Israel Faces New Challenge: Deadly Drones

Israel's missile defenses have been impressive, shooting down most rockets and missiles from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. But there's a new threat: drones. Last Sunday, a Hezbollah drone killed four Israeli soldiers and injured 70. This wasn't a one-off event. Days earlier, a drone crashed into a retirement home in Tel Aviv. And in the Golan Heights, two soldiers died in a drone strike. So far, Israel has dealt with over 1,500 drones in the past year, many from Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Iraq. Why are drones so dangerous? They fly slow and low, making them hard to detect with radar. Systems like Iron Dome and Arrow aren't designed for this. Israel's Air Force, including its F-35 jets, is stepping in, but it's not efficient to use a $100 million jet against a $1,000 drone. One drone involved in the Sunday attack was the Mirsad-1, carrying up to 40 kilograms of explosives with a range of 120 kilometers. Israeli defense companies are working on solutions, like the Iron Beam laser system. But the real challenge is detecting drones early. This drone threat isn't unique to Israel. In the Ukraine war, drones have played a big role. They give smaller forces a strategic edge. For Israel and its allies, this means rethinking how wars are fought. Drones are putting high-tech warfare in the hands of non-state actors.