South Sharon Regional Council Warns of Immediate Threat from Explosive Drones Near West Bank Border

Residents of Kibbutz Eyal in the South Sharon Regional Council were alarmed this week by the unusual noise of an American refueling plane overhead, raising fears of a new security threat: explosive drones. Locals, including Yoval from the kibbutz, expressed concern about the growing danger after reports of such drones being found in the West Bank and their use by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The security concern is grounded in recent intelligence revealing Iranian efforts to replicate the use of explosive drones, which have caused significant damage to Israeli forces in Lebanon, now potentially targeting the West Bank. While the Israeli military assumes no active explosive drones are currently operational in the West Bank, it confiscates any drones detected as a precaution. Senior security officials confirmed that dozens of explosive drones have recently been seized in the area.

South Sharon Regional Council head Oshrat Gani-Gonen emphasized the immediacy of the threat, stating that it is no longer a future risk but a present reality. She warned that if a drone crosses the border, it could reach Tel Aviv within six minutes. Gani-Gonen highlighted ongoing communications with Central Command Chief Aviv Blot and demanded that the military provide full defensive capabilities, including electronic countermeasures and radar systems, as civilian solutions are insufficient.

Local security officials, including the council’s security officer Yoav Saban, have been actively discussing drone threats with security officers from other border communities. Saban stressed the urgency of preparedness, noting the rapid learning curve of hostile forces and the need for monitoring and drone neutralization systems along the border. The council is also pursuing a legal claim demanding 50 million shekels from the state to fund a regional command center and defense equipment.

The drone threat is seen as a critical security challenge requiring immediate military support to protect the "soft belly" of the country, encompassing 31 communities in the South Sharon Regional Council near the West Bank border.