Israel unable to destroy Hezbollah's drones with military force, needs political edge - report

Lead

Israel cannot destroy Hezbollah's explosive drones or rockets through military force alone, even if it were to occupy southern Lebanon, according to a security source cited by Israeli public broadcaster Kan News. The source said that while targeted assassinations, infrastructure damage, and other operational activity could further weaken Hezbollah, a true solution to end the northern threat is “not currently in sight.”

The assessment comes as the Israeli military continues to grapple with the threat posed by Hezbollah's first-person-view (FPV) drones, which have proven difficult to counter with existing air defense technologies.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported on the security source's comments in a May 17 article, quoting the source as saying: “Even if we occupy all of southern Lebanon, as some are suggesting, these steps will not be able to destroy the last explosive drones or the last rocket of Hezbollah.” The source added, “A military move is not enough. A political breakthrough is required, alongside the maintenance of prolonged military deterrence, in order to try and change reality.”

In a separate article published May 10, the Jerusalem Post detailed the IDF's struggles with FPV drones, which use special cables and manual operation to evade the military's advanced jamming and tracking technologies. The report noted that Hezbollah had released footage of an FPV drone striking an Iron Dome battery on the northern border, and that while the IDF did not publicly comment, unofficial IDF sources could not dispute the video's authenticity.

Key Claims

• Hezbollah released footage on May 10 of an FPV drone striking an Iron Dome battery on the northern border. The incident may have occurred a few days before the footage was released, according to the Jerusalem Post.
• The IDF has struggled to respond to the FPV drone threat, which employs special cables and manual operation to outwit the military's advanced technologies for jamming and tracking drones.
• The IDF is developing new pilot programs to better identify and shoot down FPV drones, as outlined by senior IDF officials during a Jerusalem Post visit to southern Lebanon last week.
• In mid-March, former IDF air defense chief Brig. Gen. (res.) Ran Kochav warned that the IDF was doing an inadequate job providing defense for its Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow batteries.
• The IDF has conducted strikes on nearly 100 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah has launched rockets and mortar shells toward IDF troops in the area.
• The IDF is deploying anti-explosive drone barbed wire to minimize attacks, and has supplied this wire to the Lebanese army. Reports from last week indicated the military would also arm soldiers with shotguns to use against the drones.
• According to defense establishment officials cited by Kan, the operations in southern Lebanon are “specific defensive measures - not a solution.”