Israel to conduct navy drills near border with Lebanon: army

The Israeli army said it will conduct naval drills on the border with Lebanon Wednesday evening.

"A military manoeuvre will take place this evening in the maritime area in the north of the country," the Israeli army said in a statement.

"During the manoeuvre, flares will be fired and explosions will be heard in the area of ​​Kibbutz Rosh HaNikra and Moshav Lehman," the army said, referring to areas located on the Lebanese border.

The statement did not give details about the duration of the exercises or the number of soldiers participating in it.

The announcement comes hours after the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) announced the death of five of its members in a blast in one of its bases along the Lebanese-Syrian border early on Wednesday.

The group blamed Israel for the explosion, but Israel has denied any involvement.

Lebanon and Israel demarcated their maritime border in a landmark deal in October last year, despite being enemy states. The United States mediated the years-long talks.

The border demarcation is so both sides can exploit natural resources in their exclusive economic zones.