Israel shoots down Hezbollah drones over Mediterranean

Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid (Burhan Ozbilici/AP)

The Israeli military said it has shot down three unmanned aircraft launched by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah heading toward an area where an Israeli gas platform was recently installed in the Mediterranean Sea.

The launch of the aircraft appeared to be an attempt by Hezbollah to influence US-brokered negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime border, an area that is rich in natural gas.