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From Kamikaze drones to Tomahawk missiles: What capabilities did US and Israel use in historic joint strikes on Iran?
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in US-Israel strikes dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury'. The joint operation reportedly involved nearly 900 strikes.
Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed amidst joint US-Israel strikes in Iran, Reuters reported, citing a senior Israeli official.
The ‘Operation Epic Fury’ targeted Iranian locations on Saturday, including strikes in Tehran and various other areas throughout the nation. In response, Iran has conducted retaliatory missile strikes, heightening concerns that the conflict may escalate swiftly throughout the region.
The attacks signify a major intensification after the recent nuclear discussions between Washington and Tehran, increasing the likelihood of a broader regional conflict.
What new capabilities US military used in Iran?
The U.S. military employed several new capabilities during the joint strikes with Israel against Iran on Saturday, which included "one-way attack drones" as part of a "multi-geographic command and control," according to Fox News' chief national security correspondent, Jennifer Griffin.
Griffin stated that the U.S. executed nearly 900 strikes within the initial 12 hours of what officials have termed "Operation Epic Fury," which they anticipate may extend over the next few weeks.
The U.S. conducted the strikes from land, air, and sea, executing a complex, layered attack that "effectively suppressed" Iranian air defense systems, with the Iranian response being described as “ineffective,” Newsweek reported.
The operation featured one-way attack drones, officially known as Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones, but commonly referred to as "kamikaze" drones, which were prepared in advance of the strikes. These drones are produced at a cost of approximately $35,000, in contrast to the multi-million-dollar MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
Additionally, the U.S. utilized Tomahawk missiles in the initial wave of strikes, as noted by Griffin—the same munitions employed last year when the U.S. targeted several Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
Referencing reports from colleague Liz Friden, Griffin mentioned in another post that the U.S. additionally employed High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARs), Patriot missiles, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries—or mobile missile launchers—in the strikes, while also utilizing ship-launched Standard Missiles for air defense.
Furthermore, the U.S. utilized "standoff weapons," which are munitions that can be launched from aircraft or naval vessels, including submarines, at distances significantly beyond the reach of the enemy's weaponry.
Here's what U.S. Central Command said
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has also verified that the drones were utilized for the first time ever.
"CENTCOM's Task Force Scorpion Strike — for the first time in history — is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury," the CENTCOM said in a post on X, adding that "low-cost drones, modeled after Iran's Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution."
Meanwhile, Cameron Chell, the CEO of the drone manufacturing company Draganfly, told Fox News Digital that the campaign would probably have matched sophisticated and expensive resources against the compound of Khamenei, while U.S. forces would deploy less expensive drones to "overwhelm" in land, air, and sea operations.
