The growing threat posed by explosive drones operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon has become a major concern for IDF forces operating in the area, according to a report aired this morning on Galei Tzahal.
The issue was reportedly discussed yesterday during an IDF senior command forum held at Ramat David Airbase. During the meeting, the commander of the 282nd Artillery Brigade told officers that the drone threat presents “a significant operational challenge" and stressed the need to improve the army’s preparedness against it.
Field commanders fighting in Lebanon expressed frustration over both the scale of the threat and the limited defensive capabilities currently available. One commander operating in the sector said troops are mainly instructed to remain alert and open fire if they identify a drone, adding, “There is not much to do about it."
In response, some units have begun creating improvised protective measures, including deploying nets over military positions, homes and windows in an attempt to trap explosive drones before impact.
An officer serving in Lebanon described the effort as a temporary field solution developed because of operational gaps. “We started deploying it with some of the forces, but it is far from sufficient," he said.
According to the report, the IDF had opportunities to prepare for the expanding drone threat following the widespread use of drones during the Russia-Ukraine war and after the October 7th massacre, when Hamas used explosive drones to disable surveillance systems along the Gaza border.
The report also stated that Israeli Air Force commander Tomer Bar was reprimanded around six months ago by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over the Air Force’s handling of the drone threat.