IDF uses medieval catapults to fire fireballs at Hezbollah: Video

The Israeli military used a medieval catapult system to fire fireballs over the border with northern Lebanon as its fight against Hezbollah terrorists intensifies, a video shows.

Wild footage shows an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit mounting a flaming projectile on a trebuchet, a French catapult weapon that hasn't been used since the 16th century.

The six-second clip shows the catapults hurling a fireball over the border wall, although it apparently did not fly much further.

The Israeli military told Israeli broadcaster KAN that the use of the weapon was a “local initiative” and that it had not been used on a large scale in the fight against Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon.

The Israeli military claimed the fireballs would allow Israel to clear the area around the border of terrorist cover.

“The area along the Lebanese border is characterized by boulders, thickets and dense thorny vegetation, which poses a challenge for IDF troops deployed in defense,” the IDF said in an IDF statement.

Although the video has been circulating on social media since Wednesday, it remains unclear when it was recorded.

An Israeli soldier familiar with the incident said that although the weapon was not authorized by the Israeli military, the troops ultimately fulfilled their obligation to protect the northern border, NBC News reported.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the weapons will reportedly not be used again.

Israel has strengthened its defenses along the border, while daily clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continue, causing tens of thousands of people to flee northern Israel and southern Lebanon.