According to Sky News, The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Wednesday that one of its Hermes 900 drones was shot down over Isfahan province in central Iran by a surface-to-air missile.
This marks the first confirmed loss of an Israeli aircraft in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. The IDF stated there were no injuries and no risk of sensitive information being compromised.
Iranian state television aired footage showing wreckage of the downed drone, which is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle used by Israel for reconnaissance and tactical operations.
The Hermes 900, known in Israeli service as Kochav (“star”), can carry various payloads including precision-guided munitions. A small Israeli-made guided glide bomb was reportedly recovered from the crash site.
The Israeli military has been conducting extensive air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and missile facilities since last Friday, aiming to degrade Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and launch ballistic missiles.
Despite Israel’s claims of air superiority over western Iran and Tehran, the downing of the drone highlights that Iranian air defenses remain capable of posing a threat to slower-moving assets like drones.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel remains in control of the skies and will continue strikes anywhere within Iran it chooses.
The drone loss comes amid intense exchanges of missile and drone attacks between the two countries, with Iran retaliating against Israeli cities.
The incident underscores the risks involved in Israel’s deep strike campaign and the ongoing struggle for air dominance in the region. It also marks a significant escalation as the conflict enters its second week, with both sides sustaining casualties and damage.
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