Israel, Lebanon: 2 Drones Crash in Beirut, and Regional Tensions Soar

Two drones crashed under unclear circumstances Aug. 24 in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Hezbollah claims the drones were Israeli; the commercially available drones were in fact of the same type that Israel has used before. Whether the drones malfunctioned, were disabled or were intentionally sent to crash remains unclear. Israel has not claimed the drones, but it commonly refuses to acknowledge operations abroad. The drone crashes plus incidents in Iraq and Syria suggest Israel has decided to broaden its offensive against Iranian interests in the region despite the risk of a violent backlash....