Hezbollah hits Israeli Iron Dome battery with FPV drone

What are FPV drones, and how is Israel addressing this challenge?

FPV, or first-person-view, drones — small aircraft guided by operators watching a live video feed that can be flown directly into targets. They have been used widely in the Russia-Ukraine war and are increasingly shaping the battlefield in the Middle East.

The Jerusalem Post, which visited southern Lebanon last week, reported that senior IDF officials outlined several new pilot programmes to better identify and shoot down FPVs, but the military is still trying to catch up in real time. Although since 2024 the IDF has improved in shooting down conventional drones, the FPV drone has thrown it for a loop.

The strategic concern runs deeper. In mid-March, former IDF air defence chief Brig. Gen. (res.) Ran Kochav warned that the IDF was doing an inadequate job, especially in defending its Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow batteries. He emphasised that air defence systems are the most crucial and vulnerable components — if they are struck, the broader defence can fall apart.

According to officers from the 36th Division who spoke to Israeli media, Hezbollah has decentralised its drone operations, transferring small drone operator cells to the field. The method combines a reconnaissance drone to locate the target, followed by a fibre-optic drone strike against specific Israeli army vulnerabilities — including vehicle drivers, static military sites, and stationary forces.
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800 strikes and counting, but attacks continue

Israeli officials said Hezbollah is continuing to launch drones, UAVs, rockets, and anti-tank missiles toward troops and northern Israeli communities, even as a ceasefire framework remains formally in place. The Times of Israel reported that the IDF struck more than 40 Hezbollah sites over the weekend, killing over 10 operatives. Targets included weapons depots, launchers, and command centres.

The IDF said that only in the past 24 hours it struck 70 Hezbollah targets, and that it has carried out more than 800 strikes since the ceasefire was announced.

Lebanon’s health ministry said two paramedics affiliated with the Hezbollah-linked Islamic Health Committee were killed and five others wounded in Israeli strikes in the country’s south — one each in Qalaway and Tibnin — the Times of Israel reported.

Israeli officials said there is no ceasefire for Israeli forces operating beyond the border. “There is no instruction to stop or limit offensive operational activity,” officials said, except for restrictions on deep strikes inside Lebanon as diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon are ongoing.

Washington talks loom amid battlefield escalation”

Despite the fighting, Lebanon and Israel are preparing for a third round of direct talks in Washington this Thursday and Friday. The Times of Israel reported that veteran Lebanese diplomat Simon Karam has been appointed by President Joseph Aoun to lead Beirut’s delegation. For the first time, military representatives will join diplomats from both sides, with discussions expected to focus on concrete steps toward disarming Hezbollah.