A video posted online last week by an individual claiming to be a resident of Lebanon has ignited debate among defence experts over the appearance of an unidentified stealth drone flying near southern Lebanon. The drone’s origin and capabilities are unknown, but its design has led to speculation that it may belong to either the U.S. or Israeli military.
The drone, shown flying off Lebanon’s coast, has a shape similar to Northrop Grumman’s RQ-180, a highly secretive reconnaissance UAV reportedly in U.S. Air Force service since around 2016. However, several analysts noted that the drone in the footage does not match known images of the RQ-180, suggesting it may be a variant or a different model altogether.
Some defence observers believe the drone could be the RA-01, an advanced UAS allegedly developed by Israel. Details about this model were recently uncovered in a U.S. intelligence leak, which included information on Israel’s covert drone operations over Iran. According to the leaked U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) documents, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted a series of secretive drone missions between October 15 and 16, using stealth UAS to gather intelligence on critical targets.
“The Israeli Air Force continued covert UAV operations from 15 through 16 October,” the documents state, describing Israel’s ability to carry out long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over sensitive areas, including Iran. Analysts believe Israel’s fleet of stealth UAS enables it to monitor high-risk regions while minimising detection risks.
The NGA documents also included imagery analysis showing personnel and equipment preparing UAS at Ramon Airbase in southern Israel before these missions. Earlier this year, additional images surfaced, reportedly showing a wing segment of the RA-01 with a wingspan estimated at around 16 metres, a size comparable to other high-endurance stealth drones.
The appearance of the drone over Lebanese waters has raised questions about the extent of regional drone operations and prompted widespread interest online. Defence experts continue to debate its origin, with some noting that the area has been a site of significant aerial activity amid ongoing tensions.
Post Image Credit: Screenshot from social media video
