New Delhi: Following a wave of Israeli airstrikes on its territory, Iran on June 13 launched a counterpunch – firing over 100 Shahed-136 drones toward Israel. The attack has put multiple regional air forces, including those of Jordan and Israel, on high alert. Though these drones are far from state-of-the-art in speed or stealth, their numbers alone are enough to overwhelm even sophisticated air defense systems. The question on everyone’s mind is – how powerful are these drones, and how much time does Israel really have before they hit?
Built by Iran, the Shahed-136 is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed primarily for one purpose – attack. It is a single-use weapon, engineered to fly long distances, crash into its target and detonate. Iran first rolled it out in 2020. Since then, it has appeared on several frontlines, most notably in Russia’s war against Ukraine, where Moscow used them in swarms to bombard Kyiv’s infrastructure.
How Much Damage Can They Cause?
At first glance, the Shahed-136 may seem like a basic machine. It is relatively slow, flying at 180-200 kilometre per hour and can carry up to 50 kg of explosives – enough to take out small buildings, destroy equipment or cause casualties in confined areas. But this is not the kind of drone designed to take out hardened nuclear sites or penetrate bunkers. Its real power lies in numbers.
A swarm of 100 drones flying together presents a logistical nightmare for any air defense system. Even if a few get through, the damage can be widespread to military bases, power infrastructure or densely populated civilian zones.
Each drone is relatively cheap to manufacture. It means Iran can produce them in bulk. Their simplicity also makes them hard to shoot down all at once, especially when launched from various angles.
Will They Reach Israel and When?
From Iran to Israel, the straight-line aerial distance is roughly 1,600 to 1,800 km – well within the drone’s maximum range of about 2,000 to 2,500 km. But because of their slow cruising speed, it can take 8 to 10 hours for them to reach Israeli airspace.
Reports suggest that many of the drones were already spotted over Jordanian and Iraqi skies within the first few hours of launch. That means they may only be a few hours away from their targets, assuming they are not intercepted along the way.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Jordanian air force have already started defensive operations. Israeli fighter jets, including F-35s, have taken off to intercept the incoming drones, and ground-based missile defense systems like the Patriot have been activated.
Why Jordan Is Involved
Jordan sits squarely between Iran and Israel. As the drones cross its airspace, Amman has made it clear that it will not allow its skies to be used for military attacks. Jordanian forces have already shot down multiple drones before they could exit its territory.
According to Jordanian state media, dozens were intercepted, stopping them well short of Israeli soil.
Could This Escalate Further?
Despite the Shahid-136’s basic design, this attack is being treated as a serious escalation. It shows Iran’s willingness to hit back directly, rather than through proxy forces – a line it has rarely crossed so openly in the past.
If Israel suffers significant damage or casualties, it may feel pressured to respond not just with air defenses, but with full-scale retaliation – possibly targeting Iranian facilities directly. And that could push the region toward a much more dangerous and unpredictable conflict.
For now, the skies remain tense, radar screens are glowing and commanders in Tel Aviv, Amman and Tehran are watching every blip with a finger on the trigger.
