IDF limits movement on northern border ahead of possible Hezbollah attack
Netanyahu, meanwhile, warns Nasrallah to 'calm down' after Iran-backed terror group's leader threatens to respond to an alleged Israeli explosives-ridden drone attack in Beirut
Israeli military on Tuesday ordered to restrict the movement of military vehicles along Israel’s border with Lebanon after Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah threatened to retaliate against an alleged Israeli drone attack in Beirut. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, warned the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group to "calm down."
"After an assessment it was decided the movement of certain military vehicles along several intersections would only be possible on the basis of individual approval and in accordance with the security situation,” said the military in a statement, adding the restrictions don't apply on civilian population of Israeli communities on the northern border.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday said the alleged attack of two Israeli drones - which the terror group claims were rigged with explosives and came down over Lebanon’s capital - would not go unanswered. "I say to the Israeli army on the border from tonight, stand guard (on high alert). Wait for us one, two, three, four days," Nasrallah said.
"I heard what Nasrallah said. I suggest to Nasrallah to calm down. He knows well that Israel knows how to defend itself and to pay back its enemies," Netanyahu said in a speech on Tuesday.
Ynet defense analyst Ron Ben-Yishai wrote later that the images of the drones suggest that they are Iranian-made and not Israeli.
Spokesman for the terror group Mohammed Afif said on Sunday a small, unmanned reconnaissance drone fell on the roof of a building housing Hezbollah's media office in the Moawwad neighborhood in Dahiyeh, the group's stronghold in the southern part of the Lebanese capital.
Hezbollah initially said a second drone, which appeared to have been sent by Israel to search for the first drone - which was there to gather intelligence - less than 45 minutes later, exploded in the air and crashed nearby. But, a statement made by the terror group on Monday appears to suggest that both UAVs were rigged with explosives.
"After experts dismantled the first drone that crashed in Dahiyeh, it became clear that it contained hermetically sealed packaging,” said the terror group in a statement. “The drone contained 5.5 kg of C4 explosives" Hezbollah's statement read.
"Based on the new information … we emphasize that the purpose of the drone was not to gather intelligence. It was sent on a mission to explode just as the second drone.”
The alleged drone strike came just hours after Israel staged airstrikes in Syria on Saturday against what it said were Iranian "killer drones" being readied to attack Israel.
