Israeli Fisherman Donates Nets to IDF for Drone Defense After 40 Years on Sea

After more than 40 years fishing in the Sea of Galilee, Menachem Regil shifted his focus from catching fish to protecting soldiers. Inspired by images from Ukraine showing troops using fishing nets to shield themselves from drones, Regil began collecting and donating his fishing nets to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to help defend against drone attacks. "I don't want to see children dying from drones," he told Sky News.

The threat comes primarily from FPV drones used extensively by Hezbollah and Hamas, which transmit real-time attack footage and are sometimes connected by fiber optic cables, making them immune to electronic jamming. In such cases, physical barriers like fishing nets can entangle the drones, causing them to explode safely away from targets. The IDF is currently testing the effectiveness of these nets at its bases, finding them to be a simple, inexpensive, and reliable layer of defense.

However, military officials caution that nets are not a standalone solution but part of a multi-layered defense system needed for modern battlefields where small, lethal drones are increasingly common. Meanwhile, Israeli startups are developing advanced anti-jamming circuits to protect drones that rely on GPS navigation, allowing them to operate uninterrupted in hostile environments. Demonstrations showed protected drones continuing to function while unprotected receivers failed completely.

This innovative use of traditional fishing equipment alongside cutting-edge technology highlights Israel's adaptive approach to countering evolving drone threats in regional conflicts.