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After Hezbollah's Strike... Questions Arise About the Effectiveness of Israeli Air Defense Systems
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This attack highlights the importance of continuous development in drone technologies and air defense systems, indicating a new technological arms race in the Middle East

Following the bloodiest losses in the Israeli army's ranks in a single day since the conflict began over a year ago, through the most violent "Binyamina raid" ever, questions are being raised about how Hezbollah's drone reached the military facility and Israel's failure to intercept it - an unprecedented event for one of the region's strongest armies.
The army is investigating how the drone reached its target, its ability to evade radars, the failure to sound warning sirens, and to determine if there was human error or negligence. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claims that the drone used is a new model previously unused and unknown to the Israelis.
The attack, which targeted a restaurant inside a military facility in Binyamina south of Haifa, resulted in dozens of Israeli officers and soldiers being killed and wounded while gathered for dinner.
Military expert Ismail Abu Ayoub considers the Binyamina raid a "qualitative strike" from all aspects and for several reasons. He explains to "Al-Hurra" website that "the attack proved that no air defense system is capable of detecting and intercepting targets 100% of the time, and in the world of armament, there are always surprises and unexpected events."
He added that "the drone used in the raid might be made of materials that radars cannot detect (non-wave reflective), such as Bakelite, fiberglass, and plastic."
He continued, "This drone may be equipped with an engine that doesn't emit infrared radiation, possibly a small electric motor, and there's a factor that contributed to the drone reaching its goal, which is the study of weak points in radar detection."
Hezbollah - listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries - announced in a statement late Sunday night that it targeted "one of the elite Golani Brigade camps in Binyamina south of Haifa city (...) unknown to many settlers."
The party reported, "In a qualitative and complex operation, the rocket force (...) launched dozens of rockets towards various targets in the Nahariya and Acre areas to distract Israeli air defense systems, and simultaneously, the air force (...) launched swarms of various drones, some used for the first time, towards different areas in Acre and Haifa, where the qualitative drones managed to penetrate Israeli air defense radars without being detected and reached their target in the Golani elite brigade training camp in the Binyamina area south of Haifa city."
The Israeli army announced late Sunday night that four of its soldiers were killed in "a drone attack that penetrated the airspace from Lebanese territory and exploded at a military training base" near Binyamina in central Israel.
Fifty-eight soldiers were wounded in the attack, seven critically, nine moderately, and the rest lightly. Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi considered the attack on Monday as "difficult and painful," stating, "We are at war, and an attack on a training base in the home front is difficult and its results are painful," during his inspection of the base.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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