The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday released what it called “exclusive footage” showing residential areas allegedly used by Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, as tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed group continued despite a fragile ceasefire.The Israel Defense Forces, which shared the video on“Watch: Exclusive footage of a residential area used by Hezbollah terrorists,” the Israeli military wrote.The IDF claimed that more than 100 military targets were struck during the operation, including “compounds used by Hezbollah terrorists,” underground tunnel routes said to contain large quantities of weapons, weapons storage facilities and missile launchers.The Israeli military further said that its forces “with air support, struck and eliminated dozens of terrorists in close combat.”
Drone wars intensify despite ceasefire
The latest footage comes amid an escalating drone conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, even as diplomatic efforts over the wider conflict with Iran continue.In recent months, Hezbollah has increasingly relied on low-cost first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones to target Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon, Reuters reported.The group has released videos of more than 45 FPV drone attacks since fighting intensified in March. Even after a shaky ceasefire was announced in April, many attacks continued.Hezbollah’s drones are often controlled using fiber optic cables, allowing them to evade Israeli jamming systems and attack military positions, vehicles and troops.The ceasefire agreement still keeps Israeli forces operating within a buffer zone of up to 10 kilometers from the border, making them vulnerable to such attacks, the report said.
Israel says Hezbollah drones remain a growing threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously acknowledged that Hezbollah’s drone capabilities pose a serious challenge.“A few weeks ago, I ordered the creation of a special project to deter drone threats… It will take time, but we are working on it,” Netanyahu said on May 3.Reuters quoted an Israeli military official as saying that Hezbollah drones are difficult to intercept because they are small and fly “low and slow” over terrain familiar to Hezbollah operators.Israeli think tank ALMA also noted that Hezbollah’s use of drone footage had a “significant psychological impact.”
Hezbollah says attack aimed at putting pressure on Israel
Hezbollah believes continued drone attacks could force Israel to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon faster than ongoing negotiations.“We know the strength of our enemies, but we also know their weaknesses,” Yousef Zain, Hezbollah’s head of media relations, told reporters, according to Reuters. “We’re exploiting weaknesses to create that balance.”Reuters quoted experts as saying that Hezbollah’s drones are mainly assembled using commercial parts, many of which come from Chinese manufacturers, and some of them have been modified to carry anti-tank warheads.The ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon remains closely linked to wider U.S.-Iran tensions, with mediators warning that if the situation in Lebanon cannot be de-escalated, it could reignite wider regional hostilities.