Iran Holds Military Exercises Amid Regional Tensions: Unjuk Air Defense Capabilities With Drones

Iranian drone exercise illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency/Mostafa Terani)

Iranian authorities on Friday announced they had successfully carried out air defense exercises using drones designed to intercept enemy targets in areas stretching from the southwest to southeast coast, amid rising tensions in the region.

"Iran forces have successfully launched a new air defense method that uses drones to intercept and target enemy targets," the state-run Press TV reported.

The two-day exercise, which began on Thursday, covers regions from the Century in southwest Khuzestan Province to Chahbahar in southeastern Syria and Baluchistan Provinces bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Press TV said the air and naval forces, as well as the air force and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) participated in the drills.

It is known that this exercise was held amid increasing tensions in the region. On Thursday Pakistan launched airstrikes against what it said were separatist militants in Iran, in retaliation two days after Tehran said it attacked another group's base in Pakistan.

This counter-attack is the largest cross-border attack in recent years, raising concerns over the broader instability in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7.

Iran and Pakistan have a history of difficult relations, but both hint at a desire to ease tensions after this week's attack.

Against a war background in Gaza, Iran and its militia allies in the Middle East have carried out attacks on Israeli and US targets in the region to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Iran has also launched attacks on Syria on what it calls ISIS, and Iraq sites, which they say have attacked Israeli espionage centers.