Photo Credit: Flash 90
An Iron Dome missile defense system deployed near Ashdod.

The US-based weekly Newsweek is reporting, “Iran appears to have sent deadly drones to its allies in Yemen. . . Imagery seen by Newsweek and confirmed by an expert who follows Iranian activities in the region indicate the presence of Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munitions, also called “suicide drones.”

According to the report, the expert, who spoke to Newsweek on condition of anonymity, said “The Iranians have delivered to their Houthi proxies in Yemen advanced UAVs.”

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Earlier this month, the Israeli Kan News public broadcasting network reported the Israel Defense Forces were preparing for the possibility of an attack by Iranian-allied forces from Yemen and/or Iraq with the placement of air defense batteries in the area around Eilat and elsewhere in southern Israel.

Iran has blamed Israel and vowed revenge for the assassinations of Iranian Qods Commander Qassem Soleimani a year ago, and top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh last November.

Israeli journalist Or Heller tweeted satellite footage (shown below) that shows Iran has established a base of Shahed-136 suicide drones in an area controlled by the Iranian proxy Houthi rebels in Yemen, with a range of up to 2200 kilometers that can reach Israel.

According to Newsweek, the satellite footage was transmitted by “a source that monitors Iran’s moves.”

According to Newsweek, Iran hopes to be able to hit a target either in Israel, the Gulf, Saudi Arabia or even an American target, and to then have that attack traced back to Yemen and thus be able to achieve “plausible deniability” by having it carried out by the Houthis from Yemen, and thus prevent direct retribution.


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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.