An Iranian missile strike has severely damaged a drone manufacturing facility in Petah Tikva, forcing a complete shutdown of operations and raising concerns over disruptions to Israel’s defence production.
The facility, run by Aero Sol Aviation Solutions, was hit during a recent escalation, leaving the structure largely destroyed. Company officials said the damage is so extensive that work cannot resume at the site and rebuilding there is unlikely, according to a report by Ynet News.
Aero Sol supplies critical equipment to Israel’s defence sector, including pilot helmets, bomb components and drones used by the Israeli military. The strike caused major destruction to machinery, infrastructure and office spaces, effectively wiping out the plant.
According to the outlet, the missile landed near the perimeter of the factory, creating a large crater and a wide impact zone. The attack is being viewed as part of the broader escalation between Iran and Israel, with defence-linked facilities increasingly coming under focus.
The incident came just days after the company was acquired by Valorex in a deal valued at around 35 million shekels. CEO Israel Vaserlauf suggested the possibility that the factory may have been deliberately targeted, noting that publicly available information could have made the site identifiable.
He, however, downplayed the likelihood of internal involvement, saying the facility maintained a low profile and was not visibly identifiable as a defence unit from the outside.
Vaserlauf described the destruction as total, saying the blast tore apart the structure and caused heavy losses. Despite this, he noted that some equipment, data, production files and even a few drones were recovered. According to him, while the visible damage appears significant, the company’s core capabilities remain intact.
🇮🇱🇮🇷 Iranian missile strike wiped out an Israeli drone manufacturer.
Aero Sol Aviation Solutions factory in Petah Tikva, which supplies pilot helmets, bomb components and drones to the IDF, won’t be able to resume operations due to the extensive damage.
Source: Ynet https://t.co/3QbWueM52D pic.twitter.com/MoAndYBsxx
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 5, 2026
He said the factory would have to be completely demolished, and a decision on the land would rest with the property owner. The company, backed by Valorex, is now looking to relocate and rebuild operations elsewhere.
The CEO expressed confidence that supply disruptions to the Israeli military would be temporary. He said efforts are underway to restore key production lines within a week, either through alternative facilities or by working with defence partners.
“The blast dismantled the entire structure. Everything was blown to pieces — a total loss. Some equipment survived, a lot of data, production files, computers — all the critical information. We managed to recover a great deal of data and key components, and even some drones survived, along with customer molds. Overall, the damage looks huge, but when you get into the details, our situation is actually not bad,” said the CEO, according to the outlet.
The damage is estimated at around 15 million shekels, including recent investments, equipment and raw materials. Vaserlauf also raised concerns over compensation processes, saying prolonged rebuilding and reimbursement delays could pose financial challenges.
Employees played a key role in recovery efforts, working through the night to salvage whatever remained. The company has informed its clients about the situation and said it has received support, including offers of advance payments and assistance from defence manufacturers.
Aero Sol now plans to begin the search for a new site immediately, aiming to restart operations as soon as possible despite the setback.
