The Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah on Tuesday published footage taken by a spy drone that infiltrated some 27 km (17 miles) into Israel and flew above the Haifa area for at least ten minutes without being shot down.
The high-definition footage shows sensitive areas like the Haifa port and naval base, aerial defense systems like David's Sling and Iron Dome, the Rafael defense company's factory, as well as civilian areas.
The Israel Defense Forces said its systems were tracking the small "Hudhud"-type drone the whole way but decided not to shoot it down as it didn't pose a threat, while an interception could cause shrapnel that would endanger many civilians in the Haifa metropolitan area.
A Hezbollah source told Al-Mayadeen, an outlet affiliated with the terror group, that the video was only the first in a planned series showcasing Hezbollah's spy drones' abilities.
The anonymous source also claimed the timing of the publication was directly related to the visit of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon, which the terrorists see as part of "a mission of an Israeli nature, even if they pretend to present it as mediation."
According to Army Radio, the IDF later confirmed that this was one of four spy drones identified last week, of which it intercepted two. One of the drones was not intercepted to prevent shrapnel causing alarm sirens in large parts of northern Israel, while the defense system lost contact with the last drone.
The army said spy drones are more difficult to detect and intercept as they aren't armed with explosives and are very small.
The IDF source admitted to Army Radio that the army knew the psychological damage wrought by the footage among the residents of the Haifa area, and emphasized that the IDF is constantly working to improve its interception capabilities while continuing to damage the launch squads from Hezbollah's air unit.
Following the release of the concerning footage, Foreign Minister Israel Katz threatened Hezbollah that Israel was getting "very close to the moment of decision to change the rules" on the northern front.
"Nasrallah boasts today about filming the ports of Haifa, operated by international companies from China and India, and threatens to attack them," he wrote on X.
"In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely hit. The State of Israel will pay a price on the front and home fronts, but with a strong and united nation, and the full power of the IDF, we will restore security to the residents of the north," he said.
Republished with permission from All Israel News.