TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- An Israeli military autonomous vehicle equipped with a machine gun and advanced surveillance systems was seized last week during an operation near the Lebanon border and is now believed to be in the hands of hostile forces deep inside Lebanese territory, according to Israeli military officials.
The incident, first reported by Haaretz, occurred near Moshav Dovev, a northern Jewish settlement close to the volatile Lebanese frontier. The unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), one of two deployed by the Israeli military’s 91st Division during the operation, reportedly disappeared after troops were distracted by the need to recover another UGV that had overturned and required a crane for extraction.
According to military officers familiar with the incident, Israeli troops observed the second autonomous vehicle being loaded onto a tow truck, which then moved further into Lebanon. Initial suspicions pointed to United Nations peacekeeping forces operating in the area, but a subsequent investigation determined that the vehicle had not been seized by international personnel.
The vehicle, outfitted with a mounted machine gun and intelligence systems, raises serious concerns for Israeli military officials, particularly regarding the potential compromise of sensitive technology. The military has not disclosed which model of unmanned vehicle was involved, but the systems on board are typically used for surveillance, perimeter defense, and limited offensive operations.
Commanders in the 91st Division reportedly considered destroying the stolen vehicle with an airstrike but ultimately decided against it, citing operational concerns and possible political ramifications.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions along the Lebanese border. Israel has maintained a growing presence of unmanned systems along the frontier, in part to reduce soldier exposure in contested areas and improve response times.
The Israeli army has not officially commented on whether the vehicle has been located or recovered, nor has it confirmed which group is suspected of taking it. The incident marks a rare and troubling breach for Israel’s increasingly autonomous military operations in a region where Hezbollah maintain significant capabilities.