BEIRUT: Israel has deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor its maritime resources, as it fears Hezbollah might attack its gas fields, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

The move intensifies the cold war between Hezbollah and Israel following Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah’s warning in late July that if Lebanon’s oil facilities were attacked, Israel’s oil installations would be Hezbollah’s next target.

“We warn Israel against extending its hands to this area and stealing Lebanon’s resources from Lebanese waters,” Nasrallah said during a televised speech on July 26. “Until Lebanon decides to exploit this area, Israel must be warned against extending its hands to it.”

The paper also reported that the Israeli navy had “drafted an operational plan” to protect the country’s offshore gas fields and the decision to “deploy drones was made in order to maintain a 24-hour presence over the site.”

“Israel’s concern is that Hezbollah will try to attack the Israeli gas rigs at sea in explosive-laden ships, or with anti-ship missiles,” the paper said.

Israel and Lebanon both lay claims to a disputed area that spans some 850 square kilometers off the coast bordering the two countries. The area is said to be worth millions of dollars

Last week, Lebanon’s Parliament approved a draft law demarcating maritime borders with Israel, following its proposal to the U.N. last year which included the 850-square-kilometer economic zone. The border delineation is said to be in conflict with that which Israel submitted to the United Nations for an opinion earlier this year.

Other Lebanese officials including President Michel Sleiman have warned Israel against taking any unilateral decisions to exploit Lebanon’s resources when it comes to the demarcation of disputed maritime borders, vowing that the country would defend its sea and land boundaries and rights by all legitimate means.

The Jerusalem Post also reported that last week, the head of Naval Intelligence, Yaron Levi, said Hezbollah had obtained advanced missiles capable of hitting Israeli ports or offshore oil and gas rigs.

“Terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah have become de facto rulers,” Levi was quoted by the paper as saying. “They are sponsored by countries with significant military capabilities.