
Meanwhile, Hezbollah went ahead with its pro-Gaza operations against Israeli border sites. Before dawn on Monday (at 03:10), the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted an Israeli force at Al-Baghdadi site and its vicinity with missile weapons, achieving a direct hit, a statement released by Hezbollah Military Media Center read.
Another statement issued by the group announced that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 12:00 on Monday an Israeli gathering in the vicinity of Hadb Yarin with missile weapons, resulting in a direct hit.
Later at 12:10, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted Israeli settlement in Shtula with missile weapons, Hezbollah’s Military Media Center said in a statement.
Israeli media confirmed the strike on Shtula, reporting that an Israeli was hurt by a missile shrapnel.
In the fifth Hezbollah strike for Monday, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 13:15 Branit Barracks with missile weapons, achieving a direct hit, another statement read.
“In response to the Zionist aggression on the outskirts of Baalbeck city in the Bekaa and the attacks on villages and civilian homes, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Command headquarters of the Golan Division in Nafah with sixty Katyusha rockets at 04:00 pm on Monday, February 26, 2024.,” Hezbollah military media affirmed in its sixth statement.
Hezbollah military media’s seventh statement maintained that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 04:15 pm on Monday, February 26, 2024 Al-Radar site with rocketry weapons, achieving direct hits.
Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 04:20 pm on Monday, February 26, 2024 Ruwaisat Al-Alam site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with missile weapons, achieving direct hits, Hezbollah military media’s eighth statement mentioned.
Hezbollah military media issued three statements t0 mourn its fighters Hasan Ali Younis, Ahmad Mohammad Sindyan, and Hasan Hussein Salami who embraced martyrdom all the way to Al-Quds.
Late on Sunday, the Military Media Center issued a video showing Hezbollah strikes targeting Israeli gatherings across the border between Lebanon and occupied Palestine. The strikes were dated according to the video on February 24, 2024.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
