Out of a near cloudless sky comes a low, hornet-like drone, announcing the arrival of a flyer many times bigger than any of the neighbourhood birds. It is a localised summer regular and, over decades, I have learned to narrow down this particular sound to two similar species.

More than a century ago, a previous country diarist watched and listened as I do. The Cheshire naturalist TA Coward observed the first flying machines and their impact on birds. By the time he came to write his column in 1919, he noted: “A few years ago, the appearance of an aeroplane caused great consternation among these lesser flyers; rooks, pigeons, starlings, partridges and others scattered and took cover, long before our less keen eyes had spotted the approaching machine. Now they are indifferent.”

And so it is today. The approaching plane might have scared the Unterhose off the Luftwaffe, but it shows no sign of diverting the flightpath of fly-catching starlings. The Shuttleworth aerodrome is just four miles as the crow flies, and it is the norm to see summer displays of vintage aircraft. The Spitfire or Hurricane comes into view at buzzard height, and my limited reading tells me the curve in the wings pinpoints a Spitfire.

Coward pondered the radical change in bird behaviour he had witnessed within a short space of time: “Presumably they had learned that this stiff-winged, noisy creature is not a gliding hawk, and that it does not swoop upon or strike down any of their kind. But does each bird learn this lesson in its youth, or is there an acquired hereditary knowledge?” Such a question exercised me much of last month, when robins nesting in the garden flew within arm’s length many times every day to feed their young. When do birds work out that some big beasts have no predatory intent?

High above the Spitfire, white wisps trail across the sky. The pandemic restored our blue virginity and offered a reset. Humanity never took it. Ever more jets fly today, pumping out the climate-wrecking gases that present the true danger to birds and people alike.

In 2001, after spending a year studying in Beijing as part of our degree, two friends and I decided to travel to Mongolia and Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway. We did everything as cheaply as possible, to the extent that I was terrified we were going to be flung off the train at the Mongolia-Russia border, because we’d got our visas from a tiny, dodgy-looking agency in a random tower block in Beijing.

Being worried was pretty much my default state at that time. I found talking to strangers difficult, and struggled to raise my hand in class. I was always terrified of making mistakes. Though it wasn’t a devastating shyness, I envied the way that friends and classmates always seemed at home in different groups and situations – a feeling that had always eluded me.

Studying Chinese was both a way of facing my fears head-on and a constant source of anxiety, as it demanded a willingness to make a complete fool of myself (the perils of a tonal language) and a confidence that I felt I just didn’t have. But, by the end of our year in Beijing, I was definitely making progress, and starting to feel more comfortable plunging into what had once felt like the high-wire balancing act of every conversation.

On this journey, though, the Chinese we’d been learning didn’t do us any good, as almost all the other passengers were Mongolian. But, despite the language barrier, we soon found ourselves lulled into the rhythm of life on the train, its closed world creating oddly intimate relationships (although the unfortunate gentleman who found himself sharing our cabin took one look at us and left, never to be seen on the journey again).

We spent hours watching the Russian landscape roll past. We jumped off the train at short station stops, as our fellow passengers laid out their goods on the ground, selling a few T-shirts or quilts before rolling everything up again, moments before the train left. We bought smoked fish from elderly ladies at the Irkutsk stop. We played cards in the guards’ cabin, communicating in a bit of shared Chinese, and in gestures and guesses, and vodka washed down with shots of milk.

There’s a point on the journey where the train crosses the border between Asia and Europe, and we decided to celebrate with a drink in the dining car. When we arrived, we walked straight into a party – music blaring, vodka flowing, boxes of chocolates being passed around. We were welcomed in, and crossed the border dancing to Robbie Williams and Mongolian pop, glancing outside just in time to glimpse the white obelisk that is the only sign of the meeting of continents. It was a moment I remember with a vivid sense of happiness – not because we were back in Europe but because I was here, on a train with people I’d just met, with a language we didn’t share, a long way from anywhere I knew and feeling absolutely exhilarated.

We got off the train late at night in a thunderstorm in Moscow, and somehow managed to find the state-approved hotel we’d booked in order to get our visas. After exploring Moscow and St Petersburg, my two friends flew back to the UK. But by now I was addicted, and I decided to carry on travelling home overland, taking a series of buses the rest of the way.

It was the first time I’d ever travelled completely alone – through six different countries, staying in cheap hostels, speaking to countless strangers, getting by with a few words from a phrase book and a reliance on the kindness of others. Every time I felt the familiar sense of panic at having to make conversation or navigate a new situation, I thought about that moment in the dining car, and the person I had felt I could be. I realised belatedly that it didn’t matter if there were awkward moments. I began to enjoy speaking to new people and started asking questions rather than attempt to fade into the background and hope nobody noticed me. I felt the world opening up.

Eventually I came back home to my parents’ house in Lancashire, refusing to ring for a lift, as if that would somehow negate all the confidence and self-reliance I had learned. I remember feeling that I could do anything.

After graduating I spent much of my 20s living abroad, in Japan, China and Italy. It’s a privileged position, being able to make that choice, and I know how lucky I’ve been. That evening in the dining car of the Trans-Siberian train fed a longing for adventure, for more of those chaotic, joyful, unexpected encounters with other places and lives. It helped turn me into a writer, raiding those memories for my novel. And above all it turned me into someone who isn’t always afraid of making mistakes; who feels at home in the world.

The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks is published by W&N on 20 June, priced £14.99. To support the Guardian and the Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

A marine conservation group has initiated legal action against the UK government, claiming the Conservatives’ decision to issue North Sea oil and gas licences without taking into account their impact on the environment was unlawful.

Oceana UK, part of an international conservation organisation, said that in issuing 82 licences, Claire Coutinho, the secretary of state for energy security, and the North Sea Transition Authority, ignored advice from independent government experts about the potential effects on marine protected areas (MPAs).

The licences, issued between October 2023 and May 2024, cover 226 areas or “blocks” – a third of which overlap with MPAs. Oceana claims the assessments of the blocks – provided by an agency on behalf of the government – did not reflect the advice given by the independent government experts and so were in breach of the law.

The subsequent decision, on 3 May, to award the licences was also unlawful, for the same reason, it said.

More than 2,000 oil spills have happened in the North Sea since 2011, including 215 in MPAs, according to the investigative website, the Ferret. Marine life is at risk from routine spills, exposure to toxic chemicals and extreme noise pollution through seismic blasting connected to oil and gas activities.

“This is not a case of misunderstanding or lack of information,” said Hugo Tagholm, the executive director of Oceana UK. “This is a deliberate choice to unlawfully ignore expert advice and jeopardise our seas, climate and future.”

Last year, Greenpeace lost a legal challenge to the UK’s oil and gas licences, after a court ruled in favour of the government, which argued it was not required to assess the “downstream” greenhouse gases produced by consuming oil and gas.

Rowan Smith, a solicitor for Leigh Day acting on behalf of Oceana, said the charity’s case is that “it is unthinkable for the government to ignore advice from its experts that condemns plans for North Sea oil and gas expansion as harmful for protected marine habitats”.

He added: “Oceana hopes the secretary of state decides not to defend this legal claim, but our client is prepared to pursue it if that becomes necessary.”

A spokesperson for the North Sea Transition Authority said: “We do not comment on potential litigation matters.”

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero were approached for a comment.

Peter Dutton has announced the Coalition proposes to build seven nuclear power plants and two proposed small modular reactors, but dodged questions about the cost of the plan.

A snap Coalition party room meeting on Wednesday heard the opposition proposes that Tarong and Callide in Queensland; Mount Piper and Liddell in New South Wales; Collie in Western Australia; Loy Yang in Victoria; and the Northern power station in South Australia host nuclear power plants.

The plan has been panned as more expensive than firming renewable energy and guaranteed to increase emissions due to increased reliance on fossil fuels until nuclear power is ready, which the Coalition claims could be as soon as 2035 in contrast to expert advice.

At a press conference in Sydney, Dutton confirmed the power plants, if built, would be owned by the commonwealth government, a similar model to NBN Co and Snowy Hydro.

But Dutton refused to say what the cost will be to the Australian taxpayer, claiming without evidence it will “cost a fraction” of Labor’s power plans. He said the cost would be released “in due course”, but did not commit to it before the election.

The sites are mostly in Coalition-held electorates: Colin Boyce’s seat of Flynn, the Nationals leader David Littleproud’s seat of Maranoa; Rick Wilson’s seat of O’Connor; and Rowan Ramsey’s seat of Grey. Liddell is in Labor MP Dan Repacholi’s seat of Hunter. Mount Piper is in National turned independent MP Andrew Gee’s electorate of Calare.

The sites were chosen on the basis of water availability, connection to the grid and the closure date of existing coal power plants. None are currently owned by the commonwealth, which Dutton suggested could be overcome by compulsorily acquiring the sites.

Dutton said the seven locations “can host new nuclear sites and that’ll be part of an energy mix with renewables and significant amounts of gas … particularly in the interim period”.

Construction of nuclear power plants would “utilise the existing distribution networks” when coal power plants reach the end of their life, he said.

The CSIRO Gencost report advised a “15+ year development time” should be expected for nuclear in Australia, meaning if a decision to pursue the technology was made next year then a plant would be deployed “no sooner than 2040”.

Dutton suggested that building two plants by 2035-37 with the remainder to be built in the 2040s was “achievable” and a “sensible rollout”. Dutton made light of the lead time, joking “I only have plans for three to four terms” in government.

Dutton said the Coalition would work with experts to determine the best technology for each site but, according to a media release, the power stations in Western and South Australia would be “SMR only”.

Despite the fact SMRs are not currently commercially available, Dutton asserted that the “technology is available”, with the same technology for nuclear propelled submarines “able to be translated” into civilian electricity.

The federal Coalition has attempted to ramp up pressure on Labor for refusing to lift the ban on nuclear energy, but faces opposition at the state level from its own side of politics, as Guardian Australia revealed in March.

Nuclear power is banned in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, which prompted questions in party room on Wednesday. The Coalition would also require the Senate to overturn the federal ban.

On Tuesday the Queensland Liberal National Party leader, David Crisafulli, ruled out repealing Queensland’s legislated ban on the construction and operation of nuclear reactors.

“The answer is no, and I’ve made my view very clear on that,” he said, describing nuclear power as “not on our plan, not on our agenda”.

Dutton denied that his party is divided but acknowledged there had been “some debate” about whether premiers would agree to the plan. He suggested the commonwealth would negotiate to overcome their objections if the Coalition were elected.

“Somebody famously said ‘I would not stand between the premier and a bucket of money’,” he said.

The Coalition also played down the potential for local communities to oppose the plan. The shadow energy minister, Ted O’Brien, said they will benefit from “the cheapest and cleanest and most consistent energy in the country”; while Dutton said former coal communities are “instantly supportive of this proposal”.

In its latest GenCost report the CSIRO said electricity from nuclear energy would be at least 50% more expensive than solar and wind, with a theoretical 1,000MW nuclear plant built today to cost at least $8.6bn.

The chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, Kane Thornton, said the Coalition policy “is a recipe for delay and skyrocketing energy bills”.

“Australia has no nuclear power industry, so building new reactors would take at least 20 years.”

Ahead of the announcement the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, described the Coalition’s policy as “economic insanity”.

“Nuclear takes longer, it costs more and it will squander Australia’s unique combination of advantages,” he told Radio National.

“It is the worst combination of economic and ideological stupidity … it is fiscally irresponsible.”

Microplastics have been discovered in penises for the first time, raising questions about a potential role in erectile dysfunction.

The revelation comes after the pollutants were recently detected in testes and semen. Male fertility has fallen in recent decades and more research on potential harm of microplastics to reproduction is imperative, say experts.

The researchers said the penis could be particularly vulnerable to contamination with microplastics due to high blood flow during erections. People ingest microplastics through eating, drinking and breathing and the tiny particles have been detected in blood.

The study assessed tissue taken from five men who were undergoing surgery related to erectile dysfunction. Microplastics were found in four cases, with PET and polypropylene being the most prevalent. Both are used in food and drink packaging and other everyday items.

There appears to be widespread contamination of people’s bodies with microplastics, with scientists finding them wherever they look. The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory.

The particles can cause inflammation in tissue, as air pollution particles do, and chemicals in the plastics could also cause harm. Doctors found a substantially raised risk of stroke and heart attack death in people whose arteries were contaminated with microplastics.

Millions of tonnes of plastic waste are dumped in the environment every year and much is broken down into microplastics. These have polluted the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans.

Dr Ranjith Ramasamy, who led the new research while at the University of Miami in the US, said: “The penis is a vascular, spongy organ so is definitely vulnerable. During an erection, a fifth of the blood volume in the whole body gets pumped to the penis.”

He added: “We know erectile dysfunction is multifactorial. You need good hormones, nerves, blood supply, and good smooth muscle tissue for an erection to happen.

“We found that microplastics were present in the smooth muscle of the penis. All we know is that they are not supposed to be there, and we suspect that it could lead to smooth muscle dysfunction.”

Ramasamy said more research was urgently needed to determine the potential role of microplastics in erectile dysfunction and male infertility. Sperm counts in men have been falling for decades and 40% of low counts remain unexplained, although chemical pollution has been implicated by many studies. Recent studies in mice have reported that microplastics reduced sperm count and caused abnormalities and hormone disruption.

Ramasamy said: “We’ve moved past whether we have microplastics in us, to whether there is a level of microplastics beyond which things become pathologic.”

The new research, published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal, analysed tissue samples taken from five men who were undergoing surgery for an inflatable penile prosthesis, which is a treatment option for men with severe erectile dysfunction. The microplastics detected ranged in size from 0.5mm down to 0.002mm.

The researchers said the pervasive spread of microplastics was alarming andit was imperative to understand the potential implications for human health.

Ramasamy said: “As a society, we need to be cognisant that drinking water from plastic water bottles, getting takeout food in plastic containers and, even worse, microwaving food in plastic containers, are contributing to having things in our body that should not be there. And the penis is the one organ that everybody will pay attention to.”

Nearly 2,000 children under five are dying every day from air pollution, which has overtaken poor sanitation and a lack of clean water to become the second biggest health risk factor for young children around the world.

More than 8 million deaths, of children and adults, were caused by air pollution in 2021, according to a new study from the Health Effects Institute (HEI), as both outdoor and indoor pollution continue to take an increasing toll on health.

Dirty air is now the second biggest killer globally, overtaking tobacco use, and second only to high blood pressure, as a risk factor for death among the general population. Among children under five, air pollution is second only to malnutrition as a risk factor in mortality.

This year’s State of Global Air report, published by the HEI since 2017, and produced this year in partnership with Unicef, also shows that children in poor countries are suffering some of the worst impacts, with the death rate linked to air pollution in children under five 100 times higher in most of Africa than it is in high income countries.

Pallavi Pant, the lead author of the report and head of global health at HEI, pointed to the vast inequalities that the report has uncovered. “Far too much of the burden [is] borne by young children, older populations, and low and middle income countries,” she said.

Tiny particles called PM2.5 – meaning they are smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter – are to blame for more than 90% of global air pollution deaths, the report found. PM2.5 particles can enter the bloodstream and have been found to affect organs throughout the body. They have been found to be associated not only with lung disease but heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia and miscarriage.

The report showed how pervasive and damaging the prevalence of PM2.5 pollution has become, finding that the presence of elevated levels of the fine particles was now “the most consistent and accurate predictor of poor health outcomes” around the world.

Kitty van der Heijden, the deputy executive director of Unicef, said: “Our inaction is having profound effects on the next generation, with lifelong health and wellbeing impacts. The global urgency is undeniable. It is imperative that governments and businesses consider these estimates and locally available data and use it to inform meaningful, child-focused action to reduce air pollution and protect children’s health.”

The impacts of the climate crisis are also worsening air quality, according to the HEI. The report found that “as droughts become more severe and prolonged, and lands grow ever drier, wildfires ravage once-thriving forests and dust storms impact vast plains, filling the air with particles that linger for long periods of time.”

Higher temperatures in summer can also worsen the impacts of airborne pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, which at elevated temperatures can turn more readily into ozone, an irritant gas when breathed in. Long-term exposure to ozone contributed to nearly half a million deaths in 2021, the report found.

Tackling air pollution could also have beneficial impacts on the climate. About half a million of the deaths of children in 2021 were linked to dirty air indoors, mainly the result of cooking with dirty fuels, including biomass, charcoal, paraffin and coal. Switching to cleaner fuels, such as solar cookstoves, could vastly reduce PM2.5 emissions, as well as emissions of carbon dioxide.

About 2.3 billion people around the world lack access to clean cooking fuels. The International Energy Agency estimates that about $4bn a year is needed between now and 2030 to solve the problem in sub-Saharan Africa alone. It held a global summit last month that raised $2.2bn for projects to help move people across the continent to cleaner methods.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA, said the problem needed to be seen as a global priority for governments, with impacts on health, the climate and national economies, as well as gender equality, because women and girls are often given the task of finding firewood. “This is an issue that has been ignored for too long,” he said.

The State of Global Air report used data from the Global Burden of Disease study from 2021, covering more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Previous reports have found that nearly every person breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution each day, and that half a million babies were being killed each year by filthy air.

A coalition of environmental non-profit organizations have called on the the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to add extreme heat and wildfire smoke to its list of major disasters that could qualify for emergency funding.

The Center for Biological Diversity signed a joint petition on Monday urging Fema, the federal government’s lead agency in responding to natural disasters, to officially recognize the increasing number of heat-related crises.

“It’s past time for Fema to address the climate emergency head-on. That means unlocking crucial funding for local governments to build robust and resilient solutions like community solar and storage, cooling centers and air filtration,” said Jean Su, energy justice director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“That’s a critical way we can protect workers and vulnerable communities from the ravages of the climate emergency.”

More than 270 million Americans – roughly 80% of the country’s population – are experiencing a kind of heatwave, smashing records with temperatures at or above 90F (32.2C) for long periods of time under a weather phenomenon known as a heat dome. Experts said the type of heatwave the north-east is facing has not been seen in decades.

And it’s not even July.

Scientists warn that heatwaves are increasing in frequency as the climate crisis intensifies due to human activity, especially burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Last year was the hottest year on record and the US faced the most heatwaves since 1936.

The risks associated with the intense heat include more wildfires, poor air quality and a strain on infrastructure that delivers much needed power to keep cool. The National Weather Service says heat is the leading disaster-related killer in the US, killing more people than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined.

“One construction worker dies every three days in Texas and a huge factor in these deaths is heat; whether it’s heat stroke or hyperthermia or in some cases, prolonged illness that can affect eyesight and quality of life,” said Margarita Del Cid, Workers Defense Dallas member-leader.

Del Cid added: “Additionally, communities of color including Latines, generally reside in areas that are more susceptible to the effect of wildfire smoke that can lead to life-threatening illness such as asthma, bronchitis, and even affect the brain’s function. A federal standard to qualify heat and wildfire smoke as a major disaster will make way for life-saving and proactive resources and support in these vulnerable communities and areas”.

Fema has not issued a specific response to the petition, but the agency’s spokesperson for the western US states said there was nothing that would preclude an emergency declaration for extreme heat and noted that there would need to be an immediate threat to life and safety that local authorities could not respond to.

Fema did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More than 270 million Americans – about 80% of the country’s population – are experiencing a kind of heatwave not seen in decades, smashing records with temperatures at or above 90F (32.2C) for long periods of time under a weather phenomenon known as a heat dome.

New York governor Kathy Hochul has announced that she activated the National Guard to assist in any heat emergencies that may develop over the next several days.

Cooling centers have opened in cities across the US in anticipation of the sweltering heat. Government officials have warned people to limit outdoor activities, drink plenty of water, and cautioned those without reliable air conditioning to find a way to cool down.

What is a heat dome?

Heatwaves happen when abnormally hot weather lasts more than two days. The National Weather Service said: “The duration of this heat wave is notable and potentially the longest experienced in decades for some locations.”

A heatwave can be caused by several factors including a heat dome, which occurs when strong, high pressure traps hot air over a region, preventing cool air from traveling in and causing temperatures to rise on the ground and stay high.

This heat dome now seen in the eastern half of the country originated from the south-west, where many cities were placed under excessive heat warnings.

What impact does the climate crisis have on heatwaves like this one?

Scientists warn that heatwaves like this one can increase in frequency as the climate crisis intensifies due to human activity, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

Last year, the US saw the most heatwaves since 1936.

The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity sent a petition Monday to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) asking it to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters.

The agency did not immediately issue a specific response to the petition, but a Fema spokesperson for the western US states said there was nothing that would preclude an emergency declaration for extreme heat and noted that there would need to be an immediate threat to life and safety that local authorities could not respond to.

What are other risks associated with the heat?

Wildfires are sweeping parts of the US as a result of the soaring temperatures.

In New Mexico, residents of Ruidoso, a town of roughly 7,000 people, were ordered to evacuate on Monday evening as the South Fork wildfire tore through neighboring areas.

Many wildfires are also active on the west coast, according to agencies like the California department of forestry and fire protection.

In southern California, 1,200 people were evacuated on Sunday from Gorman, a town nearly 62 miles (100km) north-west of Los Angeles. Referred to as the “Post fire”, it burned more than 16 sq miles and damaged at least two commercial buildings. So far, 24% of the blaze has been contained.

Poor air quality is also a concern right now since higher temperatures and humidity can contribute to air pollution. In addition to communities near these wildfires, states further away in the midwest such as Ohio and Illinois, and the east coast are also under air quality alerts.

“An Air Quality action day means that Ground Level Ozone within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards,” according to the National Weather Service.

Last June, wind blew smoke from wildfires in Canada to the US’s east coast region, placing cities like New York under air quality alerts and shrouding them in an orange haze.

The Illinois environmental protection agency warned those under the air quality action day alert to “Limit driving, Conserve energy to reduce energy demands”, and “avoid using gasoline-powered equipment like lawnmowers and leaf blowers”.

Hezbollah has published a video lasting nine minutes and 31 seconds of what it says is drone footage gathered from its surveillance aircraft of locations in Israel, including the sea and air ports of the key northern city of Haifa.

Distribution of the footage was flagged up by the Lebanese armed movement, including on its Telegram channel, advising viewers on several channels to “watch and analyse” what it said were “important scenes”, including the cryptic message that it would show what the “hoopoe had brought back”. The hoopoe is both the name of a drone and a bird seen as a messenger in Arabic mythology.

Hezbollah has sent surveillance and attack drones into Israel in the past eight months as it exchanges fire with the Israeli military in parallel to the Gaza war.

The decision to broadcast the footage, which had images of residential and military sites in and around Haifa, including port facilities, appeared aimed as much at an Israeli audience as at a wider international one.

The veracity of the footage could not be independently confirmed and it was unclear when the footage was filmed. However the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said in November that it had been sending surveillance drones over Haifa.

If verified as genuine, the footage is likely to alarm Israel’s security establishment, suggesting an even greater vulnerability to drone incursion than previously recognised, not least with the implicit threat of being able to overfly Haifa. It is a major population centre, home to 300,000.

The footage appeared to show parts of a factory belonging to Rafael defence – including Iron Dome batteries, rocket engine depots, David’s Slingshot facilities and radar.

The IDF did not immediately comment on the broadcast footage.

The US and France are working on a negotiated settlement to the hostilities along Lebanon’s southern border.

The footage, if confirmed as real, would underline the mounting difficulties Israel has encountered in dealing with the drone threat from Hezbollah, including several incidents where incoming drones were not detected by Israeli air defence systems, including a recent attack on a group of Israeli troops that killed one person.

Experts have assessed that Hezbollah is using a combination of tactics to avoid its drones being detected, including flying low and using multiple channels to avoid jamming technology.

Although about 150 drones have been intercepted, others have got through to their targets, with Israeli officials disclosing that they have begun spending millions of shekels to counter the drone threat.

Among reported planned improvements to Israel’s air defence systems are upgrades to the Iron Dome system to make it better equipped to deal with slower-flying unmanned aircraft and the reintroduction of retired conventional anti-aircraft weapons, include the Vulcan system.

The disclosure of the footage appeared to be timed to coincide with the visit of the US envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon after meeting senior Israeli officials, including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the day before.

In Beirut, Hochstein called for the “urgent” de-escalation of cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces raging since the start of the Gaza war.

“The conflict … between Israel and Hezbollah has gone on for long enough,” the presidential envoy said. “It’s in everyone’s interest to resolve it quickly and diplomatically – that is both achievable and it is urgent.”

Despite Hochstein’s visit to the region, there appeared to be little evidence of a breakthrough in efforts to reduce tension on the Israel-Lebanon border, with reports in Israel suggesting Hochstein did not see any prospect for significant movement while the war in Gaza was continuing.

After several days of relative quiet between Israel and Hezbollah over the weekend, following last week’s barrages which included the heaviest of the war, Tuesday saw a rise in hostilities again.

State media in Lebanon reported an Israeli drone strike on a car on the highway north of the coastal city of Tyre. It was not immediately clear who was in the car or how many people were killed or injured.

Last week Hezbollah launched hundreds of drones and rockets, including more than 200 on a single day, and the Israeli military struck Hezbollah targets in return.