Politics

Iran Touts Military Strength After Hezbollah Sends Drone Into Israel

By Matt Vasilogambros and National Journal
This photo released on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, claims to show the chief of the aerospace division of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, left, listening to an unidentified colonel as he points to US RQ-170 Sentinel drone which Tehran says its forces downed earlier this week. An anti-US banner is placed under the drone. The banner at left shows Gen. Hasan Tehrani Moghaddam, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander who was killed in an explosion at an ammunition depot last month. EDS NOTE: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS NO WAY OF INDEPENDENTLY VERIFYING THE CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. (National Journal)
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Following a breach of Israeli airspace by an Iranian-made, unmanned military drone sent by Hezbollah, Iranian officials on Sunday said the incident proved Iran's military capabilities, the Associated Press reports.

The drone, which was manufactured in Iran, was shot down by Israeli warplanes after it crossed into the country's airspace. Yet the rare incident was celebrated by Iran's defense minister.

"Great job by Hezbollah," Gen. Ahmad Vahidi said on state TV, according to the AP. "The era in which the Zionist regime (Israel) could think it has regional supremacy is over."

Vahidi defended the drone flyover, saying Israel flies its own planes over Lebanon routinely. Hezbollah has been a key Iranian ally on Israel's northern border. In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel were involved in a month-long war that killed hundreds of people.