A 35-year-old Lebanese man, identified only as Fadel Z in accordance with German privacy laws, has gone on trial in Celle, northern Germany, accused of being a key operative in Hezbollah’s drone programme. Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim group, has its military wing designated as a terrorist organisation by the European Union. The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office alleges that Fadel Z joined Hezbollah over a decade ago, initially working in public relations before transitioning to a more critical role in 2022 as a ‘foreign operator’ for the group’s drone initiatives, first from Barcelona, Spain, and later from Germany. Prosecutors claim that Hezbollah has been running an extensive drone programme, which escalated following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. By June 2024, the group reportedly amassed an arsenal of over 10,000 drone units. Fadel Z is accused of procuring materials worth approximately €1.4 million (£1.2 million) for drone construction, sourced from companies in Europe, China, and the United States. These materials included more than 2,000 petrol and electric motors and over 600 propellers. Prosecutors allege that Fadel Z used front companies registered in his name or under his contacts to place orders and arrange transportation of the goods to Lebanon via container ships or air freight. Two of the engines he purchased were allegedly used in explosive drones launched by Hezbollah at Israel, one of which targeted a retirement home in Herzliya on Yom Kippur in October 2024. Although the explosive detonated, no injuries were reported among the 200 residents. The trial, expected to last until August 2025, comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which began after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli positions in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza following Hamas’s attacks. The conflict, which lasted 13 months, resulted in significant casualties and displacement in Lebanon, with Israeli authorities also reporting losses.