Amid escalating tensions along the northern border, senior IDF officers say restrictions imposed on Israel must be lifted and that the military should strike Hezbollah targets with greater force north of the Litani River — a key geographic line in southern Lebanon. They said Israel should also target the supply chain for explosive-laden first-person-view (FPV) drones, as well as additional Hezbollah targets, to create a “price tag” that would make the terrorist group think twice before launching attacks.
Fiber-optic FPV drones have recently emerged as a significant threat to Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. In the past week, Sgt. Idan Fooks and Amer Hujeirat, a resident of the Arab city of Shfar'am in northern Israel, were killed by such drones. These drones are operated via a thin fiber-optic cable, allowing operators to transmit commands and real-time video without using radio waves, making them resistant to electronic warfare jamming.
Moment of an FPV drone detonation near a helicopter evacuating wounded
Senior IDF officials increasingly believe that countering the threat cannot rely solely on defensive measures or point interceptions. Assessments indicate the current response does not provide a full solution, particularly given the difficulty of detecting and intercepting the drones in real time. “The current situation plays into Hezbollah’s hands — the rules must be changed,” the officials said.
They called for removing operational constraints and shifting to a more offensive approach, aimed not only at stopping individual drones but at striking the systems behind them. This would include targeting infrastructure, equipment depots, operational units and supply chains tied to the drone network, with the goal of establishing deterrence by imposing a cost on the group for each launch.
Senior officials also said there is a need to update the rules of engagement in the northern arena and expand operational freedom deeper into Lebanese territory, including areas north of the Litani. Within this framework, efforts to locate and destroy drone-related infrastructure are emphasized, with the aim of moving from a purely reactive posture to one that applies sustained pressure and reduces the enemy’s ability to operate.
Students board buses as interceptions streak overhead
(Video: Gilad Shushan)
Earlier Thursday, Hezbollah shot down an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle after firing a surface-to-air missile. The IDF said the incident is under investigation and there is no concern of sensitive information being compromised. Shortly afterward, the terrorist organization claimed responsibility for downing a Zik drone — also known as the Hermes 450, a medium-sized Israeli UAV — in the Nabatieh area.
The downing occurred on a morning when Hezbollah launched drones toward southern Lebanon and the northern border, triggering sirens in multiple communities and the firing of interceptors, including over school areas. In one instance, a direct hit on a vehicle was reported, with smoke seen rising from the scene. Following the incident, the IDF said it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.