
(NewsReady.com) – The Israeli military killed a high-profile Hamas leader in Lebanon recently. The assassination sparked outrage among Hezbollah terrorists, who threatened revenge. Israel has now deployed a massive blimp on its border with Lebanon.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) deployed a massive blimp called the “Tal Shamayim” (Sky Dew in English) to patrol the Lebanon-Israel border. The decision came after weeks of battles with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia Islamist militant group. The blimp was developed by the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Ministry of Defense, and the Israeli Air Force received it in 2022. It’s known as being the largest high-altitude observation balloon.
The aircraft has a high-availability aerostat system and advanced radar. It was designed to hover at high altitudes, which allows Israel to receive early warnings if the enemy forces make a move.
Tensions with Hezbollah have been growing since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas. The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel, murdering 1,139 civilians. It wasn’t long before the Israeli military was battling with Hezbollah, too, and launching missiles into Lebanon.
The IDF recently launched a drone that took out senior Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon. The terrorist was under the protection of Hezbollah when he was killed, and he was known for his ability to strengthen connections with radicals who also wanted to murder Israelis.
After the assassination, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the militant group “cannot be silent about a violation of this level.” He went on to say al-Arouri’s assassination wouldn’t “go without reaction and punishment.”
The legitimate Lebanese government has largely stayed out of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, but the targeted strike angered them. Lebanon filed a complaint to the UN Security Council, saying it was the “most dangerous phase” of Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
While that plays out, US President Joe Biden has dispatched members of his administration to the region to try to stop a larger conflict from breaking out.
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