Iranian military officials acknowledged tactical failures during the recent war with Israel while insisting the country's missile capabilities remain largely intact, with a senior Western diplomat stated missile sites may now be relocated deeper into eastern Iran for protection. "If we keep. "We did not think that they would target our commanders and scientists in their own homes along with their families. We miscalculated and admit that we were wrong,"  Mohammad Reza Naghdi, a Revolutionary Guards deputy commander said. Despite strikes that killed dozens of senior commanders, Naghdi claimed "Israel has not destroyed even 3% of our missile launchers," the Financial Times reported.

The Revolutionary Guards recently staged a public weapons exhibition at Tehran's National Aerospace Park, displaying ballistic missiles, hypersonic systems, and attack drones. The display sought to project military strength and reassure citizens following the 12-day war with Israel and the US that exposed significant vulnerabilities. Israeli strikes killed dozens of senior commanders and nuclear scientists, while over 1,000 people died in Iran, according to the Financial Times. Tehran argues its massive missile response forced the conflict to halt.

A 35-year-old accountant named Nasrin stopped before a Sejjil ballistic missile, remembering social media images of the weapon soaring through skies during fighting, the Financial Times reported. "Thanks to these missiles, the US and Israel knelt down before us," she remarked. "Without them, Iran would have become like Gaza."

Last month's presentation formed part of a campaign to convey strength following a war inflicting severe damage on the Islamic republic – and to assure citizens the nation remains combat-ready should necessity arise, according to the Financial Times.

Brigadier General Ali Balali of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, serving as exhibition director, told attendees: "People are seeing these missiles and drones up close, and realise they're locally made weapons to defend the homeland," the Financial Times reported. "Our capabilities place us within the club of nations known for significant missile development."

During months following the 12-day conflict, wherein the US briefly participated before negotiating a ceasefire, numerous Iranians describe existing in a state of "no war, no peace," according to the Financial Times. Iran has prohibited UN inspectors from accessing its most sensitive nuclear installations, which sustained US bombing, and has reached deadlock with Washington over resuming atomic energy program talks, the Financial Times reported. European powers have additionally reimposed sanctions.

These developments have produced mounting anxiety within Iran that renewed combat may prove inevitable rather than hypothetical, according to the Financial Times. "Our missile capability must continue to grow," stated Sara, a 19-year-old psychology student at the aerospace park. "The war could resume at any moment."

Officials insist Iran's military preparedness undergoes swift restoration, the Financial Times reported. Yet the exhibition also represented an attempt to shift public narrative away from vulnerabilities exposed during combat, when Israeli forces eliminated dozens of senior commanders and nuclear scientists in a devastating opening assault. Iranian authorities reported casualties exceeding 1,000.

By launching what it describes as more than 600 missiles in retaliation – the most extensive bombardment Israel has confronted in its history – Tehran argues it compelled the war to cease, the Financial Times reported.

Iranian officials contend the war should be assessed not solely by deaths but by financial costs Israel and the US incurred intercepting relatively inexpensive Iranian munitions and executing long-range aerial operations, including with expensive precision guided missiles, the Financial Times reported.

Shahed drones, utilized by Russia in its Ukraine war, received prominent display, alongside multiple other drones reverse engineered from US and Israeli models Iran captured, the Financial Times reported. Still, the Islamic republic has also sought to address its shortcomings. Domestically-manufactured radar systems failed to prevent Israeli jets and drones from striking Tehran. In recent YouTube interviews with hardline director Javad Mogouei, ministers and military commanders admitted Israeli tactics caught them unprepared.

"We were taken by surprise by the way the enemy operated," stated Mohammad Reza Naghdi, a Revolutionary Guards deputy commander during the war, according to the Financial Times. "We did not think that they would target our commanders and scientists in their own homes along with their families. We miscalculated and admit that we were wrong."

The most embarrassing moment occurred with Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran in July 2024, when Iran declined to retaliate against Israel, the Financial Times reported. Officials now acknowledge this reflected not strategic restraint but an uncomfortable reality: Tehran recognized it lacked sufficient capabilities to respond effectively and required time for rebuilding.

Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, informed Mogouei that Iran had worked to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of its missiles during subsequent months, according to the Financial Times.

"We are working around the clock to reach a new level of readiness," Naeini declared. "Without long-range ballistic missiles, this war would have lasted eight years [like the war with Iraq], not 12 days. It would have taken us a year, not hours, to go on the offensive."

A senior Western diplomat in Tehran stated missile sites may now relocate deeper into eastern Iran – farther from Israeli and American aircraft – for enhanced protection, the Financial Times reported. "If we keep the enemy's targets beyond its access, there won't be another war," Naghdi stated. "Their costs must exceed their achievements."

Western diplomats are also monitoring for indications whether the republic seeks foreign assistance to rebuild its military strength, the Financial Times reported. The critical question, as one expressed it, involves whether nations like Russia, China and Pakistan are offering support to Iran.

For many aerospace park visitors, the conclusion proved evident: Iran's future depended not merely on protecting but strengthening its weapons program, according to the Financial Times. "If we put aside our missile programme, we will be attacked more severely next time," stated Keyvan, a 27-year-old computer engineer. "After the war, we realise more than ever how invaluable these missiles are."

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The battles in Ukraine and Russia, alongside Israel's multi-arena warfare, have underscored the pivotal role of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles on the battlefield, sparking a surge of demand in the defense industry for anti-drone solutions.

Numerous companies produce anti-drone systems that detect and intercept drones using diverse techniques, including communication and GPS jamming, RF detection, video processing, and the integration of optical sensors and radars. Yet, each time a response to the threat is created, a new generation of drones emerges that circumvents it. This is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game in which what worked yesterday may not apply today.

At first, drones were controlled through a fixed frequency and could be intercepted relatively easily via frequency jamming. Very rapidly, drones adopted "frequency hopping" techniques, enabling them to evade jamming systems. In response, defense systems were compelled to develop smarter scanners powered by machine learning.

When drones began relying on GPS, satellite-signal spoofing methods were developed, causing them to lose orientation. Later, drones appeared that navigate using internal sensors and computer vision, technologies that render them resistant to radio jamming. Then arrived the swarms, posing the quantitative challenge of intercepting dozens of targets at once. Each time defense closes a gap, offense generates a new way to circumvent it, and this occurs at a dizzying rate. Companies working in this field cannot afford to become complacent. They must consistently update, develop, and tailor solutions at the pace of the threat.

"The drone threat never stops growing and developing, literally day by day. This requires us to always be one step ahead, providing solutions not only to current threats but also to those that will emerge in the future," said Baruch Dilion, CEO of Israeli company Autonomous Guard, which develops drone detection and interception systems.

Dilion spoke to Israel Hayom precisely as his company was demonstrating the interception system for representatives of a European nation. "The Europeans are in total hysteria. They understand this is real. They're accelerating long-term programs and, in the short term, building point-defense plans. We're participating in several such projects," he added.

Transitions to aerial symmetry

Skylock, a subsidiary of Autonomous Guard, presents a multi-layered defense philosophy. The detection layer relies on a blend of RF, optical, acoustic, and radar capabilities, along with information fusion, to identify as many types of aerial threats as possible under varying conditions.

Following identification, the interception operation relies on an array of electronic warfare and jamming capabilities, as well as kinetic measures. Now, a laser is also joining the arsenal of interception capabilities.

Skylock possesses two types of lasers: one for a range of hundreds of meters and another for up to 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles). "Laser is a fantastic solution," Dilion said, "but it's point-based and the range is limited. It's excellent when drones move visually and don't rely on an external link, but the inability to address a swarm of drones is a real limitation. When ten targets arrive simultaneously, you need something else."

Here is where the next vision comes into play: drone-versus-drone. Rather than launching expensive interceptors from ground or air sources, the concept is to achieve a symmetrical response in quantitative terms: launching many relatively inexpensive interceptor drones against a drone attack.

"To deal with swarms, you must respond with quantity," Dilion explained. "An Iron Dome interceptor costs a lot. An interceptor drone costs a few thousand dollars. If I detect five drones, I launch five. If I detect 50, I launch 50."

Skylock is not the first company trying to embrace a drone-versus-drone interception approach, but the practical execution is more intricate than it sounds. The primary problem is the "last mile" – roughly the final 100 meters where the target maneuvers close to the ground and terrain conditions are especially challenging. "Quite a few companies are claiming to offer such a solution; it may work well in controlled demonstrations, but not in operational conditions," Dilion said. "In the system we're developing, the interceptor drone locks onto the target at close range using optical sensing, and from that point it locks on and crashes into the target. This is the ultimate solution."

Europe fortifies

In Europe, the war in Ukraine has accelerated a deep process of change: countries are moving from point defense of critical facilities – bases, airports, power stations – to regional defense, with the long-term goal of establishing a unified spatial network that synchronizes all monitoring and detection areas. "In the end, everyone will understand that one monitoring network and full information synchronization are necessary. But until that happens, point solutions are needed now," Dilion said.

Skylock belongs to parent company Autonomous Guard, which also owns BeeSense, a company creating ground, aerial, and maritime surveillance systems. The connection between the two permits Autonomous Guard to present a multi-layered defense envelope, from information collection to interception. "The synergy between BeeSense and Skylock enables providing a complete defense solution – ground, aerial, maritime – from one company, because the systems are integrated," Dilion explained. "For example, BeeSense detection systems are integrated as detection means for drones in Skylock's system." According to Dilion, the operational benefit of connecting the two companies is the capability to adjust defense to the required scale: from a single facility to an entire border network. "Our systems can interface even for the defense of a long border."

According to Dilion, the challenge today is not only identifying the threat but also dealing with the volume of information. "It's possible that even the amount of information that preceded October 7 was an inhibiting factor in prevention. Information fusion and cross-referencing between systems allow the user to distill what they really need to make the right decision."

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"I once knew a contractor who said he had a 'distribution line.' He'd receive several women from the other side of the border, leave them in the tribe for a week or two, and then 'distribute.' I'd wake up in the morning and see women standing with information cards about who to call, asking me where the 'club hotel' is. They knew they'd be in jail for two weeks, then go out to work. Unfortunately, it was a completely free market. All the smugglers needed to make it an organized border crossing was duty free. And now? Now it's drones and weapons."

You've probably seen the video Oksana filmed. With desert indifference, the metallic buzzing emerges from the horizon. A drone penetrates from Egypt to Israel undisturbed and wanders in Israel's skies like a homeless person at a wedding. Somehow, this video went viral and "jolted" public attention from its slumber. Israeli media also rushed to cover the phenomenon from Tel Aviv studios, and this week, it was reported that hundreds of drones had penetrated the area in recent months. Indeed, the phenomenon is neither new nor rare.

Topaz Kaplan (43), also from Kadesh Barnea, is the new Israeli farmer. A redhead by nature, with a pistol in his pocket, by day he grows onions and four children, and at night is a member of the Peled team. "The Peled team is a body we established here, in the Nitzana opening settlements, inspired by LOTAR Eilat. We established an intervention team here that provides a quick response to any incident that might come. We did this following the 'burning wheels' attack (a coordinated terror attack that occurred in August 2012 at the Israel-Egypt-Gaza Strip border junction.) We knew that if something happened here – there wouldn't be a quick response from forces, so we established the team and started training.

"On October 7, at a very early hour, we were already alerted and left Nitzana opening. The team commander was a good friend of Southern Brigade Commander Col. Asaf Hamami of blessed memory, and he called us to come. We drove north via the operational road, along the border, and arrived from below, surprising a battalion of Nukhba forces on their way to Moshav Sdei Avraham and settlements in the south.

"They engaged us on the road, and that's where Yiftach Gurney of blessed memory was killed, a team member from Be'er Milka, but that engagement also stopped their entire attack toward the southern Strip. From there, we reached Holit, and there Liran Almosnino of blessed memory was killed, a friend from Moshav Kamhin. You see that tree there, the lone one by the border? We called it 'Liran's tree,' because he always made stops there. During Sukkot, they'll also open a mountain bike single track trail, which will be in memory of Yiftach, who was a cyclist in the area."

Topaz navigates the jeep with native skill. Where's the amusement park and where's the roller coaster between desert hills and dry riverbed cliffs, on the road leading to Flag Hill – an observation point over the area where an Israeli flag flies for miles. "My plot ends at the edge of the border," Topaz points with his finger to a green wonder in the brown that ends by the fence. "A large part of the chases after smugglers happen in my field – and that means lots of damage. Look, this morning I had to report that a military patrol crushed my water pipeline, simply because the chase passed there. It's become part of our routine."

From Flag Hill, you can clearly see the tangles of Israeli bureaucracy. Topaz marks the areas of responsibility: "From the fence to the settlement – that's the army's. After that, it's the Shin Bet's and police's. So a drone that crosses the border and flies a kilometer inland, who's supposed to stop it? And if the vehicle waiting for it by the fence left the border area and managed to escape inland, who will chase it?"

We descend from the hill and approach Topaz's fields. On the way, we wave hello to a thermal camera that Ramat Negev Regional Council installed on a hill above the border. Another layer of security that doesn't really contribute to the sense of security. The Thai workers' residences are in the frontier area at the edge of the moshav, near the fields, and Topaz clarifies that the drone phenomenon also has implications for livelihood capability in the place.

"A few weeks ago one of the Thais simply got up in the morning, and without saying a word got on a bus and left. When the drone passes, the Egyptians allow themselves to shoot without asking permission and without anything. It directly affects our livelihood. Look at the quarters they sleep in, suddenly bursts start being heard in quantities from the direction of the Egyptian positions. You're sitting at home or in the greenhouse and hearing gunfire. It's not far, it's here, above you, beside you."

I look at the Thai workers' caravans, measure with my eye the distance from them to the Egyptian guard tower, and understand that the Egyptians could hit the caravans with a stone. The Israeli mind, accustomed to a distant border, refuses to understand how one can live so close.

Topaz clarifies the impact of proximity on daily life: "The Thais didn't come to wake up in the middle of the night from bursts. Every morning we wake up and ask if the workers stayed or fled, and I don't blame them. You also wouldn't want your child to sleep on this border, even if the shooting at the drones is 'supposedly' not at you."

"They know that if they pass over our settlements the IDF won't shoot them down to not endanger residents' lives. But these drones endanger the State of Israel," Doron marks on the map with a red laser pen the smuggling route from Egypt to Beersheba.

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Subkh welcomes what he calls a "positive change" in Israel's position. "We are grateful to Minister Sa'ar for condemning Russian attacks against civilians at the press conference," he said, noting this was the first time a senior Israeli official at such a level explicitly named Russia in this context. "We hope Israel will voice its position more strongly regarding the crimes being committed by Russia on Ukrainian territory, preferably by the highest-ranking officials."

The triangular relationship between Israel-Ukraine-Russia has not changed much during the war. Israel seeks to maintain correct relations with Moscow to protect its interests and strengthen or distance them according to global developments, while it openly supports Ukraine's territorial integrity but refrains from sending, selling, or transferring Israeli weapons through third parties to Kyiv. "Israel maintains direct dialogue with Moscow," Subkh said, recalling Israel's participation in the Victory Parade on May 9 – "We were not pleased with the participation," he admitted.

However, Subkh expresses appreciation for Israeli humanitarian aid. "During the conversation, Minister Sa'ar noted that MASHAV (the Center for International Cooperation at the Israeli Foreign Ministry) has only two aid targets – the Druze in Syria and Ukraine. This proves Ukraine holds a special place," he said, adding that Sa'ar announced water systems for southern regions affected by the war, following the transfer of warning systems and the field hospital that operated in the country throughout the war.

Last weekend, Russia launched 235 drones and 27 missiles in a massive attack on the city of Dnipro and its surrounding region, killing three civilians and wounding six. "A terrible night. A massive combined attack on the region," the regional governor wrote on Telegram, alongside photos of destroyed buildings and burned cars. The nighttime alerts and attacks are a reality for a long line of cities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv. Additional air defense systems are at the top of Ukraine's current priority list for military aid. "We desperately need to defend our skies. There is no safe place in Ukraine right now," Subkh emphasized in the interview. He clarified that Ukraine is prepared to purchase defense systems with full payment – "We are not asking for them for free. We have our own funding."

He also addressed reports about Patriot systems returned to the US from Israel – and then transferred to Kyiv. "There was so much commotion in the media around this issue," Subkh said, adding, "It's incorrect to think Israel supplies the necessary equipment directly to Ukraine. Partners are willing to facilitate equipment supply." Particularly interesting to Kyiv are Israeli technologies against drones – "Certain types of technologies Israel has, we urgently need them."

Although Israel has refused so far to transfer weapons to Kyiv, it agreed to launch a "strategic dialogue on the Iranian threat" – a move that could lead to intelligence and technological collaboration in the future. "There is a need to establish a communication line between Ukraine and Israel on the Iranian threat," Subkh explained. "You have a lot of information, sometimes unique, about Iran. We also have important information that could help Israel in dealing with the Iranian threat." Both sides agreed to establish a joint working group comprising representatives from various government ministries to monitor the process and foster cooperation.

Ukrainian intelligence across its various bodies has demonstrated impressive capabilities throughout the war, including complex operations deep in Russian territory, involving assassinations of senior officials, and, of course, the drone operation that severely damaged Moscow's strategic bomber fleet. Additionally, they have struck Russian forces and their allies worldwide in Syria, Sudan, and West Africa.

Subkh views the Israeli strike on Iranian capabilities very positively. "Apparently, the US and Israeli attacks against Iranian nuclear facilities threw the Iranian program back for a long period," he said, adding, "This is positive, I hope." When asked whether the damage to Iran's military capabilities will reduce supply to Russia, he responds confidently, "I believe so." According to him, "The less Russia depends on Iranian military equipment, the weaker Russia becomes," which is why Moscow turned to North Korea – "to compensate for what it doesn't receive from Iran."

The Ukrainian diplomat does not spare harsh criticism of Iran. "Iran is a partner in the crime of aggression against Ukraine because Iran supplies drones and drone technologies to Russia," he accused. "We have never heard from the Iranian government statements saying they condemn or at least oppose the use of Iranian drone technologies or Iranian-made drones against Ukraine. They have never done this, despite being able to."

He added that "I think the Iranian people deserve a better future, they are not satisfied with the regime they have. I don't think any nation would be happy to live under severe sanctions for decades." He added that he believes "positive changes might also happen in Iran."

The war in Ukraine has become a perfect example of the new warfare era – the drone age. From observation to attack, from intercepting UAVs to complex missions, drones have become a central tool on the battlefield. Against this backdrop, President Zelenskyy presented Minister Sa'ar with a cooperation proposal. "Israel can join our programs and benefit from Ukraine's extensive knowledge and expertise in drone production," Subkh recounted. "We have unique knowledge and experience; what's missing is funding," adding that Kyiv is also open to the possibility of drone production taking place outside Ukraine.

Regarding Gaza, Subkh presents the official Ukrainian position. "The humanitarian situation in Gaza is very serious," he said, noting that Ukraine supplied the Strip with at least 7,000 tons of grain and wheat as part of the "Grain from Ukraine" program. Kyiv supports increasing humanitarian aid to the Strip, a position that aligns with that of the European Union. In the same breath, he emphasized, "We condemn everything Hamas did and does, and we do not see Hamas as part of Gaza's future."

Outside the magnificent building of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which was home to the headquarters of Ukraine's Communist Party before the USSR's collapse, a funeral is taking place for a senior commander killed in battle. Two long rows of officers and comrades-in-arms escort his coffin into the cathedral, passing by, kneeling. For now, Ukraine is "holding the line," but is also desperately calling for help.

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Saudi Arabia possesses a well-equipped air force, based primarily on American-made systems and aircraft. In 2017, during President Donald Trump's first term, an extensive arms deal was signed with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and this deal was further expanded during his recent visit to the region.

Saudi Arabia hasn't officially confirmed involvement in the interceptions and even condemned Israel for launching the offensive against Iran. Israel, the United States and European countries demonstrated close operational cooperation, through which Iran's image as a regional threat was damaged.

The political significance is broad – the very fact that a leading Sunni state, perhaps the most central one, is acting in ways that lead to thwarting Iranian threats even without public declaration indicates a deep regional shift. However, Saudi Arabia emphasized it won't allow use of its airspace for striking targets in Iran.

12-day international coalition

During the 12 days of fighting against Iran, several countries acted to defend the region's skies, including Jordan, which operated mainly through its air force in its airspace; Britain and France, which also operated in the aerial arena; and the United States military, which alongside the IDF was the most active – through aircraft, ships, Patriot and THAAD air defense systems and more.

Iran launched over a thousand drones toward Israel. Most were intercepted far from the border, and a minority were shot down by the Israeli Air Force over Israeli skies. This joint operation wouldn't have been possible without years of exercises and simulations with international partners – including Greece, Italy, France and Britain.

At the center of activity stood US Central Command – CENTCOM – commanded by General Mike Kurilla, who's credited with a significant contribution to the cooperation mechanism that operated here. Since the IDF joined CENTCOM, a well-connected military system has been built and developed, including Israel and European countries like Britain, France, Greece, Italy and Cyprus.

Another significant achievement of this framework is establishing a joint American command and control center, connected in real-time to all involved militaries. Kurilla himself sat in this center during many stages of the fighting, leading coordination between intelligence, warning, activation and interception elements.

Years of preparation

In the IDF, the International Planning Division in the Planning Directorate is responsible for managing relations with CENTCOM and other partner countries. International Planning representatives have a role in every command and corps – ensuring continuous contact with counterparts in foreign militaries. The frequency of dialogue with American commanders has risen dramatically in recent years – from ceremonial conversations every six months to daily dialogue, joint exercises, coordinated flights, and even intelligence cooperation.

The chiefs of staff – the recently retired Chief Herzi Halevi and current Chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir – have also maintained close relations with senior commanders in the US military. The US serves not only as a bridge between Israel and regional countries but also as a coordinating factor with Arab countries with which there are no direct relations.

This cooperation was tested not only now but also in previous waves of Iranian attacks on Israel in April and October 2024. Then too, the United States and European countries operated in various arenas – some through interception means, others through location and information sharing. Now, during the 12-day campaign, the operation was much broader in scope.

Jordan, unlike others, publicly acknowledged interception operations and even emphasized that drones fell in its territory causing damage – which required a response. France also explained its participation as defending its interests in Jordan, while avoiding public mention of Israel.

The results that received impressive expression in the current war could form a basis for much larger political moves – perhaps even for the comprehensive regional move that President Trump is planning as part of his "mega-deal" for the Middle East.

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As tensions escalate along Israel's northern frontier, Hezbollah's expanding fleet of Iranian-made drones has emerged as a significant threat, testing the limits of the country's sophisticated air defense systems. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have demonstrated an alarming ability to penetrate Israeli airspace, causing destruction and casualties while often evading one of the world's most advanced air defense networks.

While Hezbollah has suffered significant losses to many of its weapons systems, which have largely failed to make substantial impacts during the ongoing conflict, the terror organization's UAV arsenal has become a real thorn in Israel's side. What makes these Iranian-made drones a genuine threat, and how can they be countered?

While many of Hezbollah's weapon systems, including long-range missiles and precision munitions, have struggled to inflict significant damage on Israel, the drone array the organization received from Iran has evolved into a real threat and a major challenge for Israel.

Hezbollah has been operating drones, primarily for reconnaissance purposes, since before the Second Lebanon War in 2006. With the advancement of Iran's unmanned vehicle program over the past two decades, Hezbollah, like other Iranian proxy organizations, has been equipped with a large number of cutting-edge Iranian-made tools for reconnaissance, attack, and target destruction.

Mirsad

The UAV that struck the military base was likely a "Mirsad" drone manufactured by the Iranians. It's a small aircraft with an explosive warhead of about 44 pounds that can reach speeds of about 124 mph. This is a tool that Hezbollah possesses and has recently deployed more than once.

DR3

Within Hezbollah's drone arsenal are several key players for attack and "suicide" missions, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Hezbollah holds an unknown quantity of heavy and large cruise missiles of the DR3 model, originating from Russian-made Tupolev drones converted into "suicide" vehicles that can reach ranges of over 124 miles with a heavy warhead of 661 pounds. These come with significant advantages but also clear drawbacks.

The heavy drone requires a massive launcher that must be placed in a building or on a truck and can be detected relatively easily. In recent weeks, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has successfully documented the destruction of several such drones hidden in civilian homes in southern Lebanon. So far, there is no known successful launch of this weapon.

Karrar

The Karrar is an Iranian-made drone based on the American jet-powered Striker drone. The Karrar is a kind of "poor man's fighter jet" because it combines suicide attack capabilities, bomb dropping, and even air-to-air missile launches against aircraft. Its range is relatively long, and Hezbollah apparently attempted to use it during the Syrian civil war.

However, the Karrar's jet engine and relatively high radar signature make it less effective for deep missions in Israeli territory and much more vulnerable to Israel's anti-aircraft array.

Ababil-T

The Ababil series, named after a type of bird from Islamic folklore, is the workhorse of the Iranian drone fleet. The early models of the series served Hezbollah back in the early 2000s, and some even reached the Hamas terror organization.

The Ababil-T is an advanced series model with an improved navigation system and an efficient and quiet internal combustion engine that is very difficult to detect by radar. The Ababil-T is agile enough to make optimal use of the Lebanese terrain and thus evade interception as it makes its way to Israel's borders. It doesn't need a large launcher and can be deployed from almost any terrain.

However, its relatively small range, only about 75 miles, limits it to operation in areas relatively close to the border, and IDF advancement into Lebanese territory could further reduce the effective use of these drones in Israeli territory.

Shahed-136

The Shahed-136 has so far proven to be one of the most significant assets in Hezbollah's drone arsenal. It has a quiet electric motor and an extremely low radar signature, making it very hard to intercept. It has a range of almost 500 miles and an armor-piercing warhead of about 18 pounds. Due to its difficulty in interception, it is relatively slow and flies at a speed of only about 75 mph, a fraction of that of other suicide drones in Hezbollah's possession.

However, its relatively simple systems give it another advantage – it's very cheap, costing only $20,000 per unit, which means it can be held in large quantities, as Hezbollah does. It's very easy to launch and needs only minimal ground space for deployment. All these qualities make it a perfect drone for attacking in a swarm tactic, as Hezbollah has already demonstrated.

How to counter?

It's crucial to understand that drone and UAV warfare is an evolving form of combat that has changed almost beyond recognition in recent years and has left many armies worldwide, from Myanmar to Ukraine, grappling with significant problems and challenges.

For Israel, there are several central problems in dealing with the threat. First, drones with a low radar signature flying very close to the ground are inherently difficult to intercept, and the mountainous terrain of southern Lebanon and the Galilee makes it even more challenging to detect and intercept these vehicles. The second problem is that even when early detection of the vehicle occurs, the interception window is very small and sometimes simply missed entirely.

Another problem is the tactic of using a drone swarm, a large and coordinated quantity of vehicles that can arrive from several places simultaneously, "occupy" the air defense array, and ensure that at least some of the vehicles will hit the target with deadly precision. Israel's air defense array is replete with some of the world's best detection and interception means, but even it struggles to deal with the threat.

Tal Inbar, a senior research fellow at the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, explains that the defense establishment is not surprised by this: "The problem starts with topography. The terrain in Lebanon is mountainous, unlike the plain where Gaza is located. It's carved with mountains and valleys and makes it very difficult to detect aircraft flying low and using the terrain to hide in it." In conclusion, Inbar says: "We don't yet have a system that's a game-changer. Our success will come from the systems and a precise concept of operation."

A possible partial solution to the threat is a return to using Vulcan cannons, which fire small shells at a tremendous rate and can be placed at many key points throughout the north as a complementary part of the interception array.

Additionally, the entry of a laser system into operational service can at least partially assist in closing gaps during drone swarms and improving interception capabilities. In Ukraine, small units of "drone hunters" on armed pickups equipped with cannons managed to inflict heavy losses on the Russian drone array, and defense systems with cannons like the German "Gepard" have also been successful against Russia's Shaheds.

However, it's important to note that even the solutions found by Ukraine represent only partial success and that only experience, coordination, and learning over the years will tip the scales in favor of the defender in the battle against the drones of the Iranian axis.

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Moscow faced one of the largest drone attacks since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, with Russian air defenses reportedly intercepting and destroying between 10-45 Ukrainian drones.

Russia accused Ukraine of previous drone attacks on the Kremlin and government buildings.

Ukraine has been targeting oil refineries, airfields, and the capital in Russia with drones, and has made significant advances into the Kursk region, altering the dynamic of the conflict.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the attack.

Russia's state telecommunications monitoring service reported mass disruption of Telegram and WhatsApp.

Ukraine claims to control 1,263 square km of Kursk territory, including 93 settlements.

Ukraine's armed forces also claimed to have destroyed a significant number of attack drones launched by Russia, including through electronic warfare.

Ukraine continues to lose ground in its eastern industrial region of Donbas, but its counterattack in Kursk has made additional advances.

Sources: Axios, New York Times, Newsweek, Sky News, Bloomberg, AP News, CBS News, CNBC, NBC News, Independent, ABC News, Fox News, SCMP, The Sun, Al Jazeera, CBC, Hurriyet Daily News, Yahoo News.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Iran on Friday paraded its military hardware on the anniversary of its 1980s war with Iraq, including "the longest-range drone in the world" along with ballistic and hypersonic missiles, Iranian state media said.

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They said the drone "was unveiled" in the parade, which was broadcast live, and that drones displayed in the event were named Mohajer, Shahed and Arash.

The Islamic Republic said last month that it had built an advanced drone named Mohajer-10 with an enhanced flight range and duration as well as a larger payload.

It has an operational range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles) and can fly for up to 24 hours, state media reported then, adding that its payload could reach 300 kg (661 pounds), double the capacity of the Mohajer-6 drone.

Video: Gallant reveals Iran building airport in Lebanon for terrorism / Credit: Go live

US officials have accused Iran of providing Mohajer-6 drones, among other unmanned aerial vehicles, to Russia for its war against Ukraine. Tehran denies this.

"Our forces ensure security in the region and the Persian Gulf," President Ebrahim Raisi said at Friday's parade in the capital Tehran. "We can teach the people of the region that resistance is today's way. What forces the enemy to retreat is not submission and wavering, but resistance."

A video released in August by Iranian media showed the Mohajer-6 among other military hardware, with a text reading "prepare your shelters" in both Persian and Hebrew, the latter an allusion to Iran's arch-regional enemy, Israel.

The Iran-Iraq war erupted on Sept. 22, 1980 when the forces of then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. The conflict, which was economically devastating and left at least half a million dead, ended in stalemate in August 1988.

The United States issued fresh Iran-related sanctions on Tuesday, targeting multiple people and entities in Iran, Russia, China, and Turkey over Tehran's drone and military aircraft development.

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Until recently, the Iranian drone threat was perceived as an important yet non-decisive component of Iran's military array. In recent months, however, this perception has changed, expressed not only through new intelligence information but also speeches delivered by senior Israeli officials, among them Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

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In September, Bennett devoted part of his address to the UN General Assembly to the matter, telling the world that "just this year, Iran has begun operating a new lethal terrorist unit – a swarm of deadly unmanned aerial drones, armed with weapons that can strike at anywhere at any time." Bennett added that Iran has already carried out drone attacks in the Middle East and noted that the Iranians "intend to blanket the skies with this deadly force." Gantz, for his part, recently revealed that Iran had tried using drones to transfer explosive materials from Syria to Judea and Samaria.

The fact that the Iranians are developing drones, operating them and supplying them to their proxies across the region, is nothing new. Even before the Second Lebanon War in 2006, droned had penetrated Israeli airspace, and in July, at the height of that war, Hezbollah launched several armed drones toward central Israel.

But the seemingly pivotal moment, which put Iran's drone arsenal on the proverbial map, occurred in September 2019 when the Iranians launched drones and cruise missiles at Saudi oil facilities some 1,000 kilometers away. The attack caused tremendous damage to Aramco's Abqaiq oil processing facility in Buqayq, Saudi Arabia, disrupting the kingdom's ability to produce oil for many months.

The swarm of Iranian drones reached their targets completely undetected by the Saudi air defense systems protecting the oil facilities, and no attempt was made to shoot them down.

Since that attack, several more Iranian drone attacks have been reported; namely the attack on the MV Mercer Street vessel traveling from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The ship was attacked at least twice, killing the British captain and Romanian security guard. Although the attack on the Mercer Street vessel involved fewer drones than the attack on the Saudi oil facilities, the operation was just as impressive from an operational and technical perspective – and evidenced Iran's long-range attack capabilities.

The Islamic republic has allegedly used drones in other operations as well, including an attack on an American army base at Al-Tanf in eastern Syria. That attack failed to claim any casualties after Israel – according to foreign media reports – warned the US in advance.

Unrevealed capabilities

Iran possesses several types of drones. Some are large, capable of traveling thousands of kilometers to either gather intelligence or attack a target. Others are "suicide" drones, smaller and less sophisticated. The problem becomes more acute as Iran doesn't operate all of them on its own, rather through its regional proxies in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, for example. They are being utilized more and more because they are effective, easy to operate manufacture, and are relatively cheap. From an operational perspective, they are precise, extremely difficult to detect due to their weak radar signature, and are hard to shoot down. From a strategic perspective, the fact that Iran doesn't have to launch these aircraft from its territory allows it to blur its involvement and sidestep significant military retaliation. Their primary drawback is that their payload is relatively small.

In his speech at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at Reichman University (IDC) in Herzliya in November, Gantz noted that Iran is "developing additional drone capabilities that have not been revealed yet."

US also concerned

The US also finds the Iranian drone issue extremely troubling. Although the Biden administration rarely imposes new sanctions on Iran, last October the US Treasury sanctioned individuals and companies affiliated with Tehran's drone program after receiving intelligence information from Israel. It's safe to assume that Israel and the US are cooperating operationally on the matter, as the US has radar systems across the Middle East and can provide Israel with prior warning of a drone attack on its soil.

Regardless, Iran's drone capabilities mustn't be viewed as a threat of secondary importance, rather as equal in value to the precision rockets and missiles in Tehran's possession and as a "game-changer," or at the very least as a means of providing Iran with a victory image. The recent speeches by Bennett and Gantz indicate that Israel's defense establishment understands this. As of now, the Israeli answer to these drones includes, among other things, intercepting them with "soft" measures (electronic warfare) and kinetic measures (fighter jets). Israel has also used the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, which has been configured in recent months to cope with the new threat, and has even shot down drones launched from Gaza.

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Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has reportedly received $22 million in an arms deal with Morocco, amid foreign reports of sales of Harop loitering munitions, known as kamikaze drones.

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Moroccan media reported that the country is planning to manufacture drones using Israeli technology, according to The Media Line.

Sources in Morocco told the Defense News weekly last month that Israel intends to sell Morocco drones as part of normalization between the two countries. In September, the Africa Intelligence website reported that a joint venture of kamikaze drone manufacturing in Morocco was being planned.

According to Africa Intelligence, the interest in the drones is the result of an "aggressive sales pitch" by IAI.

IAI told Haaretz it could not comment on sales in Africa.

The Harop drone is an 8-foot long, unmanned "suicide" aircraft, used by Israel, India and Azerbaijan. The drone carries 44 pounds of explosives and reportedly stays flying for up to seven hours, according to Haaretz.

The drone locks onto a target, dives, and explodes on it, earning the name of the kamikaze drone.

The report comes after Defense Minister Benny Gantz's visit to Morocco last week, where he signed a defense memorandum with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdellatif Loudiyi.

According to The Washington Post, the memo reportedly "lays the foundation for security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and future arms sales" between the two states.

Morocco is also reportedly interested in Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system to "better ensure defense of the sand wall in the Sahara, but also of civil and military zones of a sensitive nature."

i24NEWS contributed to this report

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