The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday that two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) penetrated the country’s airspace from Lebanon, with one drone causing damage to a building in Herzliya north of Tel Aviv. According to the military, one drone was successfully shot down, after several interception attempts were made. No casualties were reported but the IDF stated “additional explosions” may be heard as a result of interceptions or impacts. In the meantime, Israeli media reported that a drone impacted a building in Herzliya, causing a fire and power outages in parts of the city.
Netanyahu blasts Western leaders over arms embargo
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a fierce condemnation on Saturday against Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, for suggesting an arms embargo on Israel. “All civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side. Yet President Macron and some other Western leaders are now calling for an arms embargo against Israel. Shame on them,” Netanyahu said in a video address. The remarks came just hours after Macron stated that at this moment, “the priority” should be “to halt the flow of weapons fueling the conflict.” For his part, Netanyahu’s response focused on Israel’s fight against Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, which is why, he added, Israel should count on the support of the entire “civilized world.” Despite international criticism, he vowed that Israel would continue to fight “with or without their support.”