Hezbollah is upgrading its drone tactics by incorporating fiber-optic tech and strategies from the Ukraine war, aiming to enhance its attacks against Israel amid supply shortages and evolving threats
Hezbollah has been increasing its use of drones over the course of its war with Israel while seeking to use new types of drones and learn from other conflicts.
The group is also drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine, where both Russia and Ukraine have invested heavily and significantly scaled up their use of drones on the battlefield.
Hezbollah initially began the war in October 2023 with access to Iranian drone technology. This primarily consists of one-way attack drones.
These types of systems are usually about the size of a person or a small car, and they fly based on a series of waypoints or directly toward a target.
They have a warhead and can slam into the target. There is no “man in the loop” control, and the drone usually does not maneuver. These types of drones are relatively slow-moving and can be shot down by planes, helicopters, or by air defenses such as Iron Dome.
A drone is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on October 4, 2023. (credit: REUTERS)
Hezbollah had used drones that could maneuver and return to Lebanon in the past, usually using them for surveillance. The more complex threat that is emerging is the use of drones that not only maneuver but are also harder to jam.
Israel’s N12 media noted, “the terrorist organization has a type of drone that is operated by fiber optics…The drones are controlled from a distance of up to 15 km and carry up to 6 kg of explosives.” The point of using fiber optics is to make the drone impossible to jam, since it is connected to the operator by a very thin line.
The report went on to claim that Hezbollah has turned to using drones “controlled via fiber optics. With this technology, electronic warfare does not affect the vehicle, and Hezbollah is able to control it from a distance of up to 15 kilometers. These are drones similar to those used in the war in Ukraine, and it is clear that Hezbollah is very skilled in operating them.”
Use of these types of drones was pioneered during the Ukraine conflict
The use of these types of drones was pioneered during the conflict in Ukraine. In Ukraine, both Russia and Ukraine rely on drones. Ukraine has pioneered various tactics on the frontline, providing troops with large numbers of different types of drones, enabling troops to defend areas in depth using drones, and also to use drones in larger numbers to strike at Russian lines.
Some drones fly short distances and kill personnel, while others are long-range strategic strike drones.
Hezbollah’s use of drones has received new attention in Israel after the IDF announced that Sgt. Idan Fooks, 19, from Petah Tikva, fell in southern Lebanon on Sunday. He was killed when an explosive drone fired by Hezbollah terrorists hit his position during an operation.
For Hezbollah, the decision to increase the types of drones it is using makes sense. Since October 8, 2023, Hezbollah has attacked Israel with rockets and one-way attack drones. The attacks have caused terror in northern Israel, but they are not very effective. This means Israel can counter these threats.
Hezbollah is now preparing for the next phase. Israel is staying in southern Lebanon in a security belt along the border. The civilians in this area have almost all been forced to leave. This leaves an area along the border that Israel is clearing now of many of the existing homes and other infrastructure, similar to what was done in half of Gaza.
The theory is that this zone will make Israel more secure. Israel operated in a similar zone from 1982 to 2000. What Hezbollah learned in those years is that a long, slow insurgency eventually will sap Israel’s strength.
Hezbollah today cannot operate within the new line where Israel is strong, because it will have trouble infiltrating individuals into those zones. However, it can use drones. Because the drone has a range of several miles when connected to fiber optics, it gives Hezbollah the necessary distance to carry out attacks.
Hezbollah has been cut off from many of its supplies that used to come from Iran via Iraq and then Syria. The new government in Syria is stopping shipments for Hezbollah. Hezbollah thus has a shortage of its old rockets and munitions. It is pivoting to new technology. Ukraine showed that a country can produce locally made drones, then modify them to carry munitions and attach them to fiber optics.
This is something Hezbollah appears to be investing in and trying to learn from the war in Ukraine. Hezbollah in the past could ask Iran for assistance, and Iran speaks to Russia, and even supplies Russia with drones.
It’s plausible that Hezbollah may be learning from Iran about the conflict in Ukraine, or directly learning through other methods.