Israel's defense establishment is increasingly concerned that terrorist organizations may attempt to launch explosive-laden drones from within Israeli cities and direct them toward a range of targets.
The concern has grown in light of the extensive use of drones in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as advances in drone capabilities.
According to a report by Channel 12 News, defense officials have identified a significant increase in both the willingness and the capability of terrorist organizations to deploy explosive drones, including fiber-optic drones.
The report said the possibility of launching such drones from inside Israeli cities presents a complex challenge unlike those the security establishment has faced until now.
The issue has been discussed in several high-level security meetings, including one chaired by Defense Minister Israel Katz. In these meetings, officials acknowledged that Israel currently lacks an effective operational solution for countering explosive drones.
A security official warned about how easily commercial drones can be converted into weapons, explaining, "Buying a drone and attaching explosives to it is almost as easy as kicking a ball. The situation is not good right now. We still have a long way to go before reaching an effective solution."
Last week, analyst Amit Segal wrote in Israel Hayom that the drone threat has become one of Shin Bet chief David Zini's top priorities. According to Segal, the defense establishment now views drones as a weapon capable of fundamentally changing the battlefield.
Segal wrote that after the weakening of Iran's proxy network, Tehran may seek to shift the balance by launching drones from southern Lebanon, Gaza, or Judea and Samaria.
"Drones launched from southern Lebanon are the only Hezbollah weapon that has caused significant loss of life. Why wouldn't they try the same thing from Gaza - and especially from Judea and Samaria?" he wrote.
"And what if, this time, a group of drones crashes into an officers' graduation ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, and the Chief of Staff?" Segal asked.
According to Segal, "Zini is deeply concerned about such scenarios. It can be said that in general, the drone threat is at the center of his concerns these days - and it's not as though he lacks for [worries]."
He added that this week's government meeting, held at a secret location, reflected the growing recognition of the threat, stressing that Israel will have to adapt its security doctrine to address the danger posed by drones.