Israel is considering sweeping new restrictions on civilian drone use amid growing concerns that First-Person View (FPV) attack drones could be launched from neighboring countries or from Judea and Samaria during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The proposal has reportedly been discussed extensively by the Security Cabinet, with officials believing that limiting civilian drone activity would make it easier for security forces to identify and respond to potential threats. At the same time, security officials stressed there is no intelligence indicating that fiber-optic FPV attack drones are currently operating in Judea and Samaria.
One senior official described the threat in stark terms, saying, “This is a very serious threat for which we do not have a solution.” Officials are particularly concerned that such drones could be be used to target senior government officials or key state institutions.
The discussion comes as FPV drones have become an increasingly common weapon in conflicts across the region. Earlier on Shabbos, the IDF said it eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist cell in southern Lebanon that had been operating FPV drones near the Blue Line after it launched a drone toward Israeli forces.
Under a 2017 military order governing dual-use equipment, the IDF is authorized to confiscate civilian drones that could be used for terrorist activity. According to security officials, about 400 drones have been seized throughout Judea and Samaria since the beginning of the year as part of a preventive policy.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
