Representatives of IDF personnel stationed in southern Lebanon contacted fishermen on the Sea of Galilee over the past week, asking to purchase or receive donations of fishing nets to bolster defenses against the threat of Hezbollah drone attacks, according to a Sunday report by Israeli public broadcaster KAN News.
The effort was reportedly a personal initiative from soldiers in the field, and was not part of an organized procurement process for the IDF or the Defense Ministry, KAN noted.
In recent weeks, soldiers have used various methods to contend with the threat, including shade nets, soccer nets, and fishing nets. However, not all types of nets are effective against explosive drones.
The IDF is reportedly working to create a uniform standard of defense against the drone threat, according to KAN, while also placing an organized order for nets to be installed on buildings, vehicles, and protected positions.
Yonatan Shalev, who will run in the upcoming elections with Naftali Bennett's Together Party, commented on the report, saying, “As someone who almost died a few days ago from an explosive drone strike on the building where we were staying in Lebanon, I am ashamed to read such a report, and am forced to admit that it is true.”
“I am ashamed that no one here is learning from mistakes, and mainly worried about what will happen in the next round in a few days,” he added
Menahem, a veteran fisherman from the Galilee area, told KAN, “Those trying to solve the problem do not understand how to properly manage this issue.”
He also added that he personally knows groups that have a large supply of fishing nets.
“Kibbutz Ein Gev wants to help. If they want fishing nets, they should contact me, and we will find a solution.”
“This is to save lives and help the IDF,” Menahem added. “The Ein Gev fishermen always do this.”
Hezbollah's growing drone threat
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently praised the organization’s first-person view (FPV) drones, claiming they made Israeli forces "dizzy."
He also highlighted several recent drone attacks on IDF soldiers during a speech on "Resistance and Liberation Day," which commemorates the IDF's withdrawal from southern Lebanon on May 25, 2000.
This past Saturday evening, the IDF announced that Staff-Sgt. Noam Hamburger was killed by an explosive drone strike near the Lebanese border.
On Wednesday, Col. Meir Biderman, the 401st Brigade Commander, was severely wounded in another explosive drone attack. The IDF stated that he would be temporarily replaced by the brigade’s current chief of staff, Col. (res.) H.
In the same incident, a reservist officer sustained moderate injuries from another drone strike, while a non-commissioned officer was lightly wounded. In total, at least seven IDF soldiers were injured by drones on Wednesday.
James Genn contributed to this report.