On Saturday, Iran tested new drones as part of its annual military exercise near the Strait of Hormuz.
State television said the Ababil-5 attack drone was used for the first time during a military exercise and successfully hit a target with a bomb, traveling 400 kilometers (250 miles). Over the past decade, Iran has tested many other military drones.
Military drones have been a point of contention between Iran, the United States and their allies, who allege that Tehran is supplying Moscow with drones that have been used in attacks on Western-backed Ukraine.
In November, Iran admitted that it supplied the drones to Russia, adding that this happened before Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Iran says it is committed to ending the conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz is located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and is critical to global energy supplies, with about a fifth of all maritime oil trade passing through it.
The military exercises, dubbed “Zolfagar-1401”, involved commandos and airborne infantry, as well as fighter jets, helicopters, military transport aircraft and submarines. The Iranian military will also launch missiles and air defense systems. defensive power and test weapons.
Since mid-September, Iran has been rocked by anti-government protests triggered by the death of a woman detained by the country’s morality police. The demonstrations quickly turned into calls for an end to more than four decades of clerical rule in the country.
More than 500 protesters were killed and more than 18,500 arrested, according to Iranian human rights activists who closely followed the riots. The Iranian authorities have not released figures on those killed or taken prisoner.
