Hezbollah's Fiber-Optic Drones Inflict Casualties on Israeli Forces in Southern Lebanon

May 28, 2024

Hezbollah's increasing use of cheap, hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has become the top threat to Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. A recent attack killed an IDF medical officer and wounded seven soldiers, highlighting a new tactic that is now the leading cause of Israeli battlefield deaths on the northern front. Israel is struggling to develop effective countermeasures against the drones, which are adapted from the war in Ukraine.

Fiber-optic drone attacks

▪The commander of the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion was among those lightly wounded in the attack.
▪The attack involved two to six explosive-laden first-person view (FPV) drones striking an armored vehicle in the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.
▪An IDF medical officer, Cpt. Dr. Ori Yosef Silvester, 30, was killed and seven other soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah drone warfare tactics

▪Hezbollah uses First-Person View (FPV) drones connected to operators by a thin fiber-optic wire, a tactic learned from the war in Ukraine.
▪The small, cheaply-made drones used by Hezbollah cost around $300-$400 each.
▪Hezbollah has begun using thermal sensors on its drones to conduct nighttime missions, spotting IDF troops by their heat signatures.
▪The drones fly low without a radio signal, which makes them difficult for Israel's military to jam or detect.

Casualties since ceasefire implementation

▪Hezbollah has conducted more than 100 drone attacks against communities inside Israel since the April ceasefire.
▪Explosive drones have become the leading cause of Israeli battlefield deaths on its northern flank.
▪Since a ceasefire began in April, eight of 11 Israeli soldiers and one civilian contractor killed have been due to fiber-optic drones.

Israeli counter-drone defense development

▪Israeli defense companies are developing new countermeasures, including advanced interceptor drones and automatic firing systems with electro-optical sensors.
▪An Israeli military official admitted to "gaps in weapons development" for countering drones, which is now a "central mission" for the Northern Command.
▪Israeli soldiers have resorted to using commercial fishing and soccer nets to entangle incoming drones.

Israeli military responses

▪Israel's military chief of staff has reportedly called for attacks on "buildings in Beirut" in response to Hezbollah's drone use.
▪Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting on May 30 following a surprise Hezbollah strike.
▪The IDF has issued sweeping evacuation orders for southern Lebanon, up to the Zahrani river, which is around 40km from the border.

Ceasefire violations

▪The drone attacks are occurring despite a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that went into effect in April.
▪Hezbollah reportedly shifted its operational policy after Israel expanded its ground operations beyond the Litani River.