Inside Israel’s elite drone unit battling Iran and Hezbollah

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Squadron 200, also known as the first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Squadron, has played a crucial role in destroying more than half of the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile launchers as the 14th day of the war unfolds across the Middle East.

Fox News Digital gained access to one of Israel’s most experienced and veteran UAV operators from Squadron 200. “I have been flying drones for the past 25 years and other operational missions have prepared me for this war,” said the IDF Squadron leader.

He summed up the highly sensitive nature of his work in protecting the Israeli civilian population. “Every night that my wife and my kids sleep a full night without an alarm is something I can give credit to the air force and drone operators.” Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with mobile phone messages and wailing public alarms that provide an advanced notice of incoming Iranian missiles and drones.

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The IDF drone commander said the main goal of his squadron is to “find rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles that are a risk to our pilots who fly over and destroy them before they launch missiles and gain air superiority for the area and reduce the risk for civilians back at home.”

He added that “We can take a lot of credit for the reduction” in Iranian missiles and drones fired at Israel.

The stakes are high for the UAV operators. Iran’s aerial warfare campaign has led to the deaths of 12 Israelis and over 2,975 people have been admitted to Israeli hospitals. 

An IDF spokesman told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that Iran has launched “many dozens of missiles with cluster bomb heads spread across Israel.”  The cluster munitions are particularly lethal because they murder or severely injure with scattered bomblets that can also stay active long after their launch.

Just days ago, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the Israeli military spokesman, told Fox News Digital that the army has had a “near complete success” rate in stopping Iranian drones from hitting Israeli targets. 

However, the drone commander warned that the “great decrease in the number of launchers does not mean we can sit and rest.”

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The IDF drone commander said, “one thing we learned from October 7 is that we should eliminate risks before they become too big.”

“The important thing is the goal of bringing peace to the Middle East,” he said with reference to when Iran and Israel had cordial relations before the 1979 Islamic Republic revolution in Iran and President Trump’s advocacy for peace in the region.

The complex running of a drone team was described as “orchestra” work, by the UAV operator, where a 3-person crew — commander, pilot and operator — seamlessly coordinate their various activities.

According to the IDF, Squadron 200 operates the Heron-1 (“Shoval”) UAV, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, which is used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, support of ground forces and precision strike missions.”

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According to the IDF, the air force’s drones “are capable of remaining airborne for extended periods and providing real-time intelligence to forces on the ground, both day and night and over long distances.

The squadron was established in the 1970s as part of the development of the Israeli Air Force’s UAV array and has since participated in numerous operations across different arenas.”