Zaid Al-Ali
The covert deployment of advanced drones to countries in conflict by third-party states is intensifying modern warfare and undermining international peace-making in ways that are not yet fully understood. It is now well established that they can be mass-produced by middle powers such as Türkiye and Iran and deployed in swarms. What is less appreciated is how third-party states can now deploy drone armies to engage in warfare in other countries without publicly disclosing their involvement, and in ways that can delay peace negotiations for years at a time.
Historically, third‑party states have often supported warring factions abroad—whether by deploying full ground armies, conducting traditional air force bombing campaigns, or carrying out covert air and ground operations. Drones represent a distinct class of weaponry that is giving third‑party states, including middle powers such as Türkiye, Iran, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates, the ability to sustain direct involvement in multiple distant conflicts at the same time. Their lethality is the result of several factors. Many models are powered by artificial intelligence, which means that they can operate fully autonomously and in coordinated swarming tactics. But it is their low cost, the ease with which they can be transferred to local allies, and their ability to be deployed from afar that is making this particular technology so impactful.
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