Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has launched an unmanned aerial vehicle strike in Syria.

Iran said several armed UAVs targeted Al Qaida’s Nusra Front for the Defense of the Levant along the Syrian border with Lebanon. The UAV strike is said to have killed or injured Nusra fighters around the northeastern border town of Arsal.

“Hizbullah UAVs for the first time bombed the headquarters of the terrorist Nusra Front at Lebanon’s border with Syria, killing and wounding tens of the terrorists,” Iran’s state-owned Fars News Agency said.

Neither Hizbullah nor Fars identified the UAVs. Hizbullah has reported the operation of a range of Iranian-origin UAVs, including those with a bomb payload.

“This was the first time ever that the Hizbullah resistance group used UAV to bomb the terrorists,” Fars said. “The resistance group formerly used UAVs for reconnaissance missions.”

Nusra has joined Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to attack Hizbullah and Lebanese Army positions in the Bekaa Valley. The two groups have sent motorcycle squads with rocket-propelled grenades to ambush army and Shi’ite patrols.

“At least 23 terrorists were killed and tens of others were injured, while ground troops arrested several terrorists in another part of the operations,” Fars said.

Hizbullah was also said to have battled suspected Sunni fighters in two other locations along the Lebanese border with Syria. In one of the battles, a Nusra commander identified as Abu Leith Al Shami was killed.

On Sept. 19, Nusra said it killed one of 22 Lebanese soldiers abducted in August 2014. Nusra released a video of a second Lebanese soldier who called on Hizbullah to withdraw from Syria.

“If you don’t stop attacking and inciting against our Sunni brethren, then I will follow my fellow soldier who was killed right there,” the Lebanese soldier said.

  Bekaa Valley, Hizbullah joins the drone wars against ‘terrorists’ near Syria-Lebanon border, ISIL, Shi’ite patrols