Four soldiers killed in Hezbollah drone attack, US officials demand UNIFIL safety in Lebanon

Hezbollah's drone strike near Binyamina on Sunday, which left 67 people wounded, showcases the growing threat posed by drones in modern warfare. The drone used in this attack is believed to be the Mirsad-1, a drone that Hezbollah has deployed for over two decades, originating from Iranian designs.

The Mirsad-1, as noted by experts from the Alma Research Center, is based on Iran's Mohajer-2 model, with slight modifications tailored for Hezbollah’s operations. The drone can carry up to 40 kilograms of explosives, has a top speed of 370 kilometers per hour, and boasts an operational range of 120 kilometers. Hezbollah has utilized the Mirsad-1 for reconnaissance and offensive strikes since 2002, often using it to penetrate Israeli airspace.

Last Friday, the Hezbollah terrorist organization issued a rare warning that civilians near military targets would be at risk. Today, 67 people were wounded when a drone exploded in the Binyamina area with no prior warning.

In its statement, Hezbollah declared that it would target civilians near military installations. The message stated, “The enemy has taken homes in the North as gathering points for officers and soldiers.”

The statement also mentioned that cities such as Haifa, Tiberias, and other military bases are now targets. Hezbollah urged Israeli citizens to avoid “being near military gatherings” to “protect their lives.” This marks a significant escalation, as Hezbollah had not previously stated so openly that civilians would be considered targets.

The US deployed a special anti-ballistic missile battery system and its 100-member crew to help defend Israel against a potential third direct attack from Iran, as Tehran warns it has no redlines in the war with its archfoes.

“This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran,” the Pentagon said Sunday.

“It is part of the broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” the Pentagon stated.

Rumors of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi's death have circulated widely throughout social media following the Hezbollah drone attack that hit Israel near the Binyamina area on Sunday evening.

The fake reports regarding Halevi began to spread rapidly after the incident that left over 60 people wounded.

"Halevi Assassination Reports" began to trend on the X/Twitter platform shortly after the incident, as X accounts with vast followings began to share their theories regarding Halevi's death.

Following alarms sounding in Haifa in northern Israel on Sunday night, the IDF reported that five rockets launched from Lebanon were successfully intercepted.

Later, the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah took responsibility for launching the rockets, claiming it had targeted a storage facility located south of Haifa.

Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar secretly visited Cairo on Sunday, where he met with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel.

The main objective of the covert meeting was to find ways to restart the stalled talks over a possible hostage deal, which has been a key issue between Israel and Egypt since the Israel-Hamas War began on October 7, 2023.

This was reportedly the first visit by a top Israeli official to Cairo since August 22. Back then, Bar and Mossad Chief David Barnea met with Egyptian leaders to discuss the deployment of IDF forces along the Philadelphi Corridor, which has been a controversial subject throughout past negotiations, and the reopening of the Rafah crossing.

Four soldiers have been killed, and dozens were wounded to various degrees of severity by a Hezbollah drone that hit the area of Binyamina on Sunday evening. Throughout the day in Lebanon, around 25 IDF soldiers were wounded in multiple incidents.

Concerning the drone strike, per MDA and the IDF spokesperson, four people were killed, with an additional seven being seriously wounded, and dozens more moderately or lightly wounded without need for hospitalization. Helicopters evacuated them to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera, the Emek Medical Center in Afula, the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva, and the Laniado Hospital in Netanya.