Hezbollah releases footage of spy drone filming Haifa naval base, sensitive missile bases and factories

IDF: Drone was under supervision, not intercepted because it didn’t pose threat

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The Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah on Tuesday published footage taken by a spy drone that infiltrated about 27 km (17 miles) into Israel and ostensibly flew above the Haifa area for at least 10 minutes without being shot down.

The high-definition footage shows sensitive areas like the Haifa port and naval base, aerial defense systems like David’s Sling and Iron Dome, the RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems factory, as well as civilian areas.

Israel Defense Forces reported that its systems were tracking the small “Hudhud”-type drone the whole way but decided not to shoot it down as it didn’t pose a threat, while an interception may have caused shrapnel that would endanger many civilians in the Haifa metropolitan area.

The Israeli Alma Research Center later published an analysis of the footage, showing that it was cut together from several videos despite attempts to make it seem like the video was filmed in one long take.

A Hezbollah source told Al-Mayadeen, a news outlet affiliated with the terror group, that the video was only the first in a planned series showcasing Hezbollah’s spy drone abilities.

The anonymous source also claimed the timing of the publication was directly related to the visit of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon, which the terrorists see as part of “a mission of an Israeli nature, even if they pretend to present it as mediation.”

According to Army Radio, the IDF later confirmed that this was one of four spy drones identified last week, of which it intercepted two. One of the drones was not intercepted to prevent shrapnel causing alarm sirens in large parts of northern Israel, while the defense system lost contact with the last drone.

The army said spy drones are more difficult to detect and intercept as they aren’t armed with explosives and are very small.

The IDF source admitted to Army Radio that the army understood the psychological damage wrought by the footage among the residents of the Haifa area, and emphasized that the IDF is constantly working to improve its interception capabilities while continuing to damage the launch squads from Hezbollah’s air unit.

Following the release of the concerning footage, Foreign Minister Israel Katz threatened Hezbollah that Israel was getting “very close to the moment of decision to change the rules” on the northern front.

“Nasrallah boasts today about filming the ports of Haifa, operated by international companies from China and India, and threatens to attack them,” Katz wrote on 𝕏.

“In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely hit. The State of Israel will pay a price on the front and home fronts, but with a strong and united nation, and the full power of the IDF, we will restore security to the residents of the north.”