Having consulted with some of the foremost experts on the subject, Amanda Borschel-Dan details some of the most important archaeological discoveries in the land of Israel. The experts named the tomb of Herod, cutting-edge research using biology and genetics, and, of course, the Dead Sea Scrolls as some of the most significant finds of the past 70 years. Amidst these discoveries, controversies surrounding the correct approach to the Bible have not abated:

“A major debate in the last 40 years is the historicity of the Hebrew Bible,” Yosef Garfinkel, head of the Institute of Archaeology at Hebrew University [said]. In recent decades, there have been several discoveries that could be interpreted as shoring up biblical narratives, several of which were found in Jerusalem’s ancient Old City. The most recent among them was a clay seal impression bearing what could be the name of the prophet Isaiah, discovered by Eilat Mazar in her recently renewed Jerusalem excavations. . . .

Garfinkel [names] several other examples of archaeological evidence in support of the biblical narrative. . . . “A few finds indicate that the Bible indeed bears historical memories,” said Garfinkel, who is directing archaeological expeditions to Khirbet Qeiyafa, Tel Lachish, and Khirbet er-Rai.

Garfinkel said excavations of the fortified city of Khirbet Qeiyafa “indicates urban society in Judah at the time of King David.” A portable shrine found at Khirbet Qeiyafa “indicates royal architecture in Judah at the time of David and Solomon.” According to Garfinkel, “the biblical text described [similar] architecture that was used at that era.” . . .

But foremost among the findings that both Aren Maeir [of Bar-Ilan University] and Garfinkel highlight is the Tel Dan stele discovered in secondary use in 1993 bearing an inscription on a 9th-century-BCE stone slab that mentions “House of David.” The stone and its fragmentary inscription is called by some the “first historical evidence of King David.” . . . While not naming the fabled king specifically, . . . it does recount the victory of an Aramean king over his two southern neighbors: the “king of Israel” and the “king of the House of David.”

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.