Netanyahu Orders Escalation as Hezbollah Drone Attacks Surge

by | May 26, 2026 | News

flying rocket during daytime

Israel is intensifying military operations in Lebanon after a dramatic surge in Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks that has left northern communities exposed and IDF commanders publicly acknowledging they lack effective countermeasures.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that he had instructed the military to “press the pedal even harder,” vowing to “strike them decisively.” Hours later, the IDF announced strikes against more than 70 Hezbollah sites in the past 24 hours, including command centers and weapons depots in Tyre and the Beqaa Valley.

The escalation follows eight days in which Hezbollah fired over 1,000 drones and more than 700 rockets at Israeli troops and northern communities. A soldier was killed by a suicide drone Sunday, and on Monday an unmanned aerial vehicle struck a home in Metula while another explosive drone hit a bus stop in the village of Shomera.

An IDF official made the unusual admission that Israel is currently “defenseless” against fiber-optic-guided first-person-view drones, which are largely immune to electronic jamming. “The truth is our hands are tied, and that needs to change soon,” the official said.

A senior U.S. official signaled Washington may soon authorize broader Israeli action. “Israel will never be expected to passively absorb attacks on its forces and civilians,” the official said. “This is not the Biden administration.”

Northern mayors warned residents that fighting would intensify in coming days. Schools along the border were closed and shifted to remote learning.

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