Drone Operator Highlights UAV Success in Iran Strike Missions

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have played a decisive role in Israel’s air campaign against Iran, according to a drone operator involved in the missions.

A reservist in the Israeli Air Force’s Squadron 200 said the use of UAVs has significantly strengthened Israel’s ability to locate missile launchers, gather intelligence, and conduct precision strikes during Operation Roaring Lion.

Maj. Y, a 27-year-old from Tel Aviv, was traveling abroad when he sensed that a major confrontation with Iran was approaching.

“I saw the reports in the media and realized that something big was about to happen,” he said. “My gut feeling led me to buy a flight ticket.”

Within just over a day, he returned to Israel and joined his unit as preparations for the operation intensified.

“Once I arrived, I prepared and got ready right in the hours before the opening flight,” he said. “It was clear to me that I would be a significant part of the operation.”

Maj. Y serves in Squadron 200, which operates the Heron-1 unmanned aerial vehicle.

The long-range drone can remain airborne for extended periods, providing real-time intelligence, surveillance, and strike coordination over large distances.

The squadron’s missions include:

• Detecting missile launch sites

• Monitoring enemy movements

• Escorting Israeli aircraft

• Conducting precision strikes

• Protecting fighter jets and helicopters from threats

“Our main missions are to thwart and reduce missile launches toward the country,” he explained.

The drones also help locate Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps equipment and identify targets before strikes are carried out.

The Israeli Air Force entered Operation Roaring Lion with experience gained during an earlier campaign known as Operation Rising Lion.

During that earlier confrontation, Israeli forces encountered Iranian systems for the first time and faced a range of operational challenges.

“In Operation Rising Lion we didn’t yet know the enemy’s capabilities,” the operator said. “We encountered launchers we had learned about but had never faced before.”

Following the operation, the Air Force conducted extensive reviews and implemented improvements.

“We worked hard in the last few months, set ambitious goals, and improved the squadron’s capabilities,” he said.

According to the operator, the current campaign has applied far greater pressure on Iranian forces.

“Compared to the previous operation, the Revolutionary Guard Corps is experiencing the Air Force at higher intensity,” he said.

Israeli aircraft and drones are reaching locations that Iranian forces did not expect and operating in greater numbers.

He said the combined effort has contributed to a reduction in missile launches toward Israel.

“Every day you can see the reduction in missile launches,” he said. “It’s the hard work of our people searching for launchers behind every hill and alley.”

Despite the successes, the operator said there are moments of frustration when missiles manage to strike Israeli communities.

He recalled watching alerts during the deadly missile strike in Beit Shemesh.

“I felt a sense of disappointment,” he said. “I kept thinking about what we could do differently to stop this next time.”

Still, he emphasized that preventing missile launches before they occur provides a powerful sense of purpose.

“When you reach launchers that were waiting for the order to fire and strike them before they reach here, there is no greater pride,” he said.

For Israel’s Air Force, UAVs have become an essential component of modern warfare combining intelligence, precision, and persistence to protect civilians.

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