For months, Israel smuggled in parts for hundreds of drones equipped with explosives. They came in suitcases, trucks, and containers along with ammunition that can be fired from unmanned platforms, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The intelligence agency Mossad is said to have purchased the drones through commercial channels, often through completely unaware business partners. Agents on the ground picked them up and distributed them to groups on site in Iran.
Air dominance
When the attack began, some groups knocked out the air defense while others targeted launch ramps for rockets as they were rolled out of their shelters. The goal was to early on knock out threats to the Israeli fighter jets and neutralize rockets before they could be fired, and thus quickly give Israel dominance in the air.
According to the Wall Street Journal's sources, Mossad has been preparing the drone operation for years. They knew where the Iranian rockets were, but due to the distance, they needed to get closer to attack them.
New security challenge
The attack came shortly after Ukraine carried out a similar operation in Russia and is seen as another example of how standard technology constitutes a new security challenge. With ingenuity and cheap drones, they have managed to get past advanced air defense systems and destroy valuable targets.
It's not the first time Israel has used unconventional intelligence operations. Last year, an attack with exploding metal detectors was carried out against Hizbollah in Lebanon. They have also previously shown that they have managed to infiltrate Iran when they killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last summer.
