Israeli envoy displays Hezbollah drone at UN, warns of growing threat

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has displayed what he said was a Hezbollah drone during a United Nations Security Council meeting, warning members of the international body about the growing threat posed by advanced unmanned aerial systems used by non-state armed groups.
Addressing the council, Danon said the drone exemplified the type of technology increasingly being deployed by Hezbollah and other armed groups in modern conflicts.

Holding up the device during his presentation, the Israeli envoy described it as a small, low-cost but highly effective weapon capable of evading traditional defence systems.

“This is an example of a drone used by Hezbollah, this is what we are dealing with,” Danon said.

According to him, Hezbollah has been deploying various types of drones, including some equipped with fibre-optic technology, making them difficult to detect and counter.

“These drones weigh less than two kilograms, they fly low and are very difficult to detect, by the time you hear one above your head, it is often too late,” he said.

Danon further claimed that the drones can travel considerable distances without detection and are resistant to conventional electronic warfare measures.

“It can fly undetected for tens of miles. It does not rely on a radio signal and cannot be easily jammed,” he said.

The ambassador noted that the technology provides operators with a live video feed and direct control throughout a mission, enabling precise targeting.

“It gives the operator a live video feed and direct control until impact. This is modern warfare, cheap, precise and deadly,” he added.

Danon also argued that the technology is increasingly accessible, stating that some of the components used in such systems can be acquired through commercial online platforms.

The presentation comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which have exchanged cross-border attacks in recent years.

In recent weeks, Hezbollah has released videos that it says show drone strikes targeting Israeli military vehicles and personnel operating near the Israel-Lebanon border. The group has frequently highlighted its growing drone capabilities as part of its military strategy.

The display at the Security Council underscored growing concerns among governments and security experts about the proliferation of relatively inexpensive drone technology and its impact on modern warfare.

Military analysts have warned that small unmanned aerial systems are increasingly changing the nature of armed conflict, allowing both state and non-state actors to conduct surveillance, intelligence gathering and precision attacks at relatively low cost.