JERUSALEM

The Israeli army on Monday claimed that its fighter jets intercepted four combat drones fired from Lebanon.

In a statement, the army said that following the activation of the air-raid sirens in the Golan Heights' southern area, the Israeli fighter jets intercepted two "suspicious" aerial objects that crossed into Israeli airspace from the east.

The Israeli army also said it intercepted "a suspicious target" over the Upper Galilee area in northern Israel, flying from Lebanon.

The army said the fourth "aerial target" was downed before entering Israeli airspace, without specifying from where it was fired.

The Lebanese Hezbollah group, earlier, said it attacked with rockets an air surveillance unit at the Israeli army's Miron base and four settlements in northern Israel.

In recent months, Iraqi groups, backed by Iran, have also been regularly launching combat drones against Israeli targets in support of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples, both of which are facing Israeli aggressions.

Israel has escalated its air campaign in Lebanon since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets in an escalation from year-long cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Nearly 3,000 people have been killed and more than 13,300 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar