Former air force chief says Lebanon air superiority damaged

Outgoing air force chief Amiram Norkin tells the Kan broadcaster that Israel no longer has unfettered air superiority in Lebanon’s skies.

The channel reports that after a drone was nearly shot down by an anti-aircraft missile over Lebanon about a year ago, officials decided to reduce the number of surveillance flights over its northern neighbor, harming its intelligence gathering capabilities.

The report would seem to confirm a boast by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in February that Israeli drone flights over Lebanon have been “greatly reduced” due to Hezbollah’s improved air defenses.

Nasrallah threatened to begin shooting down drones in 2019, after two drones exploded in southern Beirut, in an attack blamed on Israel.

Asked if the air force is ready to attack Iran, amid criticism that the army is unprepared, he says Tehran only returned to the top of the military’s agenda after the US pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018.

“We need to coordinate our plans to the enemies preparations,” he says. “We need to present what we can do, not only in Iran, in 2022, 2023 and on. But we also need to stand by what we cannot do, because the air force head has a huge responsibility, and based on what answers they give, decisions are made by the leadership. So I only give accurate, reliable answers about what we can do.”

The channel says a longer version of the interview will be aired Thursday.