Gaza: In Beirut, residents again heard the low hum of an Israeli surveillance drone after about a week of silence On April 17, 2025.
Late that night, fast‑flying Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier above the city, creating deafening booms that shook windows across the capital. These sudden returns of aerial activity sent many Beirutis scrambling for cover as the noises echoed through neighbourhoods.
The drone first appeared during Israel’s recent confrontations with Hezbollah, remaining aloft almost daily and stoking anxiety among civilians. Since a November ceasefire, it has shown up only sometimes—often just before strikes.
Earlier this month, the same drone was spotted ahead of an air attack on a location Israel said held a Hezbollah operative working with Hamas. The latest sighting came without warning, again underscoring how quickly the fragile calm can shatter.
Israel deploys these drones to watch for suspected Hezbollah movements, gather intelligence and warn its jets where to strike. The sonic booms from the jets serve as both a warning and a show of force.
Even under ceasefire terms, these overflights remind Lebanon’s capital that peace remains fragile and that any flare‑up along the Israel‑Hezbollah border can plunge civilians back into fear and uncertainty
