Israel’s kamikaze drones are likely a major factor behind the IDF’s success in hitting Syrian targets from the air.
Recently, the consistency of Israel’s targeting of Syrian sites has increased significantly. Yesterday, the IDF carried out a rocket attack in Syria’s Golan Heights region, according to Syrian state news and the Israeli military. “An Israeli missile targeted Tel al-Shaar in Quneitra,” the Syrian news agency SANA reported, adding that a “military vehicle was targeted and there are wounded.” Another two earlier incidents were reported by Syrian media in which Israeli air attacks hit the country’s south.
But one IDF strike from earlier this week stands out. On Monday, a report in the Lebanese media outlet Al Mayadeen said Israel had struck a surveillance system in southern Lebanon. According to Israeli Defense officials, the strike was in response to earlier identified anti-aircraft fire at one of its jets while on a routine flight. The IDF said it struck the launch site in retaliation. The IDF called the incident abnormal, as the attack took place in Israeli airspace, “a violation of Israeli sovereignty” in the Golan Heights. The Al Mayadeen report claimed the Israeli strike came in the form of “an Israeli drone” that crashed into the target.
There has been speculation about Israel’s use of so-called kamikaze drones, remote-controlled devices that have substantial maneuverability to evade anti-aircraft and anti-missile fire. The recent reports from Lebanon seem to confirm these rumors. Israel has put the concept of maneuverable munitions into use before, such as with the Delilah missile system. The introduction of an actual bomb-drone would be a huge advance in this arena.