Emergency workers attend the scene of a drone attack launched by Hezbollah in Binyamina, Israel, on Sunday. Amir Levi/Getty Images Hide caption
Toggle caption Amir Levi/Getty Images
TEL AVIV – The Israeli military says four soldiers were killed and seven others seriously injured in a Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli military base near the central city of Binyamina.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based militant group backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. Hezbollah said Sunday’s attack near Binyamina was in retaliation for Thursday’s Israeli attack on Beirut, which killed 22 people and injured more than 100.
Israeli rescue services said a total of 61 people were injured in the attack, several of them in critical condition. All injured were taken to hospital for treatment.
Israeli media reported that two drones were launched, one of which was intercepted by Israel’s anti-missile system. It is unclear why the other was not intercepted.
The United States announced early Sunday that it would send an air defense system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and the personnel needed to operate it to help Israel defend itself in the wake of Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Almost 2 weeks ago. The Pentagon has not provided details about when the system will arrive.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in regular gun battles across the Lebanese border for more than a year, but the conflict has rapidly escalated since September.
