’Israel’ Talks of Hezbollah’s Professionalism: The Downing of Zik Proves that Our Enemies Learn Quickly

Translated by Al-Ahed News 

By Udi Etzion, Walla website

A video showing the Zik drone [Hermes 450] falling out of the sky towards Lebanese territory after being hit by a Hezbollah missile marks a landmark moment of success for the concept; the hunter has become the hunted. It’s also a worrying alarm bell.

Thirty years have passed between the time when Zik was selected in a top-secret tender to be the “Israeli” Air Force’s first “remotely manned” attack UAV and the downing of the aircraft by enemy fire.

However, the Air Force lost more than just a 20-year-old drone on Monday.

For the first time, it faced the realization that the enemy had also become sophisticated and professional. The Air Force rushed to convey a message to [Sayyed Hassan] Nasrallah and attacked Baalbek, destroying Hezbollah’s air defense systems. But the threat to the “Israelis” remains and is not limited to the Lebanese scene. Last week, Houthi rebels in Yemen shot down an American MQ-9 drone for the second time.

Zik revolutionized air warfare, saved lives, and saved a lot of money for the defense budget. Its downing shows that the other side also recognized this and prepared accordingly. The hunter has become the hunted. “Israel” Air Force and the Ministry of Defense must not underestimate this challenge.