BEIRUT, July 28: An Israeli drone crashed into the mountains east of Beirut on Friday, prompting heavy Israeli air strikes on the area to stop it falling into the hands of Hezbollah guerrillas, Lebanese security sources said.

Israeli jets pounded the mountainous Barouk area where the unmanned drone fell as well as areas further to the east and south, closer to the Israeli border, they said.

Israeli news web site Ynetnews quoted Israeli army sources as saying the drone crashed due to a technical problem and, under military procedure, was destroyed by an Israeli jet to prevent it from falling into Hezbollah’s hands.

Israel has often sent unmanned drones over Lebanon to gather intelligence on Hezbollah.—Reuters