Hezbollah, Israel in aerial show of deterrence

Israeli air force and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group were locked in an aerial show of deterrence on Friday, at least for some one hour.

Hezbollah started it all when it flew a drone over Israel on a reconnaissance mission for 40 minutes.

The drone returned untouched despite attempts to shoot it down, a statement carried by the group’s Al-Manar TV said.

Israeli aerial defences were triggered and fighter jets scrambled after a radio-controlled aircraft crossed into Israel from Lebanon on Friday, Israel’s military said.

Moments after, Lebanese capital Beirut recorded a loud sound believed to have been caused by Israeli warplanes flying over, according to a security source and a Reuters witness.

Israeli planes were flying low over Beirut at the time, the security source said.

A Reuters witness reported two jets in the skies over the capital.