Hezbollah's unprecedented drone attack near Israeli city in response to member's death

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced on Tuesday that it had deployed drones towards the Israeli city of Acre, Reuters reports. This move marks a significant reach into Israeli territory, unprecedented in the current conflict, by the Iran-supported organization.

Hezbollah targeted the Israeli military base Shraga, located to the north of Acre, stating that the attack was a response to the death of group member Hussein Azkoul. Azkoul, who played a crucial role in Hezbollah's air force, was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Tuesday morning, as Lebanese news outlet Naharnet detailed.

Israeli defense forces intercepted the drones sent by Hezbollah. According to the "Times of Israel," the military engaged and destroyed three suspicious airborne objects near the coast: two off Acre and one near Nahariya.

During an Israeli offensive from Monday night into Tuesday, a member of Hezbollah’s elite forces was eliminated, as confirmed by the military. Hezbollah, however, has yet to acknowledge this loss.

Since October, Israeli operations have resulted in approximately 270 Hezbollah combatants and around 50 civilian deaths. Conversely, Hezbollah's rocket and drone assaults have caused several Israeli military and civilian casualties, the latter being about half the number of the former. The ongoing violence has displaced tens of thousands from both sides, Reuters reports.

Source: PAP, Reuters