Hezbollah likely obtained drones capable of attacking deep into n. Israel, defense officials fear - Amir Bohbot

 

by Amir Bohbot

According to defense officials, the introduction of this capability would pose a significant threat to the entire north, specifically exposing strategic infrastructure and other sensitive sites.

 

Members of the Metula civilian security squad search the area following the fall of an Iron Dome interceptor missile and reports of a drone infiltration near the Israel-Lebanon border, June 01, 2026.

(photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

 

Defense establishment officials fear that Hezbollah may have acquired first-person view (FPV) drones with an operational range of up to 60km., granting them the capability to attack major cities in northern Israel, including Haifa, Walla learned on Tuesday.

This would pose a significant threat and could expose key strategic infrastructure and other sensitive sites, if true.

FPV drones are considered to be one of the challenging tactical threats in southern Lebanon, primarily because they do not rely on wireless communication and are, therefore, immune to GPS jamming or other electronic defenses.

The drones operate by being physically connected to the operator's controller via a micro-thin fiber-optic cable, allowing continuous, precise control of the aircraft right up to the moment that the drone hits, or attempts to hit, a target.

Theoretically, such drones are capable of reaching ranges of 55-60km., according to an IDF military drone expert. However, operating FPV drones over such a distance involves highly complex engineering challenges, they added.

download high resolution download low resolution add to lightbox file name: F260519AMA10 File Size: 4744 KB caption (en): An explosive drone launched by Hezbollah is seen near the Israeli border with Lebanon during a Hezbollah attack in northern Israel, May 19, 2026. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Can FPV drones actually reach 60km. into Israel with current technology?

"The main challenge is the weight-to-energy equation," the expert explained.

"To reach these kinds of ranges, you need a high-capacity battery that weighs significantly more than a standard one. This comes at the expense of the payload," they added.

The expert also noted that the weight of the cable and wind resistance over such a long distance create "serious technical constraints."

"Fortunately, Hezbollah's skill level is not yet on par with what we are seeing in the Ukraine-Russia War," the expert stated.

"Despite the pain and sorrow over our losses, while FPV drones are a threat, there are much larger threats out there that are already operationally deployed, such as swarms of drones on an unimaginable scale," they said. "Imagine a swarm of drones that receives a mission, communicates internally, and attacks a target simultaneously from multiple directions and in various formations."

Amir Bohbot

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-898114

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