The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in conflicts involving Iranian-backed non-state actors, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, poses a growing threat to countries like Israel.
These drones are becoming more sophisticated and lethal, presenting a challenge to existing defense systems.
The proliferation of armed drones is altering the dynamics of warfare, with non-state actors gaining strategic advantage.
Iran is 100% self-sufficiency in the field of UAVs pic.twitter.com/mRgvyNAvEe
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) October 20, 2023
Dr. Liran Antebi, program director of advanced technologies and national security at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said, “The Israeli – and the U.S. – militaries have been using drones for a long time, especially in counterterrorism, for intelligence gathering or for precision strikes in order to distinguish between civilians and fighters.”
“However, what was once the silver bullet used by democracies in counterterrorism and to act in more ethical ways, is now in the hands of terrorists or non-democratic states and is being used in the opposite way,” she continued.
“While Israel is considered one of the world’s leaders in producing and using high-quality drones and UAVs, as well as a leading country in the field of counter systems to fight against those technologies, it has not been very effective at implementing those defense mechanisms,” added Antebi.
She said, “What we have not seen yet in our arena are the larger UAVs capable of launching missiles, which we know Iran is already producing.”
“We also haven’t seen any FPV (first person view) drones yet, which we also know are being used in Ukraine,” continued Antebi.
While Israel has advanced defense mechanisms against traditional missile threats, armed or exploding drones present a new and more nimble challenge.
Tal Mimran, from the Cyber Security Research Center in the Faculty of Law at Hebrew University, said, “When we think of an army like the U.S., Israel, the U.K., a drone is a technical weapon that is used alongside more significant tools such as airplanes or helicopters, but when it comes to a weaker state, and specifically non-state actors, it is a strategic change.”
Mimran said, “Israel deals very well with a missile spread and the Iron Dome can intercept some of the drones.”
“But there is no doubt this is a game changer,” he added.
“We might see new things that we haven’t seen until now,” Mimran warned.
Antebi said, “There are a lot of startups and technology companies creating amazing technologies that can change the world for good, but we also have to be aware that the bad guys also want to use those technologies and they are capable of using them for bad.”
As the threat of drones becomes global, there is a need for new defense systems to counter them effectively.
However, the development of such technologies also raises concerns about potential misuse by malicious actors.
Additionally, the absence of international guidelines or regulations for drone warfare is a broader concern, highlighting the need for global cooperation in establishing appropriate rules for the use of this type of weapon.
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