Iran's Drone Arsenal: A Growing Threat to Israel's Security

Reports on the evening of April 13 that Iran had launched drones targeting Israel are the latest example of how the Iranian drone threat is expanding across the Middle East and also threatening the world. The proliferation of Iranian drones poses a significant challenge to global security . Their affordability and ease of use make them attractive tools for asymmetric warfare, while their export to proxy groups and state actors extends their reach far beyond Iran’s borders. One-way attack drones that strike their targets by flying into them are relatively cheap to make, hard to detect, and can fly thousands of miles. This makes them a popular choice for. Iran possesses a diverse and powerful arsenal of weapons that are being used against Israel, according to Col. (Ret.) Miri Eisin , a senior fellow at the International Institute for. A thousand new drones were delivered to Iran’s army, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reports, as the country braces for more friction with Israel and the United States under incoming US. Iranian UAV Arsenal & Strategy Shahed‑136 / Shahed‑131 are low-cost kamikaze drones (~$20–50 k apiece), launched en masse to force adversaries to expend expensive interceptors. April 2024: Iran launched 170 drones (mostly Shahed‑136) with 120 ballistic and 30 cruise missiles; ~99 % were intercepted. The Iranian army has received a delivery of 1,000 drones on Monday amid growing tensions with Israel and the U.S, according to the semi-official outlet, Tasnim News Agency. Experts call the drone carrier a significant boost to the naval capabilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but say that Israeli air and naval forces could easily track and neutralize the vessel in a conflict scenario. As the Iranian regime accelerates production of low-cost, lethal drones deployed by its terror proxies from Gaza to Lebanon and Yemen, Israel’s security establishment faces critical challenges in maintaining its qualitative edge while containing costs and adapting technologically.