Beirut, Feb 26 (IANS): Hezbollah claimed on Monday that it had shot down an Israeli drone with a surface-to-air missile, and the drone was seen falling in flames in Iqlim al Tuffah, located more than 20 km away from the border between Lebanon and Israel.

The Israeli Hermes 450 drone was shot down by the Islamic Resistance's air defence unit, Hezbollah said, adding that "its fighters will continue to confront the enemy and prevent them from achieving their aggressive goals," Xinhua news agency reported.

A Lebanese military source informed Xinhua news agency that three Israeli drones were spotted in the airspace near the southern Lebanon border area during early Monday morning, and two of the drones breached the border into southern Lebanon, travelling a distance of 15 to 20 km.

According to the anonymous source, the Israeli military conducted three raids on Monday in two border towns in southern Lebanon, and bombed eight towns and villages in the eastern and central regions with around 30 shells.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since October 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.