While Christianity, especially in its mainline Protestant denominations, has been in continuous demographic decline in the U.S., there has been a steady growth of what some observers have termed “neopaganism.” The trend may have seen its most public manifestation when a group of self-described witches gathered in a Brooklyn bookstore and “metaphysical boutique” to put a hex on Brett Kavanaugh before the Senate hearings on his confirmation to the Supreme Court. There are also “spiritual but not religious” practices, often associated with bodily health, and often available only at a price—ranging from healing crystals to the evocatively named SoulCycle exercise classes.

Together, do these point to a form of paganism, or an emerging post-Christian religious reality? What is the chance that some sort of quasi-pagan spirituality will become America’s dominant religion? Ross Douthat, Tara Isabella Burton, and Steven D. Smith—all three of whom have written books on this subject—discuss these and many other related questions. (Video, 86 minutes.)

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.