Oct 14, 2014 – A Hezbollah drone strike on an Israeli military base near Binyamina, south of Haifa, killed four Israeli soldiers and wounded seven others, the Israeli army said late Sunday. It was the deadliest Hezbollah attack since Israel launched its ground offensive in Lebanon nearly two weeks ago.
The drone targeted a military base near the coastal town of Binyamina. Israeli rescue services initially reported more than 60 injuries, but the military later revised the toll. Hezbollah called the strike retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Beirut last week, which killed 22 people.
The attack has escalated tensions in the region. Israel’s military operations in Lebanon over the weekend left 51 people dead and 174 wounded, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Most of the casualties were in southern Lebanon and the Mount Lebanon region.
In response to the heightened threat, the United States deployed its THAAD missile defense system to Israel. President Joe Biden approved the deployment of U.S. troops to operate the system, the Pentagon said. The move is aimed at strengthening Israel’s air defenses amid ongoing missile threats from Iran.
Iran, a key Hezbollah ally, issued a warning to the U.S. against sending troops to Israel. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tweeted that Tehran would not hesitate to defend its people and interests, saying there were “no red lines” for Iran.
Israel has vowed to retaliate for Iranian missile attacks earlier this month, and Iran has threatened further strikes if Israel follows through.
