⚓ INS DRAKON AND NEW AI BRANCH REFLECT EXPANDING IDF CAPABILITIES: IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel’s sixth submarine, INS Drakon, is sailing from Germany to Israel and represents the Navy’s transformation into a strategic arm capable of operating across the Middle East and beyond. Under the coming multi-year “Hoshen” plan, the maritime arena will receive greater emphasis, including Reshef-class missile ships designed for increased range, endurance and firepower.
Zamir also announced a new IDF Unmanned Systems and Artificial Intelligence Branch, planned for inauguration around Hanukkah in early December. It will develop maritime, ground and aerial robotic systems designed to operate alongside manned forces or independently, with advanced autonomous capabilities also planned for the Navy.
Reviewing the broader war, Zamir said the IDF had changed its security doctrine: “There is no containment. There is initiative to remove threats before they materialize.” He described naval operations across multiple fronts, including Bab el-Mandeb, Beirut, Lebanese ports and Gaza, and said protecting maritime trade routes increasingly requires both overt and covert operations far from Israel.
Zamir described the IDF’s achievements as a “historic military victory,” citing the removal of invasion threats, damage to enemy missile and rocket capabilities and strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, while stressing that Iran and the wider axis remain threats. Navy chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel similarly said “there is no longer any distant front” and warned that Israel would defend its freedom of action and strategic interests in the Mediterranean and Red seas.
Ahead of the Tishrei holidays, Zamir also recalled the “failure of Simchat Torah, October 7,” emphasized the heavy cost in fallen and wounded personnel, and urged officers to keep political and public divisions outside the IDF while maintaining a unified chain of command.
🌊 IRGC CLAIMS CAPTURE OF U.S. UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE: The IRGC Navy said it captured a U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, describing it as one of the most modern unmanned submarines delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2025. The IRGC said the vehicle was seized in a “complex intelligence and operational” operation and that images would be released within hours. There has been no immediate U.S. confirmation.
🏛️ PMO DENIES REPORT OF PRE-OCTOBER 7 UAE WARNING: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said reports that the UAE warned Netanyahu before October 7 were false, stating: “No warning was given to the PM from the UAE before October 7th. If there was any relevant information, it was passed through intelligence channels between the two countries.”
The Emirati Foreign Ministry said it “does not comment on media reports or speculation concerning conversations between national leaders.”
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