A significant escalation took place on the Lebanon front on Friday night after Hezbollah terrorists launched an explosive drone at IDF forces operating in the security zone in southern Lebanon.

According to the IDF Spokesperson, Commando Brigade troops identified the drone, opened fire at it and successfully intercepted it. There were no casualties among Israeli forces.

The IDF described the incident as a “blatant violation” by Hezbollah and announced during the night that a military response had begun in southern Lebanon.

The IDF later said that the Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure, including weapons depots that were intended for planning and directing terror attacks against IDF forces in the security zone and against Israeli civilians. The IDF said some of the strikes were carried out to eliminate an immediate threat.

The IDF stressed that the strikes came in direct response to Hezbollah’s attempted attack on its forces, adding that Israel “will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to harm the citizens of the State of Israel or its forces.”

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)