Israeli drone targets Hezbollah near Lebanon's border with Syria: Sources

An Israeli drone targeted a car of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement just inside Syria near the border with Lebanon on Wednesday, without casualties, a source from the Shiite armed group said.

“An Israeli drone first struck near a car transporting Hezbollah members,” the source said, asking for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.

“The passengers got out before it was then directly hit in a second strike,” the source said, but there were no casualties.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “the Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle near the Jdaidit Yabous crossing” with Lebanon that is closed due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported material damage to a “civilian car” in the same area, without mentioning what party had hit it.

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has been officially fighting in Syria to support the Damascus regime since 2013, helping the regime regain key parts of the country.

Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria since the start of the war in 2011, targeting government troops as well as allied Iranian forces and Hezbollah fighters.

It is rare for Israel to claim responsibility for such strikes directly.

The Jewish state says Iran’s presence in neighbouring Syria poses a threat and vowed to continue its strikes and prevent arms deliveries to its Hezbollah foes.