TEMPO.CO, Jerusalem - An Israeli fighter plane shot down an unmanned aero vehicle (UAV) from Lebanon over the Mediterranean sea on Thursday, April 25. The Israeli military claimed that the drone was shot because it is approaching the Israeli coast.
"I see this as an attempt to violate our border. We will continue to do what is necessary to defend the security of Israel's citizens," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli military explained that the UAV was detected in Lebanese airspace and intercepted by a F-16 fighter jet around five nautical miles (9 km) from Haifa, an Israeli port city. The Israeli navy was searching for the UAV wreckage in the sea.
In the past seven month, this was the second time that a Lebanese drone has been intercepted in Israeli airspace. In October 2012, an Israel missile shot down a UAV sent by Hezbollah in Lebanon after flying some 35 miles (55 km) to southern Israel.
Reuters | Abdul Manan
