Israel’s multifaceted strike on Iran combined airpower, covert drones, and Mossad operations to degrade nuclear and military capabilities, demonstrating how drone warfare is reshaping modern conflict and deterrence.
Israel carried out its most significant attack on Iran to date on Friday, part of a major offensive to cripple the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Unlike the June 1981 attack that Israel carried out on Iraq’s nuclear facility, the attack on Iran could be described as a much larger campaign.
It hit the nuclear sites, but also multiple military facilities, including missile bases, while it further targeted Iran’s senior military leadership. It was a highly coordinated effort that also utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) smuggled into Iran in a fashion similar to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, which was carried out earlier this month, striking multiple Russian air bases, destroying multiple heavy bombers worth billions of dollars.
Like the Ukrainian operation, Israel’s Rising Lion saw drones covertly placed at strategic locations practically under the noses of local officials. Unlike Operation Spiderweb, where Kyiv didn’t disclose to Washington the planned strike, Israel did alert the US to its plan to launch the coordinated air strike on Iran’s nuclear program and other facilities.
The IDF and Mossad Work Together
According to The Times of Israel report, “the effort hinged on tight joint planning between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad intelligence agency,” highlighting that Israel is willing to play a “long game” regarding such operations.
It was just last September that Mossad carried out its Operation Grim Beeper, where thousands of handheld pagers and hundreds of other communication devices used by Hezbollah exploded simultaneously. That operation was years in the making.
The Israeli Drones were Inside of Iran
Operation Red Lion also took months of planning, with a drone base set up just outside of Tehran, while Mossad commandos also deployed precision missiles within Central Iran. The explosive UAVs and ground-launched missiles proved vital in helping take out the Islamic Republic’s air defenses, which provided the Israel Air Force with near-total air supremacy.
It was a daring mission to bring the drones into the country, and it came with risks.
“[It required] groundbreaking thinking, bold planning and surgical operation of advanced technologies, special forces and agents operating in the heart of Iran while evading the eyes of local intelligence,” a Mossad official told The Times of Israel.
Ukraine and Israel Use Drones in Warfare
For years, there has been the argument that drones have been a game changer on the modern battlefield. The small UAVs have been used to destroy enemy tanks and forward positions in Ukraine, while also being employed to target warships.
Drones have become a serious force multiplier.
However, Ukraine’s recent strike on Russia’s air bases and Israel’s use of drones to cripple Iran’s air defenses highlight the danger every nation now faces. In much of the world, commercial drones are now so prolific and so affordable that terrorists don’t need to smuggle in more complex weapons. All that is required is an explosive element, and a nearly unstoppable threat has been available.
These small systems destroyed Iran’s air defenses and struck Russia’s bombers on the ground far from the frontlines. Drones have been used to spy on America’s aircraft carriers, but could just as easily be used in a first strike on the warships. That threat may be as severe, and even more so, than hypersonic missiles, which only an elite club of nations can build. By contrast, even non-state actors have access to drones.
As a terror weapon, armed drones could be produced on scale and would seem impossible to stop. Dozens of UAVs launched in a coordinated attack could kill hundreds, while thousands of drones launched at a multitude of sites could result in nearly unimaginable carnage!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Oren Ravid.
