TEL AVIV — Israel’s military has penetrated Iran’s leadership, dismantled much of Hezbollah’s command structure, and demonstrated unmatched regional firepower. But despite its technological edge, it is struggling to stop one of the cheapest weapons on the battlefield: small explosive drones used by Hezbollah against Israeli troops.

“You can’t escape these drones. We don’t currently have an operational answer,” an Israeli security source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “We will eventually have one, but it will take time. We are working on it. There are improvised solutions. We have ordered a large quantity of American hunting rifles capable of firing clusters of bullets to bring down a drone — if you see it in time."

In recent days, Israel launched operations north of the Litani River — roughly 12-19 miles from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon — with special forces from the highly decorated Golani Brigade and Egoz commando units taking control of areas from which Hezbollah had launched drones and rockets.

“It’s a tactical move; it won’t solve the problem," the security source said. "When you push them out of one area, they simply relocate to another."