In recent years, the terrorist organization Hezbollah established its aerial UAV unit, Unit 127, under Iranian leadership. This unit produced and stored hundreds of UAVs and cruise missiles throughout Lebanon, hiding weapons in villages and civilian buildings. The ammunition was meant for attacks against Israel. The unit received weapons and technology from Iran, transforming it into a key player in Hezbollah’s terror efforts. The UAVs were used by the organization for repeated attacks on targets deep within Israeli territory.
Destroyed Targets: Military Objectives and Senior Commanders
With the outbreak of the war and as part of Operation “Northern Arrow,” the IDF, using fighter jets, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force, launched a large-scale operation to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure of this unit. So far, more than 200 vital targets have been attacked, including:
– 150 UAV launch positions
– 20 weapon depots containing UAVs and cruise missiles
– 30 operational command centers
– 4 UAV and cruise missile production workshops
Additionally, through airstrikes, Hezbollah lost about 70% of its UAV stockpile and about 30 cruise missiles intended to harm Israeli civilians.
It should be noted that alongside attacking the infrastructure, the IDF is also working to thwart the senior commanders of the unit. In a targeted strike carried out yesterday in Beirut, Jaafar Ali Samaha, the deputy commander of Unit 127 and responsible for its aerial operations, was eliminated. Samaha was considered a central figure in the organization and had been responsible for planning and executing UAV and missile attacks against Israel for over a decade. Additionally, the IDF eliminated Mohammad Hussein Sarour, known as “Abu Salah,” the commander of the aerial unit, in Beirut on September 26, 2024. About a month later, Khatcheer al-Abed Bahja, another senior member of the unit responsible for the northern Litani sector, was also killed.
An IDF spokesperson said: “Alongside the effort to damage the unit’s commanders and capabilities, the IDF has been addressing the UAV threat since the beginning of the war, aiming to identify and neutralize airborne threats to the State of Israel. In recent months, hundreds of explosive UAVs fired at Israel have been intercepted. The Israeli Air Force continues to improve defense systems to ensure the security of Israel’s citizens.”
