A new drone war is on. It is a mix of hacking tactics and high-tech equipment

If the Israeli defense forces initiate a land offensive on Gaza, they may use a mix of hacking tactics with the use of drones in order to conduct cybernetic operations at a completely new level.

According to a report from the drone analysis group, Dronesec, since the start of a cross-border attack on October 7, the group has been using small commercial drones to drop grenades on tanks, ambulances, border posts, and communication towers. Ukrainian and Russian forces have employed a similar tactic, but experts point out how effectively Hamas forces configure drone settings to avoid detection. The fact that these forces are well-informed cannot be overlooked either.

"When we look at the current atrocities committed by Hamas, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. However, everything points to the fact that they have excellent intelligence information on the locations of Israeli secret bases and their communication capabilities," Alperovitch said during a meeting in Washington. "They know exactly where to carry out an attack".

"We know that terrorist organizations like Hamas have vast capabilities that threaten cybersecurity," Alperovitch added. "I think it's quite likely that cyberspace played at least some role in preparing for an operation that probably took years to plan." If Israel begins ground operations in Gaza, the world is likely to witness another chapter in the drone war in urban environments.

During a security peak that took place back in 2022, the Israeli Defense Forces spoke about the possibilities of using drones. For training purposes, these were adapted to intercept personal data from nearby cell phones, which allowed Israel's intelligence officers to quickly determine if wanted fugitives were hiding inside. This significantly sped up the response of the remaining forces.

The NSO Group, founded by soldiers of an elite Israeli cyber intelligence unit, has been selling spyware named Pegasus to various regimes for years. There are many examples where this software has helped in fighting crime. On the other hand, this software - or similar - can be successfully used by terrorists and criminals.

"The NSO Group is just the tip of the iceberg of the Israeli spy software rental industry. In recent years, after Pegasus encountered such negative comments on the international stage, many Israeli companies took up the challenge to dominate the market. These alternatives do not differ from each other and they are still being sold to some of the most repressive nations in the world," reports Defense One.

And although the greatest controversy is the issue of human rights violations by this type of software, the information gathered in this way is primarily intended to limit civilian casualties by quickly detecting terrorists who seemingly do not differ from ordinary citizens. However, many experts remain skeptical on this topic.