Israel allocates $670 million for anti-drone project after Hezbollah attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the creation of a special project to combat drones, allocating 2 billion shekels (approximately $670 million) to the initiative. The announcement follows a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon that killed 19-year-old IDF Sergeant Idan Fox and injured six others.

The attack utilized First-Person View (FPV) drones controlled via fiber optic cables, a technology widely used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Critics and military doctrine instructors, such as Ran Baratz, have noted that Israel's response to this evolving threat has been slow.

Reports indicate that the threat of such drones was previously identified, including during the October 7 attacks when Hamas used fiber-optic drones to target observation towers. The State Comptroller's Office had issued warnings regarding drone threats as early as 2017 and 2021, criticizing the slow pace of Israeli preparedness.