The Israel Defense Forces knocked out Hezbollah-run underground drone production and storage facilities near Beirut late Thursday that IDF officials said were being operated in violation of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement that halted fighting along Israel’s northern border.
Hezbollah’s aerial force, known as Unit 127, has launched more than 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles toward Israel throughout the war. The drones are used both to transport explosives and to carry out reconnaissance missions, IDF officials said Friday on their Telegram page.
“Despite the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s aerial unit continues to engage in terrorism and expand its capabilities,” the IDF said. “The unit is working to produce thousands of UAVs under the direction and funding of Iranian terrorists, as part of Iran’s efforts to harm the State of Israel.”
The drone factories and storage facilities were located inside densely populated civilian areas in what IDF officials said was “another example of Hezbollah’s cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields.”
“Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence,” Israeli officials said.
Hezbollah militants travel to Iran for training in production systems that support the group’s ability to independently manufacture UAVs inside Lebanon. “The IDF is determined to take action against terrorists trained in Iran for terrorist attacks,” Israeli officials said.
The drone factories that were struck constituted a “blatant” violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. “The IDF is prepared in defense and offense and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel and its civilians, and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah to reestablish itself,” Israeli officials said.
