Israel wants maritime border deal with Lebanon 'by September' amid Hezbollah drone fire

Israel is pushing to secure an agreement with Lebanon on the demarcation of their maritime borders and avoid confrontation with Hezbollah over the Karish gas field, according to Israeli media reports.

Israeli officials are pushing for a deal to be reached by September, when it plans to start extracting gas from the field that Lebanon says is located in disputed territory, Israel Hayom reported Tuesday.

It fears that a failure to reach an agreement before then will create an environment that will allow Hezbollah to "escalate its provocations" against it, the newspaper reported.

US energy envoy Amos Hochstein has been called in by Israel to boost diplomatic efforts so an agreement can be reached as soon as possible, it added.

Channel 12 reported on Wednesday that Israeli officials had discussed in closed meetings the possibility of transferring the gas extraction platform from Karish elsewhere to avoid confrontation with Hezbollah but dismissed the idea due to 'logistical complications'.

Lebanese militia Hezbollah has in recent weeks fired a number of drones towards the gas field, with its chief Hassan Nasrallah warning more aggression could come.

Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Tuesday paid an unannounced visit to the border with Lebanon and flew over Karish. He called Hezbollah's actions "unacceptable".

"Israel's gas reserves have the potential to contribute to resolving the global energy crisis. Lebanon can also benefit from the development of its economic water reservoirs, through negotiations, which must be completed soon," Lapid said.