Israel’s Drones Strike Deep in Iran: Inside the High-Stakes Air War

Major G., a veteran operator of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), shared insights into Israel’s drone operations against Iran during an interview on Kan Reshet Bet’s “Kalman Liberman” program.

Highlighting the difference between Iran’s one-way attack drones and Israel’s sophisticated UAVs, he explained that Israeli systems are larger, capable of flying from Israel to Iran, executing missions, and returning for rearming. “Their drones are small and fly to a set point without human control. Ours are operated by teams, technical crews prepare the aircraft, and flight crews execute missions,” he said, crediting years of training for recent successes.

Operating against Iran’s vast and complex terrain poses significant challenges. “We’ve trained for this for years, and the results show it,” Major G. noted. Missions involve locating and destroying targets like missile launchers and drones deep in Iranian territory, often in coordination with other IDF forces. The drones can stay airborne for “tens of hours,” with crews rotating every four hours to manage the long-range operations. Unlike conflicts with terror groups in Gaza or Lebanon, fighting Iran’s military requires targeting precise assets at extreme distances, made possible by the Israeli Air Force’s air superiority.

Major G. described the teamwork behind UAV missions, likening it to an orchestra: technical crews arm the drones, flight teams navigate, and camera operators execute precision strikes, as seen in IDF-released footage. Reflecting on the campaign’s first night, he said the emotional weight hit him the following morning: “I told my kids I’m going to protect them, and that morning, I felt it more than ever.”

Looking ahead, he predicted that air forces will increasingly rely on a mix of manned and unmanned systems, evolving from his decades of experience.