Three Israeli military personnel have been killed and 67 others injured in drone strikes by the Lebanese Hezbollah on a military base near Haifa in central Israel.

Hezbollah said its "swarm of drones" had targeted a camp belonging to the elite Golani Brigade in Binyamina.

Binyamina is located between Tel Aviv and Haifa and has a population of around 16,000. It is approximately 70km south of the border with Lebanon.

Israel said 4 of the injured are in critical condition.

The Golani Brigade is one of the five infantry brigades of the regular Israeli army.

It is highly trained and its soldiers go into combat areas. They are regarded as one of the elite units of the Israeli army.

They were moved further up to engage on Israel’s northern front in the war on Lebanon.

This training military base, south of Haifa, is one that was singled out by Hezbollah.

Quoting a source, the Army Radio said Hezbollah succeeded in deceiving the air defense system and fired a barrage of missiles to cover the drone.

The drone fired a missile at Binyamina south of Haifa before exploding, the Army Radio added.

Hezbollah said that the attack was carried out “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people”.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah issued a warning advising "Israeli settlers" living in northern Israel not to stay near Israeli army bases. 

Hezbollah is alive and kicking

The Hezbollah attack in Binyamina shows that attacking Lebanon carries a heavy price for Israelis too, according to Gideon Levy, Israeli political analyst.

“Nothing less was expected. We are at the beginning of the war in Lebanon, not at the end of it. And everyone so enthusiastic about this war should know that it will carry a very heavy price,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

The attack on the Golani Brigade post that wounded at least 67 people “is a message that Hezbollah is alive and kicking”.

“This will not be a picnic and is going to be a very bloody business,” he added, adding that the Israeli public should also be aware that today’s military operations into southern Lebanon will be far worse than the 2006 war as the group is much stronger today.

Sirens sounding across northern Israel

The Israeli Home Front Command said that sirens are sounding in Kiryat Shmona, Margaliot, Metula, Misgav Am and the Manara area.

This comes after sirens did not go off ahead of the Hezbollah drone attack on Binyamina.