On Friday, Iran announced the successful execution of an air defense drill using drones designed to intercept potential threats. The drill covered a significant area from the southwestern region to the southeastern coasts of the country. This development occurred amid increased tensions in the region.
The previous day, Pakistan conducted air strikes, claiming they targeted separatist militants within Iran, as a retaliatory response to Tehran’s earlier strikes on another group’s bases located in Pakistani territory.
The tit-for-tat strikes marked notable cross-border incidents, raising concerns about broader instability in the Middle East, especially given the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7.
According to a statement from an Iranian army spokesman quoted by state-run Press TV, Iranian forces successfully employed a new air defense method utilizing drones to intercept and target potential threats. The two-day drills, involving the participation of various military branches, covered a substantial area from Abadan in southwestern Khuzestan province to Chahbahar in southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province, which shares borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The exercises included the participation of the army’s air force and navy, the aerospace force, and the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Despite historical tensions between Iran and Pakistan, both nations have expressed a desire to ease tensions in the aftermath of the recent strikes.
Against the backdrop of the conflict in Gaza, Iran and its militia allies across the Middle East have targeted Israeli and U.S. interests in the region in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Iran has also conducted strikes in Syria, targeting what it claimed were Islamic State sites, and in Iraq, where it reported hitting an alleged Israeli espionage center.