Roughly 100 explosive-laden drones were launched from Iran and Iraq toward Israel in the early hours of Friday, forcing the Israel Air Force into an intensive interception effort, closing civilian airspace and sending the Home Front Command scrambling to prepare residents for possible sheltering.

Among the incoming aircraft were two of Tehran’s most formidable models, the Shahed 129 and Shahed 136, whose capabilities illustrate the scale of the current threat.

The overnight assault began when scores of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) took off from Iranian territory and other points across the Middle East, including Iraq.

While some were intercepted outside Israeli airspace, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned that additional drones could reach the country in the coming hours, describing the incident as a prolonged threat that requires the public to follow security instructions closely.

Shahed 129: A long-range, multi-mission platform

The Shahed 129 is a sophisticated tactical UAV modeled on Western systems such as the American MQ-1 Predator.
A Shahed 129 drone, on exhibition in Tehran, 2019; illustrative. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A Shahed 129 drone, on exhibition in Tehran, 2019; illustrative. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Capable of staying aloft for up to 24 hours and flying some 1,700 kilometers—roughly the distance from central Iran to Israel—the drone allows the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to strike or gather intelligence without relying on mid-mission refueling or relay stations.

Armed with up to four guided Sadid missiles, the Shahed 129 can hit ground targets with high precision.

It carries thermal imaging equipment, advanced communications links and remote-control systems, enabling it to operate in areas saturated with signal jamming or electronic warfare.

The IRGC has used the platform in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, striking US assets and strategic sites while minimizing early detection.

Western intelligence believes Iran is steadily upgrading the model’s munitions accuracy, stealth profile and navigation suite.

Shahed 136: Cheap, simple and deadly

In contrast, the Shahed 136 is a far less expensive system—but no less lethal.

Designed as a one-way “suicide drone,” it carries a 20- to 50-kilogram warhead and crashes into its pre-programmed target. Its basic construction—straight wings, a narrow fuselage and a small rear piston engine—keeps costs low, allowing Iran to manufacture and launch the aircraft in dense waves. Even if a portion are shot down, others can break through.

Although the Shahed 136 lacks cutting-edge navigation gear, its onboard GPS (and occasionally a small forward-facing camera) provides adequate accuracy against fixed or lightly defended sites.

Flying low and relatively slowly, the drone can evade radar—especially when dozens are in the air at once. Russia has used the type extensively against Ukrainian power grids and residential blocks, while Iran’s proxies have deployed it against US bases in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Those battlefield lessons have cemented the model’s status as Tehran’s preferred long-range harassment tool.

A combined doctrine

Friday’s attack showcased Iran’s doctrine of pairing sophisticated, weaponized UAVs with swarms of cheaper loitering munitions.

The strategy aims to saturate Israeli air-defense networks, confuse radar operators and create both physical and psychological damage on the home front.

As the IDF continues to track the remaining drones and assess the fallout, Israelis were urged to keep smartphones nearby for real-time alerts and to review the quickest route to a protected room.

Defense officials stressed that the situation was fluid and that additional interceptions—or impacts—could occur throughout the day.