Lebanon’s Hezbollah said that it had sent three unarmed drones towards an Israeli Mediterranean gas rig, which the Israeli military said it intercepted.

The Iranian-backed Shi’ite armed group said the drones launched towards the Karish gas field, had been on a reconnaissance mission.

Commenting on the incident, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said Hezbollah was “preventing the state of Lebanon from reaching an agreement regarding maritime borders, which are critical to the economy and prosperity of the Lebanese nation.”

In fact, the Israeli military said its forces had intercepted “three hostile UAVs which approached the airspace over Israel’s economic waters.” 

Furthermore, an Israeli security source also said the drones had been unarmed.