On August 18, reports surfaced suggesting that a drone, possibly launched by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, infiltrated northern Israel. The drone was allegedly sent to film Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea, a coastal town 37 km south of Haifa. The incident reportedly occurred on August 16, when an Israeli Navy missile ship detected the drone hovering near the Caesarea coast.
Military’s Response and Uncertainty
The Israeli military responded promptly to the suspected infiltration. While the drone was picked up by the missile ship’s radar, it was not detected by other control systems. Fighter jets were deployed to locate the drone, but they were unsuccessful in visually confirming its presence. Military officials later suggested that the radar detection might have been a “false alarm,” a scenario where the system could have mistaken flocks of birds or other non-threatening objects for a drone.
PMO’s Reassurance and Netanyahu’s Statement
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office swiftly dismissed the drone infiltration report, calling it a false alarm. They emphasized that the Prime Minister was not present at his Caesarea residence during the time of the alleged incident. Addressing the situation on X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu assured the public of Israel’s readiness to defend itself. He stated, “Israel is prepared for any threat – defensively and offensively. We are determined to defend ourselves and exact a very high price from any enemy who dares to attack us – from any arena whatsoever.”
Backdrop of Escalating Tensions
This incident took place against the backdrop of rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Following Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas, Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire towards southern Lebanon. Despite the official denials from Israeli authorities, Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets continued to report the drone incident as significant news, adding to the ongoing tension between the two sides.
(With inputs from agencies)
