Inside Israel’s elite drone unit battling Iran and Hezbollah
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JERUSALEM: Squadron 200, also known as Israel’s first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Squadron, played a key role in destroying more than half of the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile launchers on the 14th day of the war in the Middle East.
Fox News Digital gained access to one of Israel’s most experienced and adept UAV operators from Squadron 200. “I have been flying drones for the last 25 years and other operational missions have prepared me for this war,” the IDF Squadron leader said.
He outlined the extremely sensitive nature of his work to protect the Israeli civilian population. “Any night my wife and kids sleep through the night without an alarm is something I can give credit to the air force and drone operators for.” Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with cellphone messages and sound alerts that warn of Iranian missiles and drones.
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Israeli Air Force personnel from Squadron 200 manage a Heron-1 (“Shoval”) UAV flight. Established in the 1970s, the “First UAV Squadron” operates advanced unmanned systems for surveillance, intelligence and precision missions across multiple domains. (IDF)
The IDF drone commander said his squadron’s main goal is to “find rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles that pose a risk to our pilots flying over them and destroy them before they launch the missiles, gaining air superiority for the area and reducing the risk to civilians at home.”
“We can have a major share in reducing the missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that Iran fires at Israel,” he said.
The risks for UAV operators are high. Iran’s air warfare campaign led to the deaths of 12 Israelis and more than 2,975 people were admitted to Israeli hospitals.
Following the US-Israeli attacks and Iran launching missiles and drones at Israel, people took shelter. (Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)
An IDF spokesman told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that Iran launched “dozens of missiles with cluster grenade warheads scattered across Israel.” Cluster munitions are particularly lethal because they can kill or seriously injure dispersed bombs that can remain active long after they have been launched.
Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani told Fox News Digital a few days ago that the military had an “almost complete success rate” in stopping Iranian drones from hitting Israeli targets.
But the drone commander warned that “a huge reduction in the number of launchers does not mean we can sit back and rest.”
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“One thing we learned from October 7 is that we have to eliminate risks before they get too big,” the IDF drone commander said.
The Heron-1 (“Shoval”) UAV, operated by Israeli Air Force Squadron 200, departs for an intelligence and surveillance mission. Produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, the aircraft can stay in the air for long periods of time and provide real-time intelligence day and night. (IDF)
“The important thing is the goal of bringing peace to the Middle East,” he said, referring to the period when Iran and Israel had cordial relations before the 1979 Islamic Republic revolution in Iran and President Trump’s advocacy of peace in the region.
The complex functioning of a drone team has been described by the UAV operator as “orchestral” work, in which a 3-man crew consisting of commander, pilot and operator seamlessly coordinates their various activities.
According to the IDF, Squadron 200 operates the Heron-1 (“Shoval”) UAV, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries and used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, ground force support and precision strike missions.”
A general view of Tehran, Iran, with smoke seen in the distance after explosions in the city on March 2, 2026. (Contributor/Getty Images)
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According to the IDF, the air force’s unmanned aerial vehicles are “capable of remaining airborne for long periods of time and providing real-time intelligence to forces on the ground, both day and night, and over long distances.
“The squadron was established in the 1970s as part of the development of the Israeli Air Force’s UAV array and has since participated in numerous operations in different areas.”
