Behind the scenes: How Israeli intel uncovered Hezbollah's drone network
An intelligence officer, Lieutenant Colonel N., head of "Lebanon affairs" in the Israeli Air Force's intelligence division, has been tracking Hezbollah's Unit 127 for over two years, the same unit the IDF attacked on Thursday in Beirut's southern suburb, Dahiyeh.
This unit is responsible for importing, manufacturing, and deploying various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Lebanon into Israel.
During the war, the terrorists succeeded in striking locations within Israel and killing civilians and soldiers, most notably in the Golani base attack, which claimed soldiers' lives.
At the height of the northern conflict, Lt. Col. N. led efforts to uncover the secrets of this small Hezbollah unit, significantly disrupting its leadership, key figures, and infrastructure. About six weeks ago, he used intelligence gathered with his team to strike targets in Lebanon.
On Thursday, the Israeli Air Force launched a major attack in the heart of Dahiyeh targeting Unit 127's drone infrastructure.
What has happened in recent months with Hezbollah's Unit 127?
'Hezbollah took a significant beating over the course of the war and is now attempting to regroup by all means. They identified the threat posed by UAVs and invested heavily in them with Iranian support. We detected the plans and their desire to increase production. We are trying to surround Hezbollah with a tightening ring—not only militarily, but also economically, particularly regarding their weapons access and mass production efforts,' the Israeli intelligence source said.
Why did you attack last night?
Lt. Col. N. responded: 'There was compelling evidence of [the location of] sites involved in UAV manufacturing. The operation was complicated because it took place in a civilian area—Hezbollah operates beneath the civilian population in Dahiyeh. They believed civilians would shield them, preventing us from attacking. But thanks to our intelligence, we ensured extensive evacuations; no munitions were deployed before we confirmed that no civilians were present. We made a genuine effort to preserve human life while carrying out our strikes.'
What did you target?
'We hit seven targets: five in Beirut and two in southern Lebanon,' Lt. Col. N. confirmed.
How is Hezbollah operating differently from the peak of the war?
'I believe they're trying to evade Israeli detection now. But there's no magic solution for them. To build and deploy UAVs, they must go through several stages that we can detect and counter. They assumed civilians would protect them, but we must constantly innovate against this cruel enemy,' the intelligence source stated.
What will the future hold?
'This is an ongoing contest. Our goal is always to remain one step ahead. These strikes are the best form of defense - preventing the enemy from obtaining sufficient capabilities in numbers or quality to pose a real threat,' Lt. Col. N. said.
What was Lebanon's reaction to last night's strikes in Dahiyeh, the heart of Hezbollah country?
'So far, it's quiet. Northern Israeli residents did not feel that the attack happened. We hope this calm continues. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that Israeli civilians can travel in the north today is itself an important achievement,' Lt. Col. N. concluded.
No official Lebanese response has been issued yet.
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