Iran has launched more than 2,000 low-cost drones at targets across the Middle East in recent days, aiming to overwhelm defences and create regional chaos. The 'kamikaze' Shahed drones, carrying explosives that detonate on impact, have struck US allies in the Gulf, embassies, energy infrastructure, airports, and hotels. One attack hit a radar installation at the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, while another struck a hotel on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah, causing a huge fireball.
The drones have also targeted the energy sector, halting production at Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery in Ras Tanura and closing the world's largest LNG export terminal in Qatar. The Shahed 136 drone, manufactured in Iran, costs between $20,000 and $50,000, making it a cheap but effective weapon. Its slim profile and low-altitude flight make it difficult to detect by radar.
Intercepting these drones is costly, as many are shot down by expensive missiles from fighter jets or surface-to-air systems. However, new technologies are emerging to reduce costs. The US has developed a laser weapon system, the 'Raf Laser Rockets', which can cut drone interception costs by up to 90%. This system is being deployed to counter the drone threat more economically.
The Shahed drones have been used extensively by Russia in Ukraine and are now being employed by Iran across the Middle East. The US has also developed its own version, the Lucas drone, which was used in combat for the first time recently. Admiral Brad Cooper stated that the US took the Iranian design, improved it, and fired it back at Iran.
