In the biblical book of Amos, there are several references to a tremendous earthquake that struck the Land of Israel “in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel”—i.e., in the 8th century BCE. Likewise, the much later book of Zechariah mentions an earthquake that took place “in the days of Uzziah.” Archaeologists have just found new evidence of this event, writes Amanda Borschel-Dan:

In a forthcoming research paper, the archaeologists chart, for example, that in one particular 8th-century-BCE structure, the destruction layer did not show signs of fire, yet other factors suggested the building had been damaged in a traumatic event, apparently an earthquake.

Through decades of research, archaeologists and seismologists have successfully documented the historical veracity of such an earthquake event that spread throughout the kingdom of Judah 2,800 years ago. . . . But only in recent excavations led by Joe Uziel and Ortal Chalaf was this destruction layer discerned in Judah’s capital, Jerusalem. And it could be a real game-changer.

Until now, the earliest destruction layer of Jerusalem comes from the Babylonian conquest of 586 BCE. For archaeologists, an earlier historical anchor—if proved through hard, securely dated evidence—serves as an important stratigraphical benchmark for scientific excavations in Jerusalem.

“It’s not that per se we’re providing here a way to date [excavated objects], but rather an anchor to which we can compare what comes before and what comes after,” cautiously explained the Israel Antiquities Authority excavation co-director Uziel; . . . “if I know I should be looking for some kind of destructive event in the middle of the 8th century, then I know what comes before and after.”

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.