The Drone War: A Deep Dive into the Iranian-Israeli Conflict

The 2025 Iran – Israel conflict has dramatically reshaped regional aerial warfare–impacting airspace security, air defence systems, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This detailed analysis explores how modern aviation and defense technologies are being deployed on both sides and what it means for the future of aerial combat. Iran launched eight attacks against Israel on June 24 , 2025 : one drone attack and seven missile attacks. These attacks were concentrated in the hours leading up to the Iran-Israel ceasefire, which went into effect at 7 am, with two attacks occurring after the truce. Iran shot down Israeli Hermes drone during the recent conflict , but Israel also launched large numbers of smaller drones from inside Iranian territory [File: Iranian Army Media Office/AFP]. How Israel used small FPV drones to infiltrate Iran , learning from Ukraine's drone warfare tactics: the silent invasion. Israel has adopted an aggressive stance vis-à-vis Iran and its proxies’ drone -oriented warfare. In August 2019, for example, Israel attacked targets in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq that were linked to Iran . Israel ’ s Operation Rising Lion , which aims to neuter Iran’s nuclear and long-range weapons capabilities, began with an overnight attack on a wide array of targets. These strikes included the use of drones and missiles launched by operatives from deep within Iran. In one of the most daring intelligence operations in recent years, Israel ’ s Mossad orchestrated the smuggling of drone components into Iran. Using covert methods, including commercial shipping routes, trucks, and even suitcases, Israeli agents managed to infiltrate Iran’s borders undetected. The unmanned aerial vehicle, laden with explosives, evaded Israel ’s multilayered air-defense system and slammed into a mess hall at a military training camp deep inside Israel , killing four.