Israel strikes Lebanese aluminum factory, says Lebanon media

Israel’s military struck an aluminum factory located in southern Lebanon around 4 a.m. local time on Saturday, Lebanese state media said.

The factory was in Nabatieh, close to the border with Israel, the National News Agency reported. It’s the first time the region’s been attacked by Israel since its 2006 war with Hezbollah, according to NNA.

Earlier, Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based militant group backed by Iran, said it downed an Israeli drone. It also said its fighters attacked Israeli soldiers gathering near the Lebanon-Israel border.

Hezbollah is designated a terrorist group by the US and supports Hamas, the group fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip. Both organizations are committed to the destruction of Israel.

Israeli and Hezbollah forces have been exchanging fire on a daily basis since Oct. 7, when the Israel-Hamas war erupted. So far, Hezbollah has refrained from an all-out attack on Israel.

(By Omar Tamo and Paul Wallace)