Israel: Hezbollah Drones At Offshore Gas Field Were 'Products Of Iran'

Gantz says Hezbollah drones launched at offshore gas field were ‘products of Iran’

Emanuel Fabian

Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday said drones launched by the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group at an Israeli offshore gas field last week were Iranian.

On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces intercepted three Hezbollah drones heading for the Karish gas field. Hezbollah confirmed it launched the drones after previously threatening the field, which sits in a maritime area that both Lebanon and Israel claim as their own. In another incident last Wednesday, a drone launched by the terror group was downed over Lebanon’s waters.

After Saturday’s incident, parts of the drones were retrieved and taken for examination.

“Hezbollah used drones that were products of Iran during its action against the Karish gas field,” Gantz said in a Hebrew-language briefing to military reporters.

“It should be said that Hezbollah is acting on behalf of Iran, and its weapons are weapons made in Iran, whether they are manufactured there or the knowledge was acquired by [Hezbollah],” he added.

Hezbollah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel after a new drilling platform arrived at the gas field a month ago, saying that his organization was capable of preventing work there, including by force.