Hezbollah attempted to assassinate Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo with an explosive-laden first-person view (FPV) drone during a recent visit to southern Lebanon, military officials said on Thursday.
The drone struck Milo’s vehicle shortly after he had gotten out. No injuries were reported.
The attack highlighted the growing danger Hezbollah drones pose to IDF troops in southern Lebanon and reflected the ongoing tactical learning battle between the sides, with security officials saying Hezbollah has largely pulled back from direct gun battles while increasingly using low-cost drones to target soldiers, vehicles and military positions, including at night.
At the beginning of the Israeli ground maneuver in Lebanon, Hezbollah terrorists mainly used rockets and anti-tank missiles. After being pushed back, they increasingly turned to FPV drones.
Hezbollah has also been adjusting the way it uses the deadly weapon. At first, its operatives struggled to fly the drones professionally and to identify targets properly. IDF drone specialists have since reported improvement in the piloting capabilities of Hezbollah drone operators and in their ability to bring the drones closer to troops.
Following the near-hit on one of its top generals and other recent drone strikes, the IDF changed procedures for field visits along some routes, tightened procedures for detecting and intercepting drones, and sent additional protective equipment to forces in the area, including wire mesh netting and new detection systems.
As part of those efforts, the military has sharply reduced the use of heavy machinery such as excavators and bulldozers, which had become easy targets. Officials say one aim of expanding operations toward the strategic Beaufort Ridge is to make it harder for Hezbollah to launch FPV drones at Israeli border communities.
A military source said Hezbollah operatives are being pushed farther back, sometimes by hundreds of meters. “We hope that in the near future we will see some change in this threat, certainly for the residents of the north,” the source said.