Jerusalem, Oct 14 (IANS): Four soldiers were killed in a drone attack on a military base in northern Israel, the Israeli military said in a statement.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday evening that a drone launched by Hezbollah forces from Lebanon hit an army base adjacent to the town of Binyamina, located on the Carmel coast between Haifa and Tel Aviv, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The incident is being examined," said the military without providing further details.

Meanwhile, shortly after the attack, Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement that its paramedics treated 61 people, including three in critical condition, 18 with moderate injuries, 31 suffering mild injuries, and nine treated for panic.

The IDF said the air raid siren was not activated before the attack. Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that the drone struck the dining room during the dinner hour.

It marks a rare airstrike on Israel that has caused such a large number of casualties as Israeli air defence systems typically issue alerts ahead of such attacks.

Israel's Army Radio reported that an initial probe indicated that at least two drones were launched from Lebanon and approached Israel from the Mediterranean Sea. One was intercepted, but the military failed to trace the other.

About an hour after the attack, the military claimed that another drone from Lebanon was intercepted at Haifa Bay in northern Israel.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday night, announcing in a statement that it had launched a squadron of drones on a training base of the Golani Brigade in Binyamina.