Located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the town of Magdala became an important economic center during the 1st century CE; it is also thought to be the birthplace of the New Testament’s Mary Magdalene. The wealth generated by the export of salted fish, and perhaps glass vessels and other manufactured goods as well, accounts for the size of the town’s ruins, which archaeologists are still excavating, as well as its elaborate synagogue. Marcela Zapata-Meza writes:

Magdala’s income sources could allow the residents to afford expensive and well-constructed buildings, such as the 1st-century CE synagogue and Jewish ritual baths discovered in excavations. Magdala is the only town in Galilee, so far, [where archaeologists have found] a 1st-century synagogue with frescoes, mosaics, and a unique Second Temple model carved in stone. [This is the only such stone to be] discovered in the biblical lands. The Jewish ritual baths . . . are [also] dated to the 1st century CE and are fed by underground water.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.