Hezbollah drones worry Israel
The crash and explosion of a drone launched by Hezbollah near a military helicopter during the evacuation of wounded soldiers in southern Lebanon highlight the scale of the challenges posed by such drones.
A video shows the crash and explosion of a drone launched by Hezbollah near an Israeli military helicopter that was evacuating wounded soldiers from southern Lebanon, underscoring the operational challenges posed by these drones.
The footage was published on Monday by the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The publication stated that alongside ground fighting in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces are facing a tactical challenge for which the army has not yet found a solution: the threat of explosive drones.
The report added that on Sunday, tank soldier Sergeant Idan Fox was killed in a drone attack near the village of Taybeh, while six others were injured, including an officer and three soldiers in serious condition.
The footage shows the moment a drone exploded near the helicopter carrying out the evacuation. According to the newspaper, two additional explosive drones were later launched against Israeli forces in Taybeh. One was intercepted, while the other exploded just a few meters from the helicopter during the evacuation. Israeli forces responded with heavy fire and hit one of the drones.
According to the report, Hezbollah launches these explosive drones from long distances, from areas where Israeli forces are not present. These drones are equipped with fiber-optic cables, which create electronic interference and make detection and interception extremely difficult.
The newspaper stressed that although these drones do not carry large explosive payloads, they have become a significant and dangerous nuisance.
Military analyst Yossi Yehoshua said the drone threat has become uncontrollable and represents the Israeli army’s main weakness on the northern front, referring to Lebanon.
He added that this is a real and present danger and likely the most significant threat today on the northern front, noting that Hezbollah repeatedly launches drones and operates as if it has full control of the ground.
Criticizing the army’s performance, he questioned how Hezbollah drone operators can operate in southern Lebanon without any meaningful obstruction.
The Israeli army announced on Monday that it had lost contact with a drone launched from Lebanon toward the Western Galilee in northern Israel. Military spokesperson Ella Waweya stated on X that following sirens triggered by the infiltration of a hostile aircraft launched from Lebanon, contact with the aerial target was lost. She added that sirens were activated in the Western Galilee due to fears of falling interception debris.
Channel 12 reported that a projectile fired from Lebanon landed in the Western Galilee region, without reporting casualties or damage. The Israeli army did not comment on the report.
In response to these risks, heads of Israeli settlement councils near the Lebanese border decided to suspend school activities and bus services starting Tuesday, with no timeline for resumption announced.
The Israeli army previously stated that five military divisions had crossed into southern Lebanon and that it continues large-scale destruction operations in several villages.
Israel has been conducting an offensive against Lebanon since March 2, which has killed 2,509 people, injured 7,755, and displaced more than 1.6 million people, according to official figures.
A ten-day ceasefire began on April 17 and was later extended until May 17, but Israel violates it daily through strikes causing casualties and the destruction of homes in southern Lebanon.
Israel also occupies areas of southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023–2024 war, and has advanced during the current offensive up to around 10 kilometers inside the southern border.
Israel also occupies Palestine and territories in Syria, refusing to withdraw or allow the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as stipulated in UN resolutions.
