Hezbollah-launched missiles hit Israeli military vehicle factory

JERUSALEM — Missiles launched by Hezbollah hit an Israeli defense factory last week, according to the Lebanon-based militant group.

The Plasan firm makes vehicle-protection products and components, and it also operates factories in France and the United States. The company reports that a large majority of its wares are exported to the U.S. military.

Hezbollah claimed that at least two of its missiles on Wednesday morning hit the Plasan facility located in Sasa, which is about 2 miles from the Israeli border with Lebanon.

Defense News contacted the Defense Ministry as well as Israel Defense Forces reservist Col. Moshe Elazar, who serves as the CEO of Plasan. They declined to comment for this story. However, Rami Ziv, the secretary of the Sasa community, told Defense News that the factory is fully operational, but would not provide further details.

The Israel Tax Authority, which is responsible for compensating private and business property damaged as a result of warfare, also would not comment, citing confidentiality baked into taxation laws.

Plasan has partnered with Oshkosh Corp. for the production of the M-ATV, a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle chosen to replace the Humvee. The U.S. Army previously ordered Oshkosh-made vehicles for its operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Earlier this week, a group of pro-Palestinian activists filmed themselves breaking into the facility of an Elbit Systems subsidiary in Kent, England. According to the footage, the group vandalized the Instro Precision property. Elbit declined to comment.

Israel is currently fighting a war against the Gaza-based militant group Hamas, while battling Hezbollah in the north.