The United States military has deployed a new drone strike capability in the Middle East as part of its ongoing operations against the Islamic State. Speaking during a briefing on Operation Epic Fury, the commander of United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, confirmed that the US has begun using drones designed on the model of Iran’s Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicle. The system is intended to strengthen Washington’s ability to conduct precision strikes while countering militant threats in the region.

According to the CENTCOM commander, the newly established drone unit known as Task Force Scorpion Strike has been deployed for the first time to launch a large number of one-way attack drones. These kamikaze drones are designed to loiter over a target before striking and detonating, providing a low-cost but highly effective tool for modern battlefield operations. Cooper noted that the system has already demonstrated massive operational impact, describing the one-way drones as a significant addition to the US military’s strike capabilities.

The drones used by the task force are part of the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, or LUCAS, which analysts say was developed through reverse engineering based on Iran’s Shahed-136 drone. Iranian drones have been widely used across several conflicts and have gained a reputation for their destructive capabilities. Cooper said that while such drones have previously spread fear and instability across the region, Iran’s ability to retaliate against US operations is now declining rapidly.

The CENTCOM briefing also provided details on broader American military operations targeting infrastructure linked to Iranian missile capabilities. US forces have reportedly struck nearly 2,000 targets using more than 2,000 munitions in coordinated operations involving multiple bomber platforms. B-2 and B-1 bombers carried out what Cooper described as uncontested surgical strikes against several missile facilities, while B-52 bombers targeted ballistic missile systems and command-and-control installations.

Task Force Scorpion represents the Pentagon’s first dedicated drone unit designed specifically for one-way strike missions. The program evolved from an experimental US Army drone initiative and was activated after authorization for military strikes was granted by former President Donald Trump. The drones can hover over a designated area before crashing into targets and exploding, offering a strategic advantage in high-risk environments.

One of the drones associated with the program was successfully test-launched from the USS Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf in mid-December. The warship is part of the broader US naval presence deployed near Iran as tensions in the region continue to shape military planning and security operations.