<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Israel &#8216;deploys drones&#8217; over offshore gas&nbsp;fields]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Published today (updated) 09/08/2011 16:36<br />
<img src="https://i2.wp.com/www.maannews.net/images/345x230/140636_345x230.jpg" alt="" /><br />
<em>The &#8220;Heron&#8221; drone is pictured at the Palmahim Airbase in central Israel [AFP/File Menahem Kahana]</em></p>
<p>JERUSALEM (AFP) &#8212; Israel has deployed drones to keep watch on gas fields off its northern coast, fearing attack by the Hezbollah militia from neighboring Lebanon, the Jerusalem Post daily reported on Tuesday.</p>
<p><strong>The fields lie in a part of the Mediterranean that is <em>claimed</em> by Israel for gas exploration and production, but Lebanon says the<em> fields lie within its territorial waters</em>.</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;The decision to deploy drones was made in order to maintain a 24-hour presence over the site,&#8221; the paper said, adding that the air force was equipped with the locally made Heron drone, which has special electro-optics designed for maritime work.</p>
<p>The Israeli military would not confirm or deny the Post report.</p>
<p>The paper said that the air force started aerial surveillance after a warning last month from Hezbollah, which in 2006 fought a deadly war with Israel in which it used anti-ship missiles.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Israeli enemy cannot drill a single meter in these waters to search for gas and oil if the zone is disputed &#8230; No company can carry out prospecting work in waters whose sovereignty is contested,&#8221; the Shiite group said.</p>
<p>The Hezbollah threat came after Israel&#8217;s cabinet approved a map of the country&#8217;s proposed maritime borders with Lebanon and submitted it to the United Nations, which has been asked to mediate in the dispute.</p>
<p>The map conflicts with one submitted by Lebanon to the UN last year, which gives Israel less territory.</p>
<p>The two countries are technically at war and will not negotiate face to face.</p>
<p>The disputed zone consists of about 854 square kilometers.</p>
<p>The two biggest known offshore fields, Tamar and Leviathan, lie respectively about 80 kilometers and 130 kilometers off Israel&#8217;s northern city of Haifa.</p>
<p>Tamar is believed to hold at least 238 billion cubic meters cubic feet of gas, while Leviathan is believed to have reserves of 450 billion cubic meters.</p>
<p>In June an Israeli company announced the discovery of two new natural gas fields, Sarah and Mira, around 70 kilometers off the city of Hadera further south.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=411946">Source</a></p>
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