Israel asks its defence sector to help foil drone attacks

By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's government has turned to industry to bolster the military's ability to intercept aerial drones launched by Iran or the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.

The Defence Ministry said on Tuesday it had launched a competition among eight large and small companies.

"After analysing the trial results, the Defence Ministry will select several technologies to enter an accelerated development and production process. This aims to deploy new operational capabilities within months," it said.

In addition to missiles, Iran, Hezbollah and others have used drones in attacks on Israel.

On Sunday, Hezbollah said it had attacked the Israeli military's Golani Brigade in Binyamina in northern Israel with a "swarm of drones". It said some of the drones, which included models it had not used before, had eluded Israeli air defence radar.

Israel's military said four of its soldiers had been killed and seven severely injured.

"The UAV threat is a multi-arena threat originating from Iran, which supplies UAVs to Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and even launches them itself," said Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

"We must concentrate the national effort ... to produce operational solutions quickly."

The ministry's director general, Eyal Zamir, said it had already invested hundreds of millions of shekels in such capabilities.

Those participating include Israel's top defence firms, Elbit Systems, Rafael, and Israel Aerospace Industries.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

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