Hezbollah drone attack 'nearly killed' Israeli army's northern commander
The Lebanese resistance has been using FPV drones equipped with night-vision, and has recently managed to accurately target air defense systems and detection radars
Tel Aviv admitted on 4 June that a Hezbollah FPV drone struck the convoy of its military’s Northern Command chief in south Lebanon weeks ago – in what Israeli media has describedas an attempt by the resistance group to assassinate the top commander.
The Hezbollah drone hit right near the commander of the Israeli army’s Northern Command, Major General Rafi Milo, as he was visiting troops in south Lebanon weeks ago, the military announced on Thursday. “No damage was caused and there were no casualties.”
Hebrew media reports said the drone hit one of the military vehicles in the convoy shortly after Milo and a female officer exited their own car.
Military officials cited by Israeli news site Ynet said that “Hezbollah attempted to assassinate the Northern Command chief.”
“Following the near-hit on one of its top generals and other recent drone strikes, the IDF changed procedures for field visits along some routes, tightened procedures for detecting and intercepting drones, and sent additional protective equipment to forces in the area, including wire mesh netting and new detection systems,” the report added.
Hezbollah has released footage showing its drones managing to bypass mesh netting. Detection systems installed in the south have also been accurately targeted by the resistance.
Israel’s Channel 14 also reinforced the assessment that the strike was an assassination attempt.
Commenting on the incident, Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) military correspondent Itay Blumental said that if Milo had been killed or wounded, it would have dealt Israel a significant strategic and psychological blow, adding that it would have been the kind of achievement Hezbollah has sought for years.
He also questioned whether senior Israeli officers should continue entering Lebanon while the army still lacks an effective response to the growing threat posed by the Lebanese resistance's attack drones.
This was not the first Hezbollah attack targeting a senior commander.
The commander of the Israeli army’s 401st Armored Brigade, Meir Biderman, was seriously injured by Hezbollah resistance fighters in south Lebanon on 20 April, as he was positioned in a building with several other troops.
Biderman entered a building in south Lebanon’s Debel with several other soldiers. Hezbollah’s drone penetrated the building and exploded on impact. Hebrew news site Walla reported that Biderman sustained a serious shrapnel injury to the head and was placed on artificial respiration and anesthesia after being airlifted out of south Lebanon.
Hezbollah released footage of the FPV drone attack targeting the 401st Armored Brigade’s headquarters in south Lebanon.
After Hebrew media reported that drone attacks were hindering Israeli operations in south Lebanon and forcing them to postpone operations until late at night, Hezbollah began to use FPV drones equipped with night vision technology.
The group recently released footage of some of these late-night operations.
In recent weeks, Israeli media has complained that the army did not take warnings about these drones seriously until facing heavy casualties in Lebanon this year.
Israel has admitted to the deaths of 28 soldiers since 2 March 2026. Hezbollah says it has killed many more.