Iran's Use Of Drones From Iraq To Yemen Is Raising Alarms In Washington

An Iranian Shahed 171 drone dropping a bomb as part of a military exercise in the Gulf, in Iran, in this undated handout photo. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Reuters: From Iraq to Yemen, drones raise U.S. alarm over Iranian plans

GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The increased use of drones by Iran and its allies for surveillance and attacks across the Middle East is raising alarms in Washington.

The United States believes that Iran-linked militia in Iraq have recently increased their surveillance of American troops and bases in the country by using off-the-shelf, commercially available drones, U.S. officials say.

The disclosure comes at a time of heightened tensions with Iran and underscores the many ways in which Tehran and the forces it backs are increasingly relying on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in places like Yemen, Syria, the Strait of Hormuz and Iraq.

Beyond surveillance, Iranian drones can drop munitions and even carry out “a kamikaze flight where they load it up with explosives and fly it into something”, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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WNU Editor: I am sure this incident raised a lot of alarm bells in Washington and elsewhere .... Iranian 'Bomb Boat' Used By Houthi Rebels Discovered In The Path Of British Destroyer Sent To The Persian Gulf (July 16, 2019).