67 wounded in Hezbollah drone strike deep within Israeli territory
Israel stops airstrikes in Beirut following US pressure: report
Sixty-seven Israelis were wounded, including four who are in critical condition, after a Hezbollah drone exploded near the town of Binyamina, some 65 km (40 miles) from the border, on Sunday evening.
According to Magen David Adom emergency services, 67 people were wounded, including four in critical condition. At least 11 others were in serious to moderate condition, while the rest sustained minor injuries.
The wounded were evacuated to several hospitals across central Israel via helicopters and ambulances.
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No siren was activated before the strike, and Israel's public broadcaster, Kan News, reported that the drone was part of a wave of drones launched from Lebanon.
While several drones were intercepted near Acre, at least one evaded Israel's defense system, making its way to Binyamina. Israeli media reported that the drone flew at a very low altitude, making its detection and interception more difficult to detect.
Several media outlets cited unconfirmed witness reports suggesting that the drone may have fired a missile before exploding on impact, leading to the unusually high number of casualties.
Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for the launch of a swarm of drones, ostensibly targeting an army base near Binyamina.
The incident, which was among the most serious mass-casualty events caused by Hezbollah drones during the war, came amid a wave of similar attacks on Sunday evening local time.
Shortly after the incident, the IDF announced that another drone was shot down off the northern coast.
Less than an hour earlier, drone infiltration alarms were activated in towns along Israel's northern Mediterranean coast, from Nahariya near the Lebanese border to Acre on Haifa Bay.
Meanwhile, Kan News reported that the political leadership ordered the IDF to halt strikes on targets in Beirut, as the U.S. pushes for a ceasefire in southern Lebanon. The last airstrike in Beirut occurred on Thursday afternoon.
The issue of Israeli strikes in Beirut, which Hezbollah had declared a "red line" warranting severe retaliation, was reportedly discussed during the recent phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli Air Force has been conducting daily strikes on Hezbollah weapons depots, production sites and headquarters, as well as targeting top commanders, in the Lebanese capital in recent weeks.
Originally published at All Israel News
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