Hezbollah brandishing drones to deter an Israel war

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah recently released videos showing footage from one of its drones flying over the Israeli city of Haifa and the surrounding area.

Hezbollah released the videos shortly after American special envoy Amos Hochstein went to Beirut in a bid to get Lebanese political leaders to pressure Hezbollah to withdraw from the border with Israel.

Following Hochstein’s visit, Hezbollah released images captured by one of its drones called the Hudhud (Hoopoe), highlighting strategic military and civilian infrastructure inside Israel.

The following day, the group’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, gave a speech where he reiterated that Hezbollah has the ability to launch targeted strikes anywhere in Israel.

The drone footage provides evidence of Hezbollah’s growing technological capabilities. Along with Nasrallah’s speech, it appears designed to check Israeli threats to invade Lebanon and send a message that Hezbollah has the ability to cause serious damage in Israel in the event of a full-scale war.

Use of drones

In response to Israel’s attack on Gaza, Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli military positions along the border with Lebanon since October 2023.

The Israeli military has shelled and launched airstrikes on several areas of southern Lebanon. Hundreds of people, predominantly Lebanese, have been killed and tens of thousands on both sides of the border have been forced to flee the area.

Israeli media reports suggest the military chose not to shoot down Hezbollah’s drone. Israel justified this decision by citing concern over civilian casualties. However, military analysts believe that failing to intercept enemy drones during a conflict indicates inadequate detection capabilities.

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