Raised in Egypt by American Christian missionaries in the years before the Six-Day War, James Hoffmeier later pursued a career as an Egyptologist—but, unlike most others in this field, he also has paid much scholarly attention to the Hebrew Bible. Hoffmeier argues that the book of Exodus displays extensive signs of familiarity with the culture of Pharaonic Egypt, and could not have been composed—as many academic Biblicists today believe—by someone living under Persian or Babylonian several centuries after the events it describes. After making his case on philological and archaeological grounds, he explains why, as a devout Christian, he believes it important to see the Exodus as a historical event rather than a mere parable or legend. (Interview by Dru Johnson. Audio, 50 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.