How Drones Are Dramatically Changing Warfare

Smoke billows from an Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq

James Adams, Spectator: How drones are dramatically changing warfare

Within a very few years, every vulnerable public building, sports stadium or city center will have to install some kind of drone defense

The attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities by Houthi rebels using a fleet of 10 drones loaded with explosives has caused serious damage and will result in a global production cut of around five percent. The Houthi strike was the second aimed at Saudis oil facilities after a previous effort last month resulted in minimal damage.

The Houthi drones were likely supplied by Iran, which has a large drone fleet and has been arming the rebel group in Yemen for years. Saudi Arabia is likely to launch retaliatory strikes against both the Houthis and Iran.

Drones have become a new frontier in warfare allowing activist groups and nations access to a potent weapon that can be used for surveillance or as a remotely piloted bomb. Just last week, activists from a group called Heathrow Pause threatened to fly drones into the exclusion zone around the London airport to disrupt flights and protest climate change. Police arrested 16 of the activists and no flights were disrupted.

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WNU editor: Yesterday's successful drone attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities confirms what many have been warning for the past few years. Weaponizing drones have made them into dangerous weapons when used against soft targets.