JERUSALEM 

The Israeli army claimed on Sunday that one of its navy missile ships intercepted a drone approaching Israel's territory in the Red Sea.

In a statement, the Israeli army said: “Saar 4.5 missile ship successfully neutralized the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) outside Israel’s borders in the Red Sea.”

There was no further details on the origin of the drone or whether it was armed.

However, the incident underscores the growing tensions and increased security concerns in the region.

Hezbollah and Israel continued cross-border warfare since the Gaza war last October, but Tel Aviv recently escalated its offensive in Lebanon, killing hundreds, displacing thousands and also assassinating the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara