LONDON: Israel’s military on Tuesday said an unidentified object that triggered air raid sirens in a village near the Lebanese border over the weekend was likely a balloon, not a drone.
The object set off sirens on Saturday night in Arab Al-Aramshe, in the Western Galilee, Israeli media reported. After an “in-depth investigation,” the military concluded it was “most likely a balloon-like object or a device that floats using hot air.”
The military said it could not determine the object’s origin or purpose but had ruled out a drone. It said the object may have been a “harmless object that drifted into Israeli territory.”
The object has not been found, and the military said searches were continuing in the air and on the ground, The Times of Israel reported.
The military also addressed recent false aerial detections and interceptor launches over southern Lebanon. “The difference between a drone and a bird is very small, and therefore no risks are taken,” it said.
The alert came amid continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have killed 4,386 people and injured 12,413 since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.
Lebanon and Israel signed a US-sponsored framework agreement on June 26 calling for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the deployment of Lebanese troops in those areas.
Despite the agreement, Israel has continued attacking southern Lebanon and retains control of territory there, including areas it has occupied for decades and others seized during recent wars and military operations.