Lebanon's Hezbollah says downs Israeli drone

The Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has said it had downed and seized an Israeli drone as it flew across the Lebanese border, a week after a flash confrontation between the arch-foes.

Israel's army said a drone it was operating "fell" in Lebanon on Sunday. In what appeared to be a response, an air strike at "around midnight" left 18 pro-Iranian fighters dead in eastern Syria, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights could not confirm whether that raid was Israeli. Later Monday, the Israeli army said rockets had been fired from Syria but failed to reach their targets.

Hezbollah had issued a statement on Monday saying that some of its fighters "confronted with the appropriate weapons an Israeli drone" heading towards the Lebanese border village of Ramyeh overnight.

The Shiite militant group said it subsequently retrieved the device, but did not provide pictures. An Israeli army spokeswoman told AFP a drone "fell" in Lebanese territory, adding that "there is no risk of a breach of information".

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah chief said late Monday during an event marking a Shiite religious holiday that his movement and Iran were engaged in a "great battle" against Israel and the United States.

"Tonight and tomorrow we will tell (US President Donald) Trump and (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu that we are a nation and nothing affects our will -- not siege, sanction, poverty or hunger."