Over the past two weeks, 17 people wounded in Hezbollah drone explosions have been brought to Rambam, 11 of them by helicopter. Fifteen soldiers are currently hospitalized there, including five wounded by explosive drones. Since fighting resumed in the north, the Haifa hospital has treated about 132 soldiers.
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“We move with protective gear, vests and helmets, but you don’t know when it will hit you,” said one soldier who came to visit a wounded friend at the hospital.
A friend of one wounded soldier said helicopters carrying drone casualties were arriving almost daily.
“The forces there are completely exposed,” he said. “You don’t know when it will come because there are no specific warnings. I understand it comes silently and explodes. It’s crazy that they still haven’t found a development that can stop this blow, which is now the biggest threat to the forces in Lebanon.”
Another friend said troops had few tools to defend themselves.
“There are no instructions for the forces there, no specific directive,” he said. “The fishing net is the only means of protection.”
He said fiber-optic drones can arrive quietly and appear suddenly, leaving soldiers constantly alert to the sound of buzzing overhead.
“They don’t know when or where it will catch them,” he said. “They have no ability to bring down the drones, which have become the nightmare of the forces in the combat zones in Lebanon.”
Dr. Gil Sviri, head of neurosurgery at Rambam, said the hospital is treating more soldiers wounded by drones, including some in serious condition.
“FPV drones hit forces exposed in the field, and if soldiers are not properly protected, they are wounded,” he said. “Most of the injuries are to the face, neck, hands and limbs — areas that are less protected. Good protection, a helmet and a quality vest, prevents more serious injuries.”
Sviri said the nature of the battlefield threat has shifted over time.
“There used to be many Kornet missiles fired at the forces, then the problem was explosive devices and rockets, and now it is drones,” he said. “The soldiers are constantly dealing with this threat. They are on alert at all times.”
Dr. Hani Bahous, head of emergency medicine and trauma at Rambam, said many of the injuries are caused by shrapnel of varying sizes. He said many drone victims are hit in less protected areas such as the limbs, but added that there are fewer severe head injuries because of helmets.
“The rapid helicopter evacuation from the field also helps, of course,” he said.
Defense officials are working to find a solution that can reduce the drone threat within days or weeks. More than 100 proposals have already been examined, and some are expected to reach troops in the field.
This week, it was reported that combat teams in southern Lebanon are expected to receive new drone-detection kits. Security officials acknowledge the systems will not provide full protection, but say they could give soldiers several crucial seconds to take cover.