HIZBULLAH DRONE INFILTRATES ISRAEL

Hizbullah flies drone over Israel

Al-Manar TV: spy plane enters Israeli air space, second time since November; Mofaz: Hizbullah trying to ignite West Bank

As Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prepared to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush, Lebanon’s Hizbullah terror organization reported Monday it successfully flew a spy drone over northern Israel. The report stated “A Merased drone plane of the Islamic Resistance flew over Israeli settlements and returned to base safely.” IDF officials confirmed the report.

Hizbullah members said the drone took photographs of 18 settlements in northern Israel, including the coastal cities of Nahariya and Akko. There were no reports if the drone photographed IDF bases or other security positions. Earlier Monday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee that Hizbullah is trying to “ignite” Palestinians in the West Bank and re-kindle hostilities on Israel’s northern front.

Monday’s incident was the second Hizbullah infiltration in less than six months. During a similar occurrence in November, a drone exploded before returning to base.