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The Iranian military released on June 19 videos showing two Israeli IAI Heron drones getting shot down by its air defenses.
Both drones were shot down over western Iran. The military didn’t reveal what air defense systems were used to target them.
The Heron is a medium-size drone with an endurance of 52 hours and a service ceiling of 10 kilometers. It was designed by Israel’s IAI for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions. The drone is also reported to be capable of holding armed roles.
IAI developed a larger version of the Heron, dubbed the Heron TP or Eitan, with an endurance of over 30 hours and a service ceiling of up to 14 kilometers.
If the downing of the drones is confirmed, these would be the second and third Israeli aerial losses since the start of the attack on Iran’s nuclear program, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, on June 13.
The first loss, confirmed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), was a Hermes 900 drone shot down over central Iran on June 18.
“Achieving air superiority involves initiative and offensive actions, which come with costs that were accounted for in the plan. We are constantly engaged in the struggle to maintain air superiority,” the IDF said in a statement acknowledging the downing of the Hermes 900.
The opening strikes of Operation Rising Lion dealt a blow to air defenses in the western and central Iran. Still, the Islamic Republic announced the interception of dozens of drones and loitering munitions in recent days. Many were however launched by agents of the Mossad spy agency from Iranian territories.
While Iranian air defenses appear to be recovering, the IDF is expected to maintain a form of aerial superiority over the western and central regions of the Islamic Republic for the near future. Without external support, Tehran will not likely be able to completely rebuild its air defense network.
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