Jerusalem (CNN) The Israeli military says it has foiled an imminent large-scale attack by Iranian forces and Shiite militia in northern Israel with a series of airstrikes carried out near the Syrian capital Damascus.

Iran has denied that any of its targets were hit.

In a further escalation of tensions in the region, Lebanon's Prime Minister is accusing Israel of an attack on Lebanese sovereignty after two drones are reported to have crashed in Beirut.

The Israel Defense Forces claimed responsibility for the airstrikes near Damascus on Saturday evening, saying it was necessary to thwart multiple attacks by what it called killer, or kamikaze, drones.

IDF foreign press spokesman Jonathan Conricus told CNN the army assessed the threat to be "imminent, as in real-time."

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