As Hezbollah released a video of the downing of an Israeli Heron 1 drone, attention quickly shifted from the aircraft itself to a broader question about the military capabilities the Lebanese group still retains despite months of Israeli bombardment.
For retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Hisham Jaber, the answer may lie in the significance of the target that was brought down.
Speaking to Anadolu, Jaber said Hezbollah’s downing of the Heron 1 drone over the area of Nahleh in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley suggests the group still possesses air-defense systems that Israeli forces have been unable to locate or destroy.
On Saturday evening, Hezbollah released footage showing the downing of the drone. The video included thermal tracking images of the aircraft as it flew at an altitude of around seven kilometers above Nahleh.
Additional scenes showed the drone crashing to the ground from multiple camera angles, with wreckage visible at the site.
Hezbollah described the incident as the first known downing of a drone of this type and noted that Israel “had imposed a media blackout on the downing.”
According to Jaber, the operation offered a rare glimpse into capabilities that Hezbollah has used sparingly throughout the war.
“Through this operation, Hezbollah revealed that it possesses an air-defense weapon system that it employs from time to time,” he said.
Jaber argued that Hezbollah still maintains both air-defense and coastal-defense systems, noting that neither Israel, Hezbollah, nor the Lebanese army has announced their destruction.
“The possibility remains that these systems could also be used against an Israeli vessel,” he said.
The retired officer added that Israel has so far “failed to identify the locations of such systems or eliminate them.”
The Heron 1, he noted, is a high-value target worth an estimated $10 million.
Jaber believes the interceptor missile was likely launched from the Bekaa Valley rather than southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s missile stockpile
The military analyst said Hezbollah possesses a variety of Iranian-made surface-to-air missiles capable of engaging targets at altitudes exceeding seven kilometers and potentially reaching 10 to 20 kilometers.
“When Hezbollah identifies a target of significant value, it resorts to using these missiles because of their importance,” he said.
“For that reason, the group does not employ such weapons regularly, but only on select occasions,” he added.
Jaber suggested Israel is attempting to deplete Hezbollah’s stockpile of advanced missiles, while Hezbollah seeks to preserve them by limiting their use.
The footage released by Hezbollah concluded with a message in Arabic and Hebrew reading: “Heron 1 is in the hands of the Islamic Resistance,” indicating that the group had recovered the wreckage.
The recovery of debris could provide opportunities to examine Israeli military technology more closely.
According to Hezbollah, the Heron 1 is a strategic reconnaissance drone manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. The aircraft reportedly has a range of 1,000 kilometers, can fly at altitudes of up to 10 kilometers, remain airborne for as long as 20 hours, and is equipped with electro-optical sensors, multi-target tracking systems, and ELINT-COMINT intelligence-gathering capabilities.
Its missions include supporting ground forces with intelligence and precision-guided fire, tracking moving targets from distances of up to 50 kilometers, and carrying four precision tactical missiles.
The downing came as Israeli forces continued daily strikes and demolition operations in Lebanon despite a US-backed negotiation process and a fragile ceasefire that took effect on April 17.
Since March 2, Israel has carried out a broad military campaign in Lebanon that has killed nearly 3,800 people and wounded 11,700 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. More than one million people have also been displaced.
Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, including territories held for decades and others entered during the previous war between 2023 and 2024. During the current escalation, Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers beyond the border, marking their deepest incursion in years.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul
