In a terrifying new chapter of Iran’s relentless counteroffensive, Israeli ground forces are now facing a lethal upgrade in asymmetric warfare: the Almas-3 drone-missile system, personally authorized for widespread deployment by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s top military aide.
IRGC Aerospace Force Commander General Amir Ali Hajizadeh declared in a chilling video message: “The tanks of the Zionist regime that rolled over our brothers during the Ramadan War will now burn. The Almas-3 sees, hunts, and destroys. There will be no safe armor for the occupiers.”
Within hours, waves of these advanced Iranian loitering munitions — a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly hybrid of anti-tank missile and kamikaze drone — struck Israeli armored columns operating near the Lebanon border and in support positions in the north. Multiple Merkava IV tanks, considered among the world’s most protected, were reportedly pierced and set ablaze. Videos circulating on regional channels show the Almas-3’s precision top-attack capability bypᴀssing reactive armor and active protection systems with devastating effect.
This marks a dangerous evolution. While U.S. and Israeli airstrikes under Operation Epic Fury have hammered Iran’s infrastructure for weeks, destroyed much of its navy, and cost America over $11 billion in the opening days, Tehran continues innovating on the battlefield. The Almas-3’s extended range, AI-ᴀssisted targeting, and low-observable flight profile make it especially hard to intercept — particularly as 10 key U.S. radar systems across the region remain offline from previous Iranian strikes.
The timing is brutal. Israel is already reeling from repeated “hellish” ballistic and drone barrages that have repeatedly hammered Nevatim and Ramat David airbases, damaged Shin Bet headquarters, and kept millions in bomb shelters. The USS Gerald R. Ford remains sidelined in the Arabian Sea with recurring fires, its strike capacity crippled. Russian naval drills near the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten a wider blockade.
Israeli armor, long a pillar of IDF ground superiority, is now vulnerable in ways not seen before. Defense analysts warn that if Iran scales Almas-3 production using hidden facilities, it could turn any ground incursion into a slaughter.
Mojtaba’s regime is sending a clear message: even as its cities burn and its leadership is hunted, Iran’s revenge will adapt, evolve, and reach every domain — air, sea, and now directly into Israeli tank formations.
Operation Epic Fury was meant to deliver total dominance. Instead, it has awakened a more creative and determined adversary. As burning Merkava hulls smolder on the battlefield, the question grows urgent: How much more can America and Israel afford to lose before this war of choice becomes a strategic catastrophe?
