War by remote control: Israel’s enemies Iran and Hezbollah challenge its drone superiority
- Iran unveils new reconnaissance and attack drone with a range of more than 1,000km
- Comes after a series of drone attacks in the region, blamed on Israel
Long a pioneer in drone technology, Israel today sees its superiority challenged by Iran and its ally Hezbollah which are also developing military UAVs.
The past week has illustrated the complex and shifting dynamics.
On August 24, Israel struck what it said was an attempt to stop an Iranian force from launching a cross-border drone attack from a Syrian village.
A day later, two drones which Lebanon said were Israeli crashed in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut, an area dominated by Israel’s long-time foe Hezbollah.
The Lebanese army later fired at a number of Israeli drones.
On Saturday, Hezollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed that Israel “must pay a price” for the alleged August 25 strike.
On Sunday, Iran unveiled what it said was a new reconnaissance and attack drone with a range of more than 1,000km (620 miles).