Iran, Ukraine Wars Show Drones, Asymmetric Tactics Reshape Modern Combat, NYT Reports

According to New York Times on May 27, Iran and Ukraine wars are revealing a shared model of modern warfare combining advanced technology with asymmetric tactics that exploit adversaries' vulnerabilities rather than engage in direct military confrontation.

Iran has used drones and missiles to target U.S. ally military bases and energy infrastructure, while threatening the Strait of Hormuz with mines and armed speedboats. Ukraine has conducted targeted strikes on Russian military leadership in Moscow and used drones to cripple Russia's Black Sea Fleet, while repeatedly attacking Russia's oil facilities. Experts cite asymmetric tactics as a key reason Russia and the U.S. have not achieved swift victories despite their military superiority. Drones have become the central weapon on both battlefields, marking the opening of an era of mass precision strikes, according to Carnegie International Peace Foundation researcher Michael Coffman.