Did Israel Miss Hezbollah’s UAV Threat? Here’s What You Need to Know

Hezbollah’s UAV flew so low that Israeli forces initially thought it had crashed, before it struck a military base, killing at least four soldiers.

On October 13, Hezbollah forces in Lebanon launched a UAV attack on an Israeli military base in Binyamina, northern Haifa, in retaliation for Tel Aviv’s airstrikes. The Israeli military reported that the attack resulted in the deaths of at least four soldiers, with 58 others wounded, seven critically.

According to the Alma Center, an Israeli think tank specializing in northern security issues, Hezbollah deployed two Mirsad drones, also known as Ababil-T, in the operation.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Israeli military, two Hezbollah UAVs were detected by air defense radar as they approached Binyamina from the coast. One was shot down by Israeli forces, while the second UAV evaded pursuit by fighter jets and helicopters after disappearing from radar, likely due to flying too low. Believing the UAV had crashed, Israeli authorities did not sound an alarm. However, the drone later crashed into a military base near Binyamina, marking the deadliest attack on an Israeli military facility since September 23, when Israel intensified its strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it targeted the IDF’s 1st Golani Brigade training base with a swarm of drones and warned of harsher consequences if Israel continues its operations in Lebanon. The Alma Center reported that the Mirsad/Ababil-T UAVs used in the attack have a range of 120 km, a top speed of 370 km/h, can carry 40 kg of explosives, and fly up to 3,000 meters, making them a key asset in Hezbollah’s arsenal.

Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, Hezbollah has launched multiple drone, rocket, and missile attacks on northern Israel, declaring its support for its ally Hamas. Hezbollah has stated it will continue these assaults until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. In response, Israel has intensified airstrikes on Hezbollah positions and begun a ground offensive in southern Lebanon. The escalating conflict has resulted in over 2,000 Lebanese deaths and displaced approximately one million people.

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