Overview
- U.S. and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes early Saturday, with blasts reported in Tehran and both militaries describing the action as pre‑emptive as Iran vowed a decisive response.
- Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin reported the U.S. used one‑way LUCAS drones alongside Tomahawk missiles in a layered attack that officials said suppressed Iranian air defenses, with operations expected to continue for days.
- CENTCOM has said LUCAS drones cost about $35,000 each and were prepared for use after a successful December 2025 launch from the USS Santa Barbara.
- U.S. Central Command previously confirmed Task Force Scorpion—the military’s first dedicated one‑way attack drone unit—is operationally ready, part of a shift to attritable systems better suited to dispersed targets than hardened nuclear sites, analysts say.
- The strikes follow Geneva nuclear talks that ended without a deal after Washington pressed for dismantlement and a permanent halt to uranium enrichment that Iranian negotiators rejected.