'Silence in the trailer': How does the IDF undertake drone operations?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones have become an increasingly important part of warfare in the 21st century, especially since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022 and the Israel-Hamas war.

Several IDF UAV operators spoke about their experiences to Israeli media on Wednesday, detailing operational differences and the emotions in the trailer during combat, among other issues.

Most of the IDF’s drones and UAVs are operated remotely from a trailer far from the battlefield, where they can control drones across the multi-theater war.

Drones are currently in use across all theaters of the war, including the West Bank, Lebanon, and Gaza.

Drone operations

“It’s a crazy role that has no definition,” Lt. “D” said. “You can do everything, and everything changes in an instant.”

“Gaza is characterized by dense buildings and a civilian population with terrorists hiding in it and, of course, our forces as well,” he said. “In Lebanon, on the other hand, there are many open and very mountainous areas.

In the West Bank, the story is different – attacking in controlled territories, when the nests of terrorism are in areas where there are also non-involved people, such as in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps.”

Operators are often required to handle drones in multiple theaters at once. Lt. D said they work closely with ground troops in the area to receive intelligence guidance.

“The trailer from which we operate the UAVs is in close contact with unit commanders to understand the location of our fighters and, based on that, to build the most effective attack outline,” he said, “After that, we will always make sure that the information we have is accurate, using cameras... As soon as you hear the famous ‘two, three, strike’ call, armaments are in the air, silence overcomes the trailer, and everyone concentrates on the attack.”

“There is always this rush of adrenaline, a little excitement in the heart, especially when going on a big operation,” Lt. D said. “We don’t really have a moment to pause. But despite this, the sense of meaning and the understanding that we are doing something important is right in front of our eyes.”