Ducking the Shahed threat: practical safety tips as Iranian drones loom

Long-range Shahed-136 drones—cheap, ‘kamikaze’ weapons used by Iran and linked to Russia—are now targeting Gulf states and beyond. The piece explains their size and range (basic Shahed variants can fly hundreds to about 2,000 km; Shahed-136 is around 3.5 m long with a 2.5 m wingspan and a 50-kg warhead) and why their buzzing final approach is psychologically unsettling. It also offers safety steps: if you hear or see a drone, avoid windows and move to an interior room with two to three surrounding walls, or seek a basement/stairwell, and shelter for the duration of the threat. While missiles cause larger blasts, Shahed attacks can still cause serious damage, so practical shelter and evacuation timing matter. The article situates the drone threat in a wider context of sanctions, export controls, and defense-sharing with Ukraine as drone warfare goes global.