Drone from Lebanon hits shopping center in northern Israel: Report

A drone fired from southern Lebanon struck a shopping center in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona on Thursday, said a report.

The drone hit the shopping center, leading to material damage, but no casualties were reported as of 10:10 pm Tel Aviv time, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

The report also said that sirens were activated in the city and surrounding areas.

Earlier on Thursday, a fire erupted in the Metula area in northern Israel due to a rocket fired from southern Lebanon, Israeli media said.

Since last Sunday, Hezbollah's rockets and explosive drones launched from Lebanon have caused multiple blazes in northern Israeli settlements and towns, exacerbated by the region's current hot weather.

In response, Israeli threats of a strong preemptive strike against Hezbollah have intensified.

In this context, the Israeli Northern Command's leader, Ori Gordin, said Thursday that Tel Aviv has completed its preparations for an attack on Hezbollah.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed over 36,650 people since a major attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.