Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has published drone footage that appears to show it has been able to conduct extensive surveillance of strategic sites in northern Israel, including the port city of Haifa, without being detected by Israel’s vaunted air defense systems.
The nine-minute video, released on Tuesday, showcases footage that Hezbollah claims was gathered by its reconnaissance drones. The footage includes detailed images of the Haifa port, naval facilities, air defense systems like the Iron Dome and David’s Sling, as well as residential and commercial areas.
This revelation is particularly concerning for Israel, as Hezbollah has been steadily expanding its drone capabilities over the past year, using them for both surveillance and attack purposes. The group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had previously acknowledged in November 2023 that Hezbollah had been sending drones over Haifa.
The ability of Hezbollah’s drones to penetrate deep into Israeli airspace and capture such detailed footage of sensitive military and civilian sites suggests significant gaps in Israel’s air defense systems. Despite intercepting around 150 Hezbollah drones, others have managed to reach their targets, highlighting the challenges Israel faces in countering this evolving threat.
Experts have noted that Hezbollah has employed tactics like flying at low altitudes and using multiple communication channels to evade detection, which appear to have been effective. Israel has acknowledged the need to invest millions of shekels to upgrade its air defense capabilities to better handle the drone threat.
The publication of this footage is seen as a major propaganda victory for Hezbollah, demonstrating its technological prowess and ability to breach Israel’s security. It also underscores the escalating tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, as the two sides continue to exchange fire amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Video courtesy of Aljazeera/YouTube