It is not a new thing that civilians get access to the technology that was once used by the military, like the internet, which is originally from the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), a US Department of Defense-funded project. Furthermore, the navigation system, microwave, and drones on which we now rely were once only in use for military applications.

Due to information warfare, drones are very important for the continuous flow of information and live imagery to receive correct intel

Drones are generally referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and are usually autonomous, partially autonomous, or controlled by remote signals by users on the ground. This technology dates back to almost a century. In contemporary times, remote-controlled drones are becoming cheaper and are more easily available and are widely used by filmmakers, for delivery purposes, for surveillance, for agriculture, and by children as well. On the other hand, these commercial drones are also accessed by non-state actors, i.e. terrorist organizations and drug cartels. The question thus arises…Who then customizes it with IED explosives for suicidal kamikaze missions?

The proliferation of drones among non-state actors has completely changed the dynamics of war; hence, the cost of war is deliberately increased for nation-states while facing such kind of actors on the field. In modern times, due to asymmetric warfare, small, cheap, and hand-launched drones are used. Which are running on lithium batteries, controlled by laptops and tablets without making any noise. Another aspect is that, due to information warfare, drones are very important for the continuous flow of information and live imagery to receive correct intel.

Hamas has also followed in the footsteps of Ukraine by leveraging low-cost, high-impact drone strategies to enhance its operational capabilities

In recent years, the use of drone warfare has become a significant aspect of modern conflicts. In Ukraine, drones are proving way more effective against their Russian counterparts, inflicting heavy financial and human losses. Ukraine has demonstrated the strategic advantage of employing drones, and observing these tactics, Hamas has also followed in the footsteps of Ukraine by leveraging low-cost, high-impact drone strategies to enhance its operational capabilities.

In the Russo-Ukrainian war, there was a deadlock between both sides due to Russian air superiority and sophisticated Ukrainian air defense. Both states relied heavily upon standoff capabilities such as drones, artillery, missiles, and unconventional means. In the early days of the war, Ukraine’s reliance was upon the Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar drone. Due to their ability to carry multiple munitions and a long flight time, these TB-2 drones were easily detectable, and from that point, Ukrainians shifted toward first-person view (FPV) low-cost commercial drones. This action proved to be a game-changer, as these drones were difficult to detect due to their low heat signatures. These FPV drones customized with explosives and munitions are used for single-use strikes with high precision while remaining less susceptible to Russian air defense.

The cost of war inflicted upon Israel is way greater, as a hundred-dollar drone is used to destroy a million-dollar worth tank 

In the most severe escalation between Israel and Hamas since 2021, Hamas announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023. Rockets, paragliders, and ground forces were part of the Hamas attack. But in this crucial episode, drones turned out to be a vanguard force against Israeli defenses. They used drones to take out communication towers to blind and deafen their Israeli counterparts and then attacked their border outposts. The use of commercial Chinese DJI drones was also witnessed in taking out Israeli Merkava-4 tanks by Hamas. The cost of war inflicted upon Israel is way greater, as a hundred-dollar drone is used to destroy a million-dollar worth tank.

Operation Al-Aqsa was being compared with the Pearl Harbor attack because both of these attacks were based upon the element of surprise. The operation witnessed tactics that were mainly employed in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Russians used suicide drones (kamikaze) against the Ukrainian lines of defense, whereas Ukrainians use drones as anti-tank devices against their Russian counterparts. These tactics fascinated Hamas; thus, they adapted and employed them against the Israeli Defense Forces.

In the case of Hamas, they deployed Zouari drones named after Palestinian engineer Muhammad Zouari, who bestowed Palestinians with drones

Russians have used Lancet-3 loitering munition drones against Ukraine. A camera is installed at the front of it for guidance and visual identification of the target; it is controlled by two expert soldiers and launched from the catapult. They inflicted severe damage upon the Ukrainian combat systems, including artillery, armored vehicles, and air defense. It consists of the AI processing models due to the installation of NVIDIA chips, which assist in identifying and attacking targets. In the case of Hamas, they deployed Zouari drones named after Palestinian engineer Muhammad Zouari, who bestowed Palestinians with drones. Zouari drones are equipped with a “fire and forget” mechanism, which prevents them from making evasive moves or changing their trajectory. A ten-man crew carries these drones on a rail-type launcher and then launches them with a gas catapult launch system. Zouari drones have an electro-optical system that is locally and non-professionally made, while their external camera looks like a GoPro device. It is unclear whether these drones are autonomous or operator-controlled.

Several videos surfaced on social media in which Ukrainian drones were witnessed taking out Russian tanks. These drones were mainly known as dragon drones and vampire drones. The dragon drone used molten thermite to force the adversary’s armor to retreat through “fear and fire.” Whereas, the vampire drones, also known as “Baba Yaga” are equipped with AI software and infrared cameras to guide them towards human-shaped targets at night. These vampire drones destroyed and disabled Russian T-90 and Turtle tanks by dropping IED explosives from above.

This tactic was successfully integrated by Hamas into its operations against the Israeli Defense Force, in which they were able to eliminate six Merkava-4 tanks by dropping grenades from above. The Trophy active protection system only protects from horizontally traveling munitions; that is why drones were successful in taking out IDF tanks.

The insight gained from the Ukraine war underscores the evolving nature of asymmetric warfare

Drone warfare tactics utilized by Hamas’s operation reveal a significant transfer of knowledge and strategy from the Russo-Ukrainian war. By observing closely the effective use of various drone technologies, Hamas has adapted these technologies to enhance its military capabilities. This adaptation has enabled Hamas to conduct precise targeted strikes and psychological warfare, effectively neutralizing Israeli military assets. The insight gained from the Ukraine war underscores the evolving nature of asymmetric warfare, where non-state actors continuously learn and innovate from global conflicts to enhance their tactical advantage.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.