Israeli army turns to US after Hezbollah drones strike military sites: Report

The Israeli army is turning to the US for additional systems and technologies to counter Hezbollah drones after several unmanned aircraft struck military sites in northern Israel on Wednesday, according to Israel’s public broadcaster.

KAN said the Lebanese group launched at least six drones toward northern Israel, with some exploding at military positions.

It said Ground Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan is expected to travel to the United States in the coming days to oversee purchases related to the growing drone threat.

Senior army officials quoted by KAN without identification said there were “no budget restrictions” on efforts to confront the attacks.

KAN added that the military was making major efforts to improve warning systems against explosive drones targeting soldiers, including a newly developed detection system designed to provide alerts similar to anti-tank missile warning systems.

The broadcaster said that Hezbollah continued launching explosive drones over the past 24 hours toward Israeli forces in southern Lebanon as well as troops stationed inside Israel, with some striking military sites.

It said the army still lacks an effective response to the attacks, despite repeated Israeli claims of advances in detecting and intercepting Hezbollah drones.

KAN also reported that several members of a security team in a northern Israeli settlement were injured after a Hezbollah explosive drone struck while they were attempting to assist Israeli soldiers targeted minutes earlier in a similar attack.

It said Hezbollah had increasingly adopted a tactic of targeting troops first and then launching additional drones toward rescue or evacuation teams arriving afterward.

Earlier Wednesday, Hezbollah said it carried out several drone attacks targeting Israeli troop gatherings and military vehicles, including an Iron Dome platform at the Jal al-Allam military site in northern Israel.

Hezbollah drones have become a growing concern for Israel in recent months, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously describing them as a “major threat” because of the difficulty in detecting them.

Since March 2, Israel has been conducting an expanded offensive on Lebanon, killing more than 3,200 people, injuring over 9,600 and displacing over 1.6 million people, according to official figures.

The Israeli army has continued its daily attacks despite a US-mediated ceasefire that took effect on April 17 which was later extended to early July.