A recent video showing an explosives-loading drone hitting an Israeli Iron Dome battery could not be more symbolic: Israel’s famous air-defense system, which cost billions of euros, looked powerless against a small plane that cost a few hundred euros.
Although the authenticity of the video has not been verified yet, experts believe that it is genuine.
The footage was published about a week ago by Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based pro-Iran militia, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Germany, the US and several Sunni Arab states.
The drone attack, if genuine, would mark a propaganda victory for Hezbollah and highlight a significant weakness in Israel’s military capabilities.
Fiber-optic drones are impossible to detect
Since March, Hezbollah has increasingly used FPV (first-person view) drones to attack Israel, which provide pilots with a real-time image of their targets. Many Israeli soldiers have been killed and many injured in such attacks.
The concern among Israeli military experts is that a growing number of these drones are not controlled by radio signals, but through fiber-optic cables, separated by a coil. This means that their communications have become nearly impossible to detect and jam with traditional electronic warfare methods.
Ukraine and Russia have used fiber-optic drones extensively in their warfare since 2024. Both sides have resorted to immediate counter measures such as setting up protective nets, cutting drone cables or shooting them down with shotguns. Yet both countries have still not found a way to detect these air units.
slow to adapt
Given these battlefield developments, many observers are surprised that Israel’s military does not appear better prepared against drones.
“Armies and defense forces that were preparing themselves for major wars are facing new challenges for which they were not prepared,” said Neri Zin, managing director of Israeli arms startup Axon Vision. Xin said large military forces may be slow to adapt, leaving them vulnerable, telling DW that “a battle tank that costs millions of dollars can suddenly be defeated by a Chinese FPV drone for $400 or less that you can buy on Alibaba.”
Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Kornichuk, is surprised that Israel is not trying to learn from Ukraine’s experience. “We don’t see much interest or appetite from the Israeli leadership in this area,” the diplomat told Israeli news portal Ynet News on May 11.
Asked about the situation, an IDF spokesperson told DW that Israel is closely monitoring global theaters of war around the world, adding that the Israeli armed forces are “at the forefront of the race to develop equipment to counter the threat.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself is under increasing pressure to take action, recently telling Israeli media that he had ordered “the establishment of a special drone threat project.” Yet Netanyahu appealed to the public for patience, saying, “It will take time.”
Various technical measures are being discussed. These range from equipment to visually and acoustically detect flying objects, to deploying microwave and laser technology to destroy drone electronics – as well as the use of artificial intelligence.
need cheap solution
“You need a simple solution and you need it now,” said drone expert Neri Zin. “You can’t wait years to develop it.”
Zin’s startup is already working on solutions to stop fiber-optic drones, focusing primarily on vehicle-mounted systems to protect small units. The idea is to record the surrounding environment using visual and thermal cameras. This data is immediately analyzed by specially trained AI systems, which then send targeting information to weapon systems.
Zinn said humans are still part of this decision-making process. Yet he also noted that, especially in hostile environments, autonomous action may be authorized for certain periods of time.
Zin said his company already has customers in various countries, including Europe. Ultimately, drone warfare is always about economics, he said. Anti-drone defense must be affordable to avoid being completely overwhelmed, he said.
“I saw an Emirati general yesterday talking about the cost of the previous conflict with Iran,” Zin said. “They fired a type of missile against the martyr drone that cost $8 million.”
This article was originally written in German.