ABNA24 - “Israel’s” Channel 7 reported that Hezbollah has recently stepped up its use of “loitering” [literally: explosive] drones as a primary weapon, in some cases scaling back rocket fire and anti-tank missile launches.
It added: “Yesterday’s incident in the village of Taybeh, in which Sgt. Idan Fox was killed and six others were wounded, demonstrates Hezbollah’s ability to inflict damage not only on combat forces but also on evacuation teams and rescue helicopters on the ground.”
The report noted that Hezbollah is currently operating a two-layer drone system centered on fiber-optic-controlled drones, which do not require wireless communication- making them immune to “Israeli” electronic jamming. According to the channel, these drones can be controlled from distances of up to 15 kilometers and can carry up to 6 kilograms of explosives.
It continued: “The drone operator receives high-quality live footage of the flight up to the moment the target is hit. This allows for greater precision and poses a major challenge to the ‘Israeli’ military.”
The report stressed that although “Israel” is considered a global leader in interception technology, criticism of the security establishment is growing due to the widespread use of explosive drones in the Russia–Ukraine war. During that conflict, Ukraine offered to share its practical experience in countering drones with “Israel”, but the initiative did not yield results.
For his part, Yossi Yehoshua, military affairs analyst at Yedioth Ahronoth, said the most significant current threat to forces is suicide drones, adding: “This is not just another isolated incident- it’s a reality that can’t be ignored.”
He said the “tragic incident in which Sgt. Idan Fox, 19, from Petah Tikva, was killed is only the latest in a series of serious events in the fighting in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah repeatedly deploys drones and operates on the ground as if the area were entirely under its control.”
Yehoshua further stated that “Shortly after the deadly incident in which Idan was killed and six soldiers were wounded, and as a helicopter arrived to evacuate them, a suicide drone nearly struck it as well.”
He continued: “Last week, there was another dramatic incident stemming from the same threat, the details of which are still under a blackout. Time and again, we are seeing the same pattern.
This is no longer an emerging threat but a well-established and real danger- arguably the most problematic threat on the northern front today, mainly because there is currently no adequate response to it.”
He went on to say that “What is truly incomprehensible, however, is the indifference. Aside from brigade commanders in the ‘Israeli’ military and residents of the border line- both of whom are directly affected by the ongoing fire- the drone threat does not seem to concern senior military or political officials enough.”
He explained that “the answer may lie in the gap between tactics and strategy. The ‘Israeli’ military is pressing the political leadership to escalate the fighting and return to offensive operations in Beirut. Trump has not allowed this so far, and the Iranian front is tied to Lebanon, contrary to ‘Israel’s’ interests.”
He concluded: “Those who have not returned to normal life are the residents of the north, and those for whom the war continues day by day are the regular and reserve ground forces. This is a reality that cannot be accepted.”
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