Iran’s Shahed 136 is a “kamikaze” drone with an estimated range of 2,000 km.
By David Hellerman, World Israel News
Israeli security officials confirmed on Monday that a pair of Iranian drones shot down by the US Air Force over Iraq in February were targeting Israel.
The unmanned aerial vehicles, said to be Shahed 136s, were en route to Israel on Feb. 14 when they were downed near the Iraqi city of Erbil. The Shahed 136 is a “kamikaze” drone with an estimated range of 2,000 km (1,242 miles) that self destructs upon hitting its target. The drone is capable of loitering over targets before striking.
Mideast reports indicate that Iran has supplied its Houthi proxy militia in Yemen with the Shahed 136, which would put Eilat and most of the Red Sea in range.
The attack came days before an Israeli strike on a Iranian base that reportedly decimated hundreds of drones.
Israel recently confirmed separately that it shot down two Iranian drones in 2021 delivering weapons to Gaza.