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Israel's air force has introduced a fleet of large surveillance UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles), claiming they can fly as far as Iran and the Persian Gulf.

The Israeli military says the Heron TP drones, with a wingspan of 86 feet (26 meters), will primarily be used for surveillance, implying that they also can be used for other applications.

The jet-sized drones, which is said to be built by the Israel Aerospace Industries, were first used by the Israeli military during the 23 days of deadly aerial and ground incursion into Gaza in late 2008 and early 2009.

At an inauguration ceremony on Sunday, Israeli officials refused to announce the number of aircraft that were included in the fleet.