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Sirens blare as Israel mistakenly shoots at own drone near Lebanon border

Sirens blare as Israel mistakenly shoots at own drone near Lebanon border
Israel used its Iron Dome air defence system to shoot at the unmanned vehicle, which they mistook for an enemy drone.
2 min read
19 May, 2022
The drone was shot at by Israel's Iron Dome air defence system near Lebanon [JALAA MAREY/AFP/Getty-file photo]

shot at its own drone near the border on Thursday, after mistaking itÌýfor an enemy weapon.

The drone was shot at by Iron Dome air defence system, according to the Israeli army.

The incident caused rocket alert sirens to ring out inÌýthe Upper Galilee, with locals left worried there may be incoming rocket fire, The Times of Israel reported.

The military acknowledged its error, adding that calm was restored to the area following the shooting.

The army did not sayÌýif the unmanned vehicle had been taken out.ÌýIsraeli news reports suggested this was not the case.

The incident comes as a rocket launched from Lebanon hit an open field in Israel's north in April. That rocket fire did not cause any injuriesÌýand no property was destroyed.

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The Israeli army then fired artillery across the border at the location where the projectile came from.

The military at the time believed Palestinian groups were to blame, though no one immediately said they were behind the rocket fire.

Tensions between Lebanon and Israel have long been high.

Israel occupied its neighbour for 15 years from 1985 to 2000, and in 2006 fought a war with Iran-backed Lebanese militant group .

More than 1,100 Lebanese people were killed, almost all of them civilians, according to Human Rights Watch. Israeli authorities said 43 of their civiliansÌýwere killed.

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