Drones, Artificial Intelligence and the Redefinition of the Battlefield: Lessons from the 12-Day War for Iran’s Security

The 12‑day war of June 2025 between Israel and Iran – marked by offensive drones, AI‑guided munitions, and cyber operations – redefined the modern battlefield and created fundamental security challenges for Iran. Drawing on offensive neorealism, which stresses the maximization of military power in an anarchic international system, this study asks how emerging technologies like drones and AI have altered the regional balance of power and threaten Iran’s security. The main hypothesis, derived from the offensive neorealist tenet that power prevails over security, argues that Israel’s asymmetric use of AI‑centric drones and hybrid warfare has cemented its hegemonic advantage, forcing Iran to reconsider its defensive strategy – unless Tehran rapidly indigenises those technologies to restore deterrence. The research follows a qualitative, descriptive‑analytical method. The findings show that Israel’s AI‑guided drones executed more than 70% of precision strikes, significantly disrupting parts of Iran’s cyber infrastructure, while Iran’s lack of layered AI defence worsened its vulnerability. From this, several urgent lessons emerge: Iran must invest immediately in swarm drones and defensive AI, integrate cyber‑air capabilities into its deterrence doctrine, and pursue regional technology‑transfer partnerships with Russia and China. Ultimately, if Iran does not redefine its battlefield approach in line with offensive neorealism, its security will remain dangerously exposed to future hybrid threats.