According to an analysis by Abu Saleh of the Arabic desk, the Iranian army has for the first time deployed mobile suicide drone launch units, operating separately from the IRGC. The analyst says most suicide drones launched in the past ten days were under army control. The report also describes recent ground operations by Iranian special forces against Kurdish targets.
Abu Saleh, an analyst for the Arabic desk, reports that the Iranian army (Artesh) has begun operating mobile suicide drone launch units for the first time, marking a shift from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) traditional dominance over drone operations. According to the analysis, most suicide drones launched in the past ten days were operated by the army, not the IRGC. The report also describes recent ground operations by Iranian special forces against Kurdish positions, which the analyst says have yielded precise hits.
The analysis highlights a lesser-known aspect of Iran's military structure: the existence of two separate military forces — the regular army and the IRGC — with distinct budgets and objectives. While the IRGC has historically been the primary actor in Iran's ballistic missile and drone strikes, the regular army has now entered the drone warfare arena with mobile launch units that move at night to shifting positions, targeting the Persian Gulf and Iraq.
The Zioneer has previously reported on the IRGC's central role in Iran's missile and drone operations (see background). If confirmed, this development would indicate a broadening of Iran's drone warfare capabilities beyond the IRGC's exclusive control. The report is based on a single source and has not been independently verified.
- DevelopingIranian army releases footage of Arash-2 drone launches toward US targets in Bahrain
- StrongAbu Saleh's Arab Desk: Iranian suicide drones en route to Gulf states
- DevelopingReport: Iranian suicide drone en route to US target in Iraq
- StrongReports: U.S. reveals first use of unmanned suicide vessels against Iranian targets
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