Israeli troops reportedly opened fire on a civilian aircraft over the occupied West Bank after mistaking it for a drone, an incident that highlights the tense security environment amid Israel's escalating operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The plane, which was on a flight path to Ben Gurion Airport, was flying low after its route was shifted eastward. No injuries or damage were reported. The event occurs as Israel intensifies its military campaign against Hezbollah, citing the group's increased use of advanced drone technology, including fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones. In a video statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to further intensify strikes and develop countermeasures. Meanwhile, the Israeli military declared a new combat zone in southern Lebanon, urging residents to evacuate north of the Zahrani River, signaling a potential further escalation despite a previously announced ceasefire.
Israeli forces may have reportedly fired at a civilian plane over the occupied West Bank after mistaking it for a drone. The incident occurred when troops were sent to monitor the area following reports from residents of the Beit El area who feared there could be drones flying overhead, according to The Times of Israel.
One of the troops reportedly opened fire before it later emerged that the flight path for planes arriving at Ben Gurion Airport was moved eastward, causing planes to fly low over the area. The Israel Defense Forces are said to be investigating the possibility that it was a police drone which prompted the concerns. There have been no injuries or damage reported.
It comes after Israel escalated its operations against the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon in recent days. In a video statement, Netanyahu said he had directed 'an even greater intensification of our operations' against the group. He accused Hezbollah of escalating its use of drones in attacks, including systems he described as fibre optic-controlled. Israeli forces may have fired at a civilian plane after mistaking it for a drone.
Pictured: An Israeli tank and soldiers next to it moments before being hit by an FPV drone in April, in Taybeh, Lebanon 'We will intensify our strikes, increase our firepower and crush them,' he said, adding that Israeli forces were working to develop countermeasures to neutralise the threat. The move follows months of fire along the Litani river, where both sides have reported strikes.
The army has struggled to fend off attacks on troops in southern Lebanon and northern Israel by Hezbollah's drones. Many of the first-person view (FPV) drones are guided by fiber-optic cables, which are fully resistant to blocking frequencies and being used increasingly by the terror group.
Israel's military on Wednesday declared a new swathe of southern Lebanon as a combat zone and said residents in the area should move north, warning it would act 'with great force' against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in the zone. The military's statement, posted on X, appeared to signal further escalation after more than 120 strikes on Tuesday hit Lebanon's south and east, despite a ceasefire announced on April 16.
'We advise residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate to the north of the Zahrani River, as all areas south of the river are considered a combat zone,' an Israeli military spokesperson posted on X. The Zahrani River runs east to west about 25 miles north of Israel's border with Lebanon, and the Lebanese territory south of it covers about 2,000 square kilometres
Israeli Forces Civilian Plane Drone West Bank Hezbollah Lebanon Netanyahu Military Escalation FPV Drones Zahrani River
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