Hezbollah launched an explosive drone near IDF soldiers north of the Beaufort Castle area on Friday, but the IDF did not report the incident, according to Israeli media outlets.
There were no casualties, and the drone caused no damage, media reports said.
Following media inquiries, the military released a statement saying: "The IDF releases information to the public based on factual considerations and situational assessments. The IDF spokesperson will not publish information that, based on a situation assessment, could harm our forces operating in combat zones."
Despite not reporting the incident through its usual public channels, the IDF reportedly confirmed the details to Ynet when asked. The decision not to publicize the drone incident was made by IDF Northern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo, Ynet claimed.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit regularly publishes updates on activity across Israel's warfronts, including both Israeli military operations and enemy attacks.
Two IDF reservists killed after booby-trapped house explodes in southern Lebanon
These reports came as the IDF launched a probe into the explosion in southern Lebanon which killed two IDF soldiers – Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock and M.-Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin – and wounded four more.
The explosion occured during a combat mission in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, the military announced on Thursday morning.
Birenstock, 34, from Efrat, was a company commander in Battalion 2855 of the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, while Vaknin, 33, from Eilat, served as a combat soldier in the same battalion.
Rambam Medical Center said on Thursday morning that the conditions of the four injured soldiers were serious, adding in the afternoon that one of them regained consciousness.
The IDF called the explosion a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire, and struck weapon storage sites and command centers in southern Lebanon, while also issuing evacuation warnings to the town of Mansouri. The Lebanese health ministry said on Wednesday one person was killed and 12 others were wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Tibnin, about 25 kilometers from Mansouri.