Israeli Navy Intercepts Drone from Iraq Amid Rising Regional Tensions

The Israeli Navy intercepted a drone on Monday night that was launched “from the east,” a term typically referring to Iraq, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down in the Red Sea area before entering Israeli territory, with no air-raid sirens activated in line with military protocol.

This marks the latest in a series of drone attacks linked to Iranian-backed militias operating in Iraq, heightening tensions in the region.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently called on the United Nations Security Council to address the escalating attacks. In a November letter to British Ambassador Barbara Woodward, the Security Council’s president at the time, Sa’ar expressed grave concerns about the increasing frequency and intensity of attacks launched by Iranian proxies in Iraq.

“These attacks have the potential to further drag the region into a very dangerous escalation while posing a significant threat to international peace and security,” Sa’ar wrote, emphasizing Israel’s right to self-defense under the U.N. Charter.

Washington has also warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes in Iraq are imminent if the militias do not halt their operations. The threat follows a deadly attack on October 3, when an explosive-laden drone launched from Iraq killed two Israeli soldiers at a base in the Golan Heights.

The interception in the Red Sea underscores the growing reach of Iranian-backed militias and their use of drones to target Israel. The IDF has consistently acted to neutralize these threats, with recent strikes targeting smuggling routes and infrastructure used by Hezbollah and other proxies in Syria and Lebanon.

As Jerusalem continues to defend against UAV incursions, the rising threat from Iraq introduces additional challenges to Israel’s security calculus. Share this story or subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing updates on Israel’s regional security measures.