Three incidences of Hezbollah reconnaissance drones crossing into Israel in recent weeks were not disclosed to the public, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed to Army Radio on Monday.
According to the report, five surveillance drones were launched toward Israel from Lebanon, four of which managed to penetrate its airspace.
However, only one UAV infiltration was publicly reported.
According to the IDF, the other incidents were only confirmed to be real “following an intelligence probe, and after about a week had passed.”
“The IDF reported every incident when it was detected in real-time to the public. The [security] systems identified dozens of incidents that turned out to be false,” the military statement to Army Radio continued.
It was not immediately clear why the IDF did not report on the three successful drone infiltrations after the conclusion of the intelligence investigation, as it often does when senior terrorists are killed.
Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the IDF is to gradually withdraw from Southern Lebanon as the Lebanese Armed Forces and U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon assume responsibility for ensuring Hezbollah remains disarmed in the country’s south.
The truce, which took effect on Nov. 27, mandated an IDF redeployment within 60 days. However, the U.S.-monitored arrangement is expected to continue until Feb. 18, according to a Jan. 26 White House statement.
According to international media reports on Feb. 14, Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he had been notified by the Americans that the IDF would withdraw on Feb. 18 but intends to remain at five positions in Southern Lebanon close to the border.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned Israel on Sunday that if it does not withdraw its forces by Tuesday, “we will know how to deal with it.
“Israel must fully withdraw on February 18, it has no excuse,” the terrorist chief said in a televised speech cited by France 24.
