Following significant drone losses during operations against Iran, Israel has reportedly restricted the deployment of its Hermes-900 UAVs.
Israel Restricts Hermes-900 Drone Operations
A defense industry portal reported that Israel has limited the use of Hermes-900 drones in operations targeting Iran, following substantial losses sustained since the start of the conflict.
Israeli military officials acknowledged losing slightly over a dozen drones of various types during attacks on Iranian ballistic missile launchers, stating this was an anticipated cost.
Hermes-900: A Valuable Israeli Asset
The Hermes-900 is among Israel’s most valuable drones, with an estimated cost exceeding $20 million per unit. The UAV can be equipped with anti-tank missiles and various surveillance systems.
Initial Losses to Iranian Air Defenses
Analysis by Defence-Blog, based on publicly available images and footage, indicates Iran downed eight Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles in the first week of the conflict, including at least three Hermes drones.
Broader Drone Losses Reported
DefenceSecurityAsia noted that U.S. media also reported the destruction of approximately fifteen advanced MQ-9A Reaper drones during operations over Iran. This suggests high attrition rates are not unique to Israel.
The reports may indicate the limited survivability of advanced UAVs when facing modern, integrated air defense systems.
Ongoing Conflict and Air Defense Capabilities
Since February 28th, the U.S. and Israel have focused on destroying Iranian missile and drone launch sites, attempting to avoid direct exposure of manned aircraft to fire. However, analysis from DefenceSecurityAsia and Defence-Blog suggests Iranian air defenses remain operational and pose a threat.
Civilian and Military Casualties in Iran
According to recent data published by HRANA on Monday, 1407 civilians, including 214 children, have been killed in Iran to date. Most civilian deaths occurred during a missile strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, in the early days of the conflict.
HRANA also reported that Iranian armed forces have lost 1167 soldiers, with another 657 fatalities currently unclassified as either civilian or military.
Civilian Infrastructure Damage
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that over 81,365 civilian buildings have been attacked and damaged since the start of the war, including 61,555 homes, 19,020 commercial properties, and 275 medical facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. U.S.-Israeli strikes have also damaged 498 schools.
Conflict Timeline
Israel and the U.S. began airstrikes on Iran on February 28th. Tehran retaliated with counterattacks against Israel and several countries in the Persian Gulf region, targeting both U.S. bases and civilian infrastructure.
