US says it used drones based on Iran’s own Shaheds in attack: ‘American-made retribution’

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseFebruary 28, 2026 at 10:20 PM

AI Summary

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The US military announced on Saturday that it deployed single-use drones in combat for the first time. US Central Command (Centcom) stated that "Task Force Scorpion Strike" utilized these low-cost, one-way attack drones. The drones are modeled after Iranian Shahed drones, which have been prominently used in the Ukraine-Russia war. Centcom emphasized that this deployment represents "American-made retribution," referencing Iran's export of Shahed drones to Russia. The use of these expendable drones, cheaper than traditional missiles, signals the US military's adoption of a technology that has significantly impacted modern warfare in Ukraine.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Task Force Scorpion Strike 60% Shahed ×260% Ukraine ×270% Russia ×270% US Central Command (Centcom) ×280% Iran ×380% United States ×290%

Keywords

drones 100% us military 80% iran 70% shahed drones 70% ukraine-russia war 60% low-cost drones 60% combat 50% military technology 50% american-made 40%