Ministers Updated: Possibility of Drone Attacks Worries Security Establishment Leadership

In a classified discussion in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, IDF and NSC representatives updated ministers that Israel's enemies are constantly arming themselves, and that the possibility of drone attacks worries the security establishment leadership. Last month, a senior Israeli official admitted a serious threat with no solution. Israel is considering stricter regulations and a ban on drone use, amid the escalation with Iran.

In a classified discussion held today (Thursday) in the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, representatives of the National Security Council told lawmakers that the cabinet had received a warning about the drone threat. The lawmakers were not told the exact target of the threat or from which sector it is expected to come. However, IDF and NSC representatives noted that Israel's enemies are constantly arming themselves, and that the possibility of an attack by drones worries and occupies the security establishment leadership. Last month, a senior Israeli official said that Jerusalem plans to announce stricter regulations and a ban on drone use, due to fear of explosive or fiber-optic drones from neighboring countries or from Judea and Samaria, amid the escalation with Iran. According to him, the matter was discussed extensively in the political-security cabinet. Israel hopes the ban will make it easier to deal with the threat. Security sources told Ynet that there is no indication of explosive drones in Judea and Samaria—especially not fiber-optic drones. "There is a very serious threat here, to which we have no solution," he said. "We must say this honestly—it is a very serious threat." The scenarios feared in Israel are harm to elected officials or institutions by explosive or fiber-optic drones. Two months ago, Ynet revealed that the military identifies Iranian efforts to ignite the area in Judea and Samaria, including by transferring the use of explosive drones that cause great damage to IDF forces in Lebanon to the Judea and Samaria sector. Security establishment sources then explained that the working assumption is that there are no active explosive drones in the area—but as a preventive measure, the IDF confiscates any drone found in the sector.