An Israeli Heron military drone flies over the city of Ashdod in southern Israel on November 13, 2019. Illustration photo Ahmad Gharabli/AFP
For several days now, Israeli drones have been incessantly buzzing in the skies over numerous neighborhoods in Beirut and its suburbs, infiltrating the day-to-day soundscape and invading the privacy of those living below. Residents told L’Orient-Le Jour they have heard drones in areas such as Achrafieh, Badaro, Ras al-Nabeh, Baabda, and even in Barja (Chouf district), about 10 kilometers from Saida.
One Badaro resident humorously remarked that Israeli drones “have almost entered his bedroom.” What are these drones doing in these areas, and why are they flying at such low altitudes, so easily noticeable and audible to the residents?
“These drones are conducting reconnaissance missions. They are observing specific houses and individuals,” says retired army general Khalil Helou. According to him, these drones are so advanced that they can “track phone calls, recognize a specific person’s voice, or identify someone through their biometric data.” The loud buzz is on account of the propellers and cooling engines they drones are equipped with, he explains.
Helou claims the Israeli drones are present across several areas in Lebanon as a result of the “movement of pro-Hezbollah populations.”
“The Israeli army is tracking Hezbollah officials who may have relocated as well,” he says. As an example, he points to an Israeli strike on Friday in Baadaran, in the Chouf district, targeting “a Hezbollah official who had taken refuge in the area.”
The drones themselves aren’t new. Israel has been sending reconnaissance drones into Lebanese territory since 2020, Helou says. Since October 2023, Israel has deployed non-stop surveillance over southern Lebanon and Gaza, with the onset of the Gaza war and subsequent cross-border fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.
‘Provoking Hezbollah’
Elijah Magnier, a military expert and political risk analyst, said that Israel is using drones over Beirut to “stay updated on ground intelligence.”
“Armies collect information through drones and satellites. With these kinds of devices, they aim to ensure their data remains accurate and to track whether their targets are moving,” he told L’Orient-Le Jour.
Magnier also believes that the persistent low-altitude drone flights are “a way to provoke Hezbollah, to push them into firing anti-missile defenses, even though the chances of that happening are slim.”
According to him, Israel possesses all kinds of drones, including silent ones that go unnoticed.
“So, when Israel sends noisy drones, it’s intentional, designed to create a psychological impact on the population,” he said
This explanation is echoed by political analyst Ali al-Amine. “When they fly that low, it’s meant to intimidate the population,” he said. “No one is going to dare shoot at a drone, fearing they’ll be detected.”
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
