The quiet eyes and brave hands that helped open Iran’s skies to precision, surprise, and Israeli resolve

There is something deeply fascinating about the way Israel fights when it has no choice but to fight. Not merely with force, but with foresight. Not only with firepower, but with imagination. Not just with machines in the sky, but with minds and nerves on the ground.

In recent days, I have listened to analysts marvel at the Israeli Air Force and its breathtaking reach over Iran. I have read commentaries on the F-35I Adir and its supreme command of contested skies. I have joined that admiration myself, gladly and unapologetically. And rightly so. The pilots, planners, and commanders deserve it.

But today my attention turns elsewhere.

Today I want to pay homage to the quieter heroes of this campaign: the covert intelligence-gathering drones, the small almost-silent platforms that see before others strike; and the Israeli special forces and intelligence operatives who handle, position, protect, and deploy them deep in dangerous places. These are the forerunners. These are the hidden hands before the visible blow. These are the men and women who help make precision possible.

Before the bombing, there were the drones.

And before the drones rose, there were Israelis on the ground, moving patiently, thinking audaciously, taking risks far from home so that others could later fly, strike, and return.

That is what has stirred me.

One of the most remarkable features of Israel’s campaign against Iran, including the pivotal 12-Day War in June 2025, has been this marriage of stealth and speed, concealment and clarity, covert infiltration and overt dominance. We often focus on the climactic moment: the fighter jets overhead, the destroyed target, the stunned enemy command. But the real story, so often, begins earlier and lower. It begins with preparation. It begins with positioning. It begins with tiny machines and brave operators working in the shadows.

That is why I find the story of Israel’s covert drones so compelling.

These were not merely gadgets or battlefield accessories. They were strategic forerunners.

Small, quiet, intelligence-gathering drones played sensitive roles in missions far beyond Israel’s borders. They offered force protection. They helped identify hostile troops. They fed real-time intelligence to operators and commanders. They narrowed uncertainty. They widened opportunity. In a war where seconds matter........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)