Tel Aviv: The Israeli defence forces (IDF) have confirmed now that about a year ago, the Israeli air force intercepted two Iranian UAVs carrying pistols on their way to the Gaza Strip – outside Israeli airspace. The UAV’s were intercepted by Israeli F-35 using air-air missiles.

The IDF spokesman said that “the UAV interceptions were carried out in the region’s skies in coordination with neighbouring countries, thus preventing intrusion into Israel. The UAVs were monitored  throughout their flight.”

Israeli sources said that the interception was coordinated with “some countries” in the region. According to the source, almost all of IRGC’s different types of drones were reverse-engineered and assembled from downed US-made drones in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and elsewhere, as well as from Israeli-made models. For example, Iran’s Shahed 129 drone is modelled after an Israeli Hermes drone that Iran shot down near the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.

Iran has other Shahed drones, including the 191 and 171 which are copies of the US RQ-170, a flying wing design, or the Shahed 125 that is a copy of the US Shadow. Iran has armed the 123, 129, and 191 with missiles. The drones are trafficked by Unit 190 of the IRGC’s Qods (Quds) force under the direct supervision of Amirali Hajizadeh, the commander of the air unit.

Tal Inbar, an Israeli expert on drones said that the Iranian armed drones pose a real danger to the American forces in the Middle East and the Gulf. “These armed drones are very accurate and carry relatively heavy warheads.”

He further added that the Iranians have developed ways to launch salvos of armed drones, that pose challenges to air defense systems.