Israeli drone strikes aluminium plant in Lebanon's Nabatieh

An Israeli raid on Saturday targeted a Lebanese aluminium factory about 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) north of the border between the two countries, in a rare strike hitting relatively deep inside Lebanese territory, according to Lebanese state media.

No casualties were reported after the Israeli drone fired two missiles at a factory on the road between Toul and Kfour, which resulted in a fire and extensive damage, according to the National News Agency.

Two civilians were injured in the attack and taken to hospital. 

This marks the first Israeli strike in the Nabatieh governorate since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, which has pledged support to Hamas since the events of October 7 and the subsequent Israeli war against the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Saturday, Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters fired a surface-to-air missile toward an Israeli Elbit Hermes 450 drone that was flying over Lebanon.

On Friday, Hezbollah said its fighters carried out more than a dozen attacks at Israeli posts along the border, including one with two suicide drones near the northern Israeli town of Metula.

Hezbollah’s so far cautious exchanges of fire with Israel have raised fears of regional escalation, with the US significantly increasing its military presence in and around the Mediterranean.

The recent clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have mostly been limited to the immediate border regions between Lebanon and Israel.

On 11 November, tensions escalated when Israel carried out a strike against a vehicle in Zahrani about 45 kilometres (27 miles) into Lebanese territory.

So far 76 Hezbollah fighters were confirmed to have been killed by Israel since October 7, yet the movement’s leader Hassan Nasrallah has struck a note of caution in terms of a declaration of war on Tel Aviv.

Four Lebanese civilians, all members of the same family were killed in an Israeli drone strike in the border town of Blida on November 5. 

Israel considers Hezbollah its most serious immediate threat, estimating it has some 150,000 rockets and missiles ready to be used against it.