In September, the Islamic Republic put to death the champion wrestler Navid Afkari on blatantly false charges; his real crime was criticism of the country’s tyrannical rulers. Wrestling is a major sport in Iran, especially popular among the lower classes. With the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to begin in the summer of 2021, Hossein Khosrov Ali Vaziri (the wrestler known as the “Iron Sheikh”), Benjamin Weinthal, and Alireza Nader urge the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take action:

The IOC and United World Wrestling (UWW) failed to speak out when they could have saved Afkari’s life by warning the regime that murdering its own athletes would make it a pariah, unwelcome at the Olympics and other world-championship competitions. To provide a measure of justice for Afkari and repair their own tattered reputations, the two organizations must now banish Iran’s regime from international sports competition.

Even as the IOC and UWW went silent, wrestlers and martial artists launched a grassroots campaign to save Afkari. Popular and decorated wrestlers across the globe, from Germany to Canada to the United States, posted messages and videos on social media urging the regime to cancel the hanging. . . . Then, after the regime did the dastardly deed, the IOC said it was “shocked” and noted that the IOC president Thomas Bach had appealed by letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani for “mercy for Navid Afkari.” The UWW issued a self-absorbed statement about its “behind-the-scenes work” with the IOC.

Neither seemed to understand that the Tehran regime can easily ignore quiet appeals; what it fears is public shame. Seeking justice for Afkari may also help spare the life of other Iranian athletes—such as disabled bodybuilder Reza Tabrizi, who may face execution for asking why gyms have been closed during the COVID pandemic while religious shrines remain open. . . . The IOC should make clear [that the] Olympics have no place for regimes that kill their own competitors.

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.